John Bailey – The Kingfisher Diaries
September 16th 2011
Gudgeon Quest UK
I’ve just done a piece for the EDP about a record gudgeon quest I was hot on back in the 80s. I failed by announce which doesn’t sound much but of course, it’s twenty-five percent of the record weight. It’s rather like hoping to break the roach record and coming in with a three pounder. A fab fish but not exactly one for the record books anymore.
The whole purpose of this blog is just a query as to where the gudgeon are today. You see a few over our Wensum sand banks and gravel beds but not in the number of twenty or thirty years back.
Any clues from any of you out there would be really appreciated. Gudgeon do deserve our respect and our attention. They’re the piscatorial equivalent of the phrase ‘less is more’ and, sometimes, three ounces can be worth thirty pounds in fish terms!