Mini Species Challenge

[mikench]

Ive had a few good gudgeon like this.

And this.

 

[john step]

Thats barred as its a monster!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mikench]

It certainly was Pete. I'm very glad to see you back posting.

Gudgeon are a delightful little fish and oz for oz great fighters.They are always nicely hooked too.

 

[markcw]

It certainly was Pete. I'm very glad to see you back posting.

Gudgeon are a delightful little fish and oz for oz great fighters.They are always nicely hooked too.

Makes a change from all the Tench and carp you catch

 

[rayner]

Get this right gudgeon are nothing but a nuisance, OK to catch the odd one but when they dominate a swim as they do on a fishery I intend fishing when I get confidence to give it a go, avoiding the little sods can be a pain.
Other mini species I can cope with and would be pleased to see another ruffle, I said often enough I fish for smaller fishes than most anglers but I draw the line at hoards of gudgeon.

 

[mikench]

Well those I caught had only good words to say about you Gary.

Minnows no but gudgeon are delightful.

 

[markcw]

Get this right gudgeon are nothing but a nuisance, OK to catch the odd one but when they dominate a swim as they do on a fishery I intend fishing when I get confidence to give it a go, avoiding the little sods can be a pain.
Other mini species I can cope with and would be pleased to see another ruffle, I said often enough I fish for smaller fishes than most anglers but I draw the line at hoards of gudgeon.

Wait until you get a swim with motherless minnows in it, they make bleak look like shy biting crucians. They weigh about 100+ to the pound. You cant feed them odd either, it just attracts more of them

 

[rayner]

I've been plagued by minnows on several occasions when fishing the Don. We used to call them pinks. Pinks are the same as gudgeon when it comes to trying to feed them off, it's impossible. Small fish generally are ravenous the only way to avoid them in your swim is to feed baits they can't get in their gob.
Either decide to catch them or like I said baits for them to be unable to eat. Hemp and tare are a case in point, corn or wheat also works well.

 

[Molehill]

My missus caugt a ruffe out the severn this week, caused much excitement as she had never seen one before (neither had i in 50 years), she had it on a whole lobworm and size 6 hook - greedy little beggar!

 

[john step]

I once weighed in over 4lb of minnows in a match below the Oveltine on the Grand Union. 6ft whip and pinkies plus an arm ache and eye strain.
Never again.

As to ruffe they were so prolific on the Thames at one time they were a nuisance. I have only seen one or two in the last few decades.

 

[The Runner]

I once weighed in over 4lb of minnows in a match below the Oveltine on the Grand Union. 6ft whip and pinkies plus an arm ache and eye strain.
Never again.

As to ruffe they were so prolific on the Thames at one time they were a nuisance. I have only seen one or two in the last few decades.

Cracking minnow weight that ! An old teammate of mine once weighed in over 4lb of them in a Berkshire Winter League on the Kennet to win his section of 12, beating (and upsetting...) three anglers who had single chub.
Took note of his "minnowhanger" rig in case I should ever need it- best (if that's the right word) I ever did on it was 2-14 all minnows from a rotten peg on the Colne in our teams of 4 Charity match about ten years back. Second in section but could have saved myself a lot of effort as would have finished in exactly the same position with 3oz.....

 

[john step]

The swim was where the river (gade ?) re enters the canal by a white bridge. It was fairly swift flowing and wall to wall minnows. It was just a matter of putting in with a tiny wand and lifting out. God knows how many minnows to the pinkie which became just skin but still they came. I seem to remember I had the net strategically placed in front of me and a sheet of plastic to funnel any dropoffs down to the net.
Not real fishing I guess but you have to fish where you draw.
One of the reasons I gave it up in the end.

 

[Aknib]

Very much real fishing if you ask me, pretty much the epitome of it in fact

 

[The Runner]

The swim was where the river (gade ?) re enters the canal by a white bridge. It was fairly swift flowing and wall to wall minnows. It was just a matter of putting in with a tiny wand and lifting out. God knows how many minnows to the pinkie which became just skin but still they came. I seem to remember I had the net strategically placed in front of me and a sheet of plastic to funnel any dropoffs down to the net.
Not real fishing I guess but you have to fish where you draw.
One of the reasons I gave it up in the end.

Yep, needed to have loads of minnows there to be "worthwhile" but , whip or shortish rod, three quarter ounce bomb on a tight line , pinkie on a size 22 above the bomb on a three inch tag from a sliding stop knot (sliding so could change how far off the bottom you were), lower and lift out "on the count"
Those were the days......

 

[S-Kippy]

Lordy.....I've resorted to gudjin bashing in a match on the GUC but never minners. Mind you, whenever I wanted a few for perch bait I couldn't catch them.