Roach Rudd & Perch Fishing

I lumped all these 'little species' together partly because I haven't done a huge amount of fishing for them over the years, partly because most of my bigger Perch have eaten my bait instead of a Tench, and partly because I haven't got many pictures of them all and I wanted to fill the page up!

But I still rate Rudd as the most beautiful of our indigenous species, and having been lucky enough to see one or two large Perch and Roach, I can safely say that a big one of those on the bank is every bit as spectacular as any monster Carp or Pike- to an angler anyway, even if your missus doesn't see the point!

"Come on... come on... I know you're out there..."

A summer 2lb 13oz Roach. Lovely.

The fingers are crossed for the night as Rudd-time approaches.

Sunset over the Rudd pit. If I remember rightly this was a successful evening rather than the norm!

A cracking brace of Roach at 2lb 9oz and 2lb 2oz. Worth sitting up for.

One of the handful of fish that has made my hairs stand on end when I peeled back the mesh. A monster Roach of 3lb 6oz- the like of which I never, ever thought I might catch.

A heap of Roach- and my best haul of them ever, with five of them over 2lb in weight. Loads of nice.

An immaculate, fin perfect 2lb 10oz Dorset Stour specimen for Ian.

Mark Vials and a Hants Avon 3 pounder- surely the apex of English Roach fishing?

The fish magnet that is Ian with a lovely catch of Stour Roach.

First two pounder ever, taken on floating crust. Nice.

Pair of twins in an evening session.

And back she goes into the crystal waters of the gravel pit. Perfect.

Three two pounders in an evening. I had taken my girlfriend at the time with me (Jesus they get all the best nights out with me), and she couldn't work out why I was so chuffed with them: "But they're only little" she said... they just don't understand.

The prettiest freshwater fish in England I think. Pity there aren't a few more of them about.

They seemed to come in twos, and then that was it, off they went like the fishy nomads they appeared to be.

A proper bar of gold nobbled on a piece of breadflake fished under an Isotope float after dark.

A last look before slipping her back home.

A perfect brace of two pounders on a long range feeder. Not exactly 'organic-dip-of-the-crow-quill' Rudd fishing. But it works.

Magic in miniature- hopefully to grow into a two pounder. (Or bait).

And a cute, bristling junior from the Delph on a weekend when the predator 'Grand Slam' came into sight, with Pike, Zander, Eels and this Perch ticked off the list, all I needed was a Catfish. You won't be surprised to hear I didn't get one.

Apologies for the picture, cos it was a real disappointment. My best catch of Rudd, taken on an early season June night, with 10 Rudd, one of 1lb 14oz, and all the rest 2lbs+, the best 2lb 12oz. Thing is Blind Pugh was behind the lens, unfortunately suffering a touch of the D.T.'s.