Scardinius erythrophthalmus
The roach's golden cousin. A summer surface-feeder that loves reedy lakes and takes bait on the drop.
🏆 British record: 4 lb 10 oz (2.097 kg), Co. Armagh, Northern Ireland (2001)
Brassy-gold flanks and bright blood-red fins, especially in summer. The mouth points upwards because rudd feed near the surface.
To tell it from a roach, look at the top fin: on a rudd it starts well behind the belly fins. Rudd also have a sharp keel on the belly behind the pelvic fins and a more golden eye.
Still and slow waters: lakes, ponds, drains, canals and estate lakes, especially where there are reeds, lilies and weed.
On warm days you'll see them dimpling at the surface near reed beds and along wind-blown margins.
Rudd feed high in the water, picking off insects that land on the surface, snails and soft weed. They're quick to grab baits that are falling through the water.
They're most active in warm weather and go quiet in cold water, when they drop deeper.
Best time: Late spring to early autumn. Warm, still evenings are best.
Floating bread or crust
Deadly on still summer evenings.
Maggots and casters
Fished shallow, falling slowly.
Sweetcorn
Bread punch
Lakes and drains in summer
Set the float only 1–2 ft deep and use tiny shot so the bait sinks slowly. Feed maggots on top every cast. Most bites come as the bait falls, so watch the float as it settles.
Calm summer evenings
Throw a few bits of crust near the reeds and let them drift. When rudd start taking them, flick your hooked crust among the free pieces and strike when it disappears.
Wet hands, quick return. Rudd are delicate-scaled, so avoid laying them on dry ground.
📜 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.ukVideos open on YouTube. We don't make them, but we think they're good.
