Gobio gobio · Also called Gonk
A small, whiskered bottom-dweller that bites like mad. Perfect for kids and first trips.
🏆 British record: 5 oz (0.141 kg), River Nadder, Wiltshire (1990)
Small and slender, sandy-brown with a row of dark blotches along the side and spots on the fins. Two small barbels at the corners of the mouth.
Young barbel look a bit similar but have four barbels.
Gravelly and sandy shallows in rivers and canals; also many lakes. Gudgeon live right on the bottom in groups.
They feed on the bottom all day long on bloodworm and tiny creatures. They bite in all weathers.
Best time: Summer and autumn, all day.
Pinkies or maggots
Small pieces of worm
Bloodworm
Canals and river shallows
Set the float so the bait drags along the bottom. Bites are lots of little dips. Gudgeon are almost always on the bottom.
Small and tough. Wet hands, a disgorger and a quick return.
📜 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
