Fish Specials - Ruffe or Pope

Common Name - Ruffe or Pope
Latin Name - Gymnocephalus Cernuus
Family - Perciidae
Weight - > 6 oz.
UK Record - 5 oz 4 dms - (Cumbria, 1980)

The Ruffe or Pope is our smallest predator which is mainly bottom dwelling. It is very similar to the Perch in fin structure and body shape. The colouring is a very drab, khaki brown.

They are normally located on rivers but will also live in stillwaters. They can be caught using maggots, casters and chopped worms.

Fish Specials - Perch

Common Name - Perch
Latin Name - Perca Fluviatilis
Family - Perciidae
Weight - > 6 lbs 6oz.
UK Record - 6 lbs 2oz - (River Thames, 2008)

The Perch, in my opinion is most probably one of the best fish in our waters. No matter how small they nearly always make up part of a good days fishing. These stripy predators can be caught in virtually any water and on any tactics.

The are unmistakable by their green body with their black vertical stripes. Sometimes they are called the Sergeant Major due to their stripes. They are the smallest of our native predators. Baits such as maggots, casters, worms & minnows all work well. Artificial lures work well for the larger specimens. If you are using minnows or lures then a wire trace is a must as Pike will also be taken on these methods.

They are a shoaling fish and in summer can be seen chasing fry in the shallows. The bigger Perch tend to hide in the margins or deeper down in the water. They are also cannibalistic as they will eat smaller Perch.

Fish in areas such as the edge of weeds, rushes, bridges or any other type of structure.

Fish Specials - The Carp

Common Name - Carp
Latin Name - Cyprinus Carpio
Family - Cyprinidae
Weight - > 70 lbs (British Carp) European Carp may reach > 90 lbs.
UK Record - 67 lbs - Mirror Carp (Conningbrook Lake, 2008)

The Carp is by far the most powerful of the fish in British Waters. There are four types of Carp, which are, Common, Mirror, Leather & Crucian. The Common Carp is the original type which was originally brought to the UK by monks for food in the 1300's. Since then, the Carp has been introduced into virtually all of the UK's rivers and stillwaters.

The Common Carp is a fully scaled and can be almost black in colour, although a deep bronze is more common. The Mirror & Leather Carp are strains of the Common bred in Asia.

The Mirror Carp is identified by large scales which only cover parts of the body and is now by far the most seldom caught of the Carp in British waters. This is due to its fast growth rate, making it the most preferred when stocking waters.

The Leather Carp are generally scaleless however some fish do have a few scales. They also tend to have a smaller more rounded tail than the Common & Mirror's. Leather's are the slowest growing of the big Carp.

Carp can be caught on boilies, bread, meat, sweetcorn, tiger nuts, tares, maggots, worms, dog biscuits, trout pellets, cheese and meat pastes. Carp are generally bottom feeders but during in times of hot weather they will feed on the surface and will fall for floating crust or dog biscuits.

Crucian Carp, are very small compared to the others and is mainly a stillwater fish. The Crucian has no barbules unlike the Common, Mirror & Leather which have 2. The British record currently stands at 4 lbs 9 oz. The Crucian is a member of the Goldfish family. Crucian are very shy and therefore quite hard to catch, but will take maggots, casters, worms, bread and sweetcorn.

Fish Specials - The Gudgeon

Common Name - Gudgeon
Latin Name - Gobio Gobio
Family - Cyprinidae
Weight - > 6 oz.
UK Record - 0 lbs 5 oz (River Nadder, 1990)

The Gudgeon is prolific in nearly every water in Britain. It is one fish that can save you from blanking all year round. It is a bottom dwelling fish. They have sometimes been mistaken for young Barbel but the Gudgeon only has 2 barbules, 1 either side of its mouth.

They will take most baits, but maggots, casters, chopped worms and punched bread work best.

Fish Specials - The Bleak

Common Name - Common Bleak
Latin Name - Alburnus Alburnus
Family - Cyprinidae
Weight - > 6 oz.
UK Record - 0 lbs 4 oz (1998)

Found in most rivers, lakes & canals. The Bleak is a small silver fish that mainly swim in the upper reaches of the water. Most anglers think of them as a nuisance fish as they tend to take their bait on the drop when fishing for bottom fish.

They will take most baits such as maggots, casters, worms and bread.  If you can get them feeding then like the Dace they can make up a good bag when match fishing.

