Rudd fishing tips – success on the Fens
I’m back looking for some Fenland gold as I’m hoping to catch big rudd on the Fens with my mates Ally, Beckers and Dan. Last year I caught a load of rudd from the Fens, but I failed to catch a big one.
This time I’m hoping I can break the 2lb barrier, with an outside chance of something even bigger.
The Fens is a huge network of drains and rivers in Cambridgeshire. My mates have good, local knowledge and I’m hoping they can help me in my quest for a rudd of a lifetime.
With their local knowledge my mates put me onto the fish for a good start
My mates tell me the best way to catch big rudd on the Fens is to feed with chunks of bread flake until the rudd are feeding confidently, and then cast my hookbait amongst them. It’s a bit like surface fishing for carp.
Like most of my river fishing I’m going to be very mobile, covering as much water as I can searching for the bigger fish. My Korum Glide Roving Fishing Vest is ideal as I can carry all the gear I need and everything is easily accessible.
All my terminal tackle is in my roving vest – it’s great for my style of fishing
I love catching rudd with their golden flanks and red fins, they’re a real summer fish and a bit like handling bars of gold.
A stunning bar of gold from the Fens
At this time of the year the Fens is full of weed, lilies, rushes and snags, so I’ve decided to step up my tackle to land as many as I hook.
A great bit of kit is the Korum Power handle, as it’s 3m long, it allows you to land fish in swims with lots of bankside vegetation and over the reeds. It’s a must on the Fens.
A 3m Korum Power landing net handle makes netting so much easier
I’m using my 13ft Korum Glide float rod which is long enough to reach over the bankside vegetation.
The perfect rod and reel for this type of fishing
My reel is a 4000 size Korum Infernos reel loaded with 6lb Glide Mono line. I know that sounds really heavy for 2lb rudd, but I need to land them quickly and get them away from the snags, even if I have to bully them into the net.
At the business end I’m using a Preston Innovations pellet waggler held in position with two float stops. I use a 5g float with a 4g weight so it sits a bit higher in the water and is easier for me to see in windy conditions.
I set the depth at about a foot as rudd feed high in the water
I’m using a size 10 Korum Allrounder hook with a large piece of bread flake to match what I’ve been feeding. Using a bigger hook helps to stop me catching some of the smaller rudd.
My tactics are working and the rudd are getting bigger
Keep feeding to attract the better fish
I’ve got a little trick to present the flake in the best way. I squeeze the flake to flatten it a little, bring the hook over the top with the barb pointing down and away from me, then fold the flake around the shank of the hook.
Putting on my bread flake for a big rudd from the Fens
I make sure to leave the bottom of the flake nice and fluffy, so that little bits will fall off, attracting the rudd into feeding.
A good catapult is needed for loose feeding bread flake, particularly when it’s windy.
It’s thirsty work fishing – a swift lunchtime pint with my mates
There are huge numbers of rudd in the Fens and I’ve caught quite a few. Constantly feeding chunks of bread, looking out for the bigger fish and keeping mobile.
I’m still searching for that monster rudd, catching a few smaller ones along the way
It was great fun fishing with my mates, but the big rudd had eluded me. As the day progressed I realised I’d run out of time to catch a big rudd and needed to come back and try again.
A new day to try and catch big rudd on the Fens
I decided to return a few weeks later to have another go to catch a big rudd on the Fens. This time I’m on my own, putting into practice what I’ve learned in my previous sessions.
The secret to help me catch big rudd on the Fens is to find them, get them feeding confidently and then you can catch them. The drains and rivers in the Fenland area are vast, so the fishing is not highly pressurised like in other parts of the country.
I keep moving until I can find the bigger fish and Polaroids help to reduce the surface glare when searching for them.
Another fish on – will it be the monster rudd that I’m after?
I’d found a good spot and had some big rudd feeding confidently in front of me on bread flake. Will the next fish be the big one I’m after?
A lovely brace of rudd from the Fens
It’s now late in the afternoon and it’s the key bite-time to catch big rudd on the Fens. I’ve got some decent fish in front of me now and I’m feeling pretty positive.
The float sinks, I strike and I’m into a much bigger fish. I can feel it trying to get into the rushes, it knows where to go. My heart is in my mouth, I don’t want to lose this one, it feels like it’s something special.
My 6lb line means I’m in control and within a few seconds the fish is in the net. I can see that it’s a monster rudd, and it’s well over two pounds. I wonder how big a three pounder would be.
Mission accomplished – a big rudd from the Fens and well worth the effort
I said I’d come back to the Fens, despite the long journey from home, and I’m glad I did. I know there are three pound rudd in the Fens and I’m keen to try again next year.