However, Darren Starkey recently managed the feat with this 3lb 1oz specimen from a stillwater in the north of the county. He’d been told of a venue that held some large rudd and arrived with is surface fishing gear, which he hoped would allow him to select some of the larger residents.After feeding small Dynamite Baits floating pellets, he was plagued by tiny rudd. But just as he was about to give up, he saw a bow wave approach his feed. Casting his pellet waggler and bread crust hookbait in its line, the little fish pecked at his bait before the crust disappeared and the bow wave vanished. Darren guessed his hookbait had started to sink, but his float suddenly buried and he hit into a heavy fish. He admits it fought like a bream, but when a huge rudd surfaced, he was amazed by the sight of it.

Well done Darren!