Sometimes mistaken for small Dace, the main difference being the Bleak has a very large shovel type bottom jaw. The Bleak makes a great bait fish when fishing for Perch, Pike & Zander.

Fish Specials - The Dace

Common Name - Common Dace
Latin Name - Leuciscus leuciscus
Family - Cyprinidae
Weight - > 2 lbs.
UK Record - 2
1 lbs 5 oz (River Weir 2002)

The Dace is a shoaling fish, that swim at most levels and prefer shallow streams. They are also found in still waters and canals. They are sometimes mistaken for small Chub, the main difference being the anal fin on a Dace is concaved, whereas the Chub's anal fin is convex.

They are a very popular fish with match anglers due to the fact they shoal in such large quantities. They will take maggots, casters, bread and worms but pinkies work best. Your tackle needs to be very light and you need fast reflexes due their lightning fast bites.

Fish Specials - Barbel

Common Name - Common Barbel
Latin Name - Barbus Barbus
Family - Cyprinidae
Weight - > 22 lbs.
UK Record - 21 lbs 1 oz (Great Ouse 2006)

The Common Barbel is a very popular sport fish in the UK and is one of our most powerful river fish. It is found in most rivers, however it is more prolific on the River Trent, Kennet, Hampshire Avon, Wye, Severn, Teme, Wensum & Great Ouse. Some lakes and ponds also carry Barbel.

The Barbel has a long streamlined body which is normally a dark bronze colour and it has 4 barbules, 2 either side of its mouth which it uses uses to locate food.

The Common Barbel eats most natural foods and can be caught with rod and line using sweetcorn, luncheon meat, tares, boilies, trout pellets, worms, maggots, casters, bread and black slugs. The bait is best trotted natural through the swim or fished using a feeder/ledger rig. Groundbait such as Hemp are great attractants for Barbel.

Fishing Tackle & Equipment

This is a general guide to tackle and  equipment needed. There are many other items that are available but these are just the essentials.

This is a list of equipment that any angler, no matter what level they are should never be without when fishing :-

• Hook Remover - The number one item as far as I am concerned, either in the old style disgorger or surgical pliers (long handled ones preferably). Disgorger come in many different styles but the principle is the same. My choice is the Aluminium type as they are more robust than the plastic type. Make sure that before you start fishing the disgorger is at hand and is easily accessible. Mine is on a piece of elastic which i wear around my neck. I also have a pair of surgical pliers which are nipped shut to my coat pocket.
• Landing Net - I prefer to use a landing net for all my fishing. I always use a net bigger than the fish I intend fishing for at the time. Make sure that the mesh is fine and knotless. 
• Keepnets - If you intend keeping your fish whilst you are fishing to stop spooking your swim then these are a must. Always try to use a square type with fine knotless mesh. 12 foot in length are about the best.
  
• Unhooking Mat - Essential if your after bigger fish. These provide a good soft area for you to lay the fish on when unhooking. Try and buy one that is about an inch thick, this will ensure any sharp object will not poke through and damage the fish.
  
• Soft Cloth - Not only will this come handy when wiping your hands but a good wet cloth placed over the fish face helps them calm down when on the unhooking mat.
• Fish Antiseptic - A good fish antiseptic is one product I am never without. Not only is it good to use on your hook marks etc but you should always check the fish for other scrapes. Especially in the early part of the season where fish have damage from spawning. Remember look after your fish today for tomorrow's fishing.
• The Priest - If you are game fishing and intend to take some home for the table then a Priest is required to quickly and cleanly dispatch a fish. There are some good quality one's available in the market.
• Fishing Licence - Need I say more?
  

General fishing equipment :-

• Rods - There are literally hundreds of different rods on the market, and depending on what type of fishing you intend doing then the list is truly endless. If you are new to fishing then look at what you intend to fish for and then ask at your local tackle dealer and they will know what is best for you.
• Poles - Poles are great for fishing still or very slow moving waters. These are mainly used by match anglers but can be great fun on a heavy stocked water of small to medium sized fish. These are reel-less and have an elastic in the tip to which a length of line is attached. 
  
• Reels - Again there are literally hundreds on the market. It is best to buy a reel that suits your rod. It is amazing how much of a difference the correct setup will make to your fishing.
• Lines & Braid - Always fill you spool the the lip to ensure easy casting. Ask your tackle dealer which line would be best for the type of fish you are looking at. Monofilament is the standard but Flourocarbon and Braids are also now quite commonly used by specialist anglers.
  
