Alburnus alburnus
Tiny, shiny and everywhere in summer. Bleak are the speed-fishing kings of rivers and canals.
🏆 British record: 4 oz 9 dr (0.129 kg), River Lark, Cambridgeshire (1998)
Very slim, very bright silver with an upturned mouth and a long bottom fin. Their scales come off easily.
Rivers, canals and some lakes. In summer they form big shoals right at the surface.
Bleak snatch insects and anything drifting at or near the surface. They'll grab maggots before they've sunk a few inches.
Best time: Summer and early autumn, all day.
Single maggot or pinkie
Bread punch
Summer rivers and canals
Set a tiny float 30–60 cm deep, flick a few maggots in every cast, and strike at the first sign of movement. Matchmen can catch hundreds in a session.
Bleak are fragile. Wet your hands and get them back fast.
📜 Rules and seasons
On rivers, streams and drains in England and Wales there's a close season for coarse fish from 15 March to 15 June. Most lakes, ponds and canals are open all year, but check the water's own rules.
Check the official rules on gov.uk
