Continuing with the same trend of targeting specimen Rudd on the River Cam, Joe Royffe was rewarded with this pristine conditioned Leviathan of 3lb 3oz!
Joe told us “Upon arrival at the venue, I was really doubting my sanity to begin with, as the conditions were terrible for surface fishing due to 20+ mph winds, coupled with 30mph gusts hacking downstream. However, after having travelled for over an hour and a quarter to get there, it wasn’t really feasible to just turn around and go home so I decided that I would have a go with a change of tactics in any likely looking area that I could run a waggler through.
This was not an easy task though, and after about an hour of just a few small fish to show for my persistence, I decided that I would target the swims, (that I have learned from past experiences and captures), that have previous form big Rudd on this river, concentrating my focus in these areas instead.
The first few swims proved fruitless but when I dropped into the same swim that I caught my 2.12 from the week before, I managed to get a few trots through the swim without too much hindrance on presentation from the wind, where the float buried unmistakably on the third run through and I found myself connected to my biggest rudd to date of this season!
Having seen the fish mid-way through the fight, it was a bit of a heart in mouth moment as I battled it