• Hooks - Always try to use barbless hooks or nip the barb closed with a pair of pliers. Some waters insist on barbed hooks, so check before you go and fish. The size will again depend on the fish you want to catch.
• Leads - Fishing leads are required for ledger fishing. There are loads of makes available but most are very similar. When fishing in weedy water always use snag safe easy release clips. These will ensure that should you get snapped off the fish won't be carrying the lead around with it.
• Floats - If you intend to go float fishing then these are a must. Wagglers, Stick and Pole are all different types available and these are then in their hundreds of different sizes, shape, design, colour etc. It really depends on the water you are fishing.
• Shot - This is essential of you are float fishing. These a small, generally round pieces of lead with a slot cut in to them so they can be easily attached to line. They help get the line down quickly and make sure the float cocks correctly. Floats have shotting needs printed on them. Shot is also used when fishing with certain floating baits to keep them down in the water at a certain depth.
• Lures - These come in a multitude of colours, shapes and sizes. If you are going lure fishing, ask around to find out which type are the best. Tackle dealers will tell you which one's are selling best.
• Rod Rests - These are also very varied and again depending on what type of fishing you intend doing will depend on what type you require.
• Seats, Chairs or Boxes - Seating is one thing which is very much a personal thing. There are basic seats or chairs for almost all types of angling, these are generally folding for ease of transport and storage. Seat Boxes are generally plastic tackle boxes which double up as a seat.
• Rod Bags - This again is a personal thing, but try and avoid any that have zips as these can get clogged with mud and dirt.
• Clothing - Entirely up to you, but make sure it keeps you warm. Remember the weather can turn quickly.
• Footwear - Wellies, Wader, Boots or shoes entirely up to you.
• Umbrellas or Bivvies - Depending on the type of fishing you intend doing will depend on what you really need. However make sure you have something with you either for shade when it is sunny or cover when it is raining.

This is just a basic guide to the tackle you require. If you anything like me then when you enter a good tackle shop then you will be like a child in a sweet shop. Enjoy and happy shopping.

Fishing Etiquette

Fishing is not just about you, fishing is about US. Angler's have a hard enough time as it is without making it harder on ourselves. People talk about angling being a cruel sport and have likened it to fox hunting, badger baiting, and hare coursing ????? .... It is up to us to change that personae.

So where to start? Well first we should start with our image and that is where the Etiquette comes in. So below are a few things that we should be doing as a matter of fact, follow these simple rules and let's start to get angling back on the map. Together we can do it, and if you are on the bank and you see somebody acting and fishing irresponsibly don't be afraid to stand up and tell them what they are doing wrong.

1. Avoid dumping fuel, petrol or other pollutants on the bank or in the water.
2. Never leave any rubbish behind including, old line, hooks, shot, bait, food wrappings etc.
3. Leave your spot clean or even cleaner than when you arrived.
4. When fishing try and avoid damaging the environment, do not break tree limbs, the bank etc.
5. Report any criminal damge or pollution to the relevant authorities immediately.
6. Do not move fish from water to water and never release any exotic plants of animals.
7. Never use bait fish from a different water system from that you are fishing.
8. And lastly practice Catch & Release ..... that way the fish we catch today will be there for others tomorrow.

Thanks for reading this and if only one person takes these simple little rules on-board then it is a start in the right direction.

Tight Lines

Fishing Licence

If you are going to go fishing for salmon, trout, freshwater fish or eels in England (except the River Tweed), Wales or the Border Esk and its tributaries in Scotland must have an Environment Agency rod licence. Even on day ticket waters a fishing licence is required. The annual cost of a fishing licence is £26.00 and expires on the 31 March each year. There are a few ways to buy a fishing licence, online (click here), at any post office or over the telephone.

A fishing licence covers up to 2 rods and line, so if you are fishing a 3 rod specialist rig setup you will need to purchase 2 licences.

Concession for Junior's (12 to 16 years old) and Senior (65 years or older) & Disabled (holder of a Blue Badge or Disability allowance) are available. Children under the age of 12 do not need a licence.

1-day and 8-day tickets are available for people on holiday.

The Environment Agency have lots of interesting articles and if you want to see a video showing where your money goes then (click here).

Remember your licence pays for you to go fishing, today, tomorrow and for the future development of our wonderful sport.