Friday 2 January 2015

Monster Gudgeon


We've all done it; caught a record shaking gudgeon, mostly while fishing for something else. The weight is either guessed 'it was easily 4oz' or weighed on scales that are massively over-gunned and no real use whatsoever... Time to put some weights to these mini monsters.

I headed to my gudgeon spot armed with a pint of maggots, an ultra fine quivertip and most importantly a set of digital kitchen scales.

I was soon into a good stamp of fish, and it did include the odd monster, the biggest ones are shown below. The best weighed 2.7oz, 2.3oz, 2.2oz, 2.2oz, 2.1oz and 2.0oz, all of which I would have guessed to be much heavier.




Now, armed with my accurate scales, my target is a real monster - a genuine, bonafido 3oz gudgeon!


Oh yeah, I couldn't resist a very quick roll on my way to the gudgeon spot resulting in this 6lb 1oz barbel - that beard is getting out of control...

17 comments:

  1. Fantastic, it makes you wonder just how big - REALLY big - a 5oz Gudgeon would be!

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    1. Would love to see a photo of the record fish, these are real handfuls - would love to see one almost twice the size!

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  2. Well done! Did you measure the length of them as well so see how they measured up against the "gudgeon chart" you mentioned a while back?

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    1. Cheers. Forgot to take a ruler, will next time and build up a length for weight chart and project it to find out just how big a 5oz gudgeon would be.

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    2. You may get a rough idea from the pictures of them on the scales. But I'm not sure to what point the measurement for a gudgeon would be taken on the chart - I assume its to the bottom of the V in the tail.

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    3. Yeah, going to measure them nose to V, as long as it's consistent we should be able to work out how big a 5oz gudgeon is.

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    4. Would also like to catch, weigh and measure a 5oz barbel for comparison - probably a mission in itself!

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  3. Great looking Gonks those Brian, a 4-5oz fish is just around the corner.

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    1. It surprised me how big they were for the weight, thought I was catching big threes or possible fours! A three is the first target, perhaps we'll find a real record-shaker when they start to get to their spawning weight.

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  4. Some right clonkers there :) as you say a 5oz'er must me massive, wish we had that stamp of fish near me, then again I don't fish for them very often. Keep trying anyway, look forward to the reports.

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    1. Cheers Mick. Pretty lucky to have this stamp of fish locally, I think with suitable scales and a realistic target will keep me heading back.

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  5. Brian,
    Was good to chat the other day. Amazing the size of the gudgeon, the 2.1 I had was huge, so does make you wonder what the record is like.
    See you down there soon, just need to find a few more swims that hold them.
    Mark

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    1. I'm sure there is a three in there, who knows perhaps even bigger. Love the scales, great to get a length for weight chart sorted - even better if there are a few of us doing it.

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  6. Got any white stuff to go with those scales?

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  7. I find it hard to believe a 5oz gudgeon actually exists and maybe it never has. Despite all the claims (and you yourself have found how light they actually weigh, I've seen no evidence of a true monster in my 50 years of fishing.

    Mind you, if you know of a venue where they may exist...... ;o)

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    1. I've had a search on the web for a photo of the record and haven't found one, perhaps it exists - or perhaps the fish is pickled in a jar somewhere. I did find a ton of photos of gudgeon that (based on my own experience) have greatly overestimated weights.

      I posted these photos on The Gudgeon Society site prompting several members to buy the same scales (£7 - £10 if you shop around). Perhaps when the floods subside we'll start to get a better picture of just what these fish weigh.

      I'm eager to get cracking at a 3oz fish, but I'd love to see someone crack or get close to the 4oz mark with a set of these scales... I'd love to think a 5oz gudgeon exists.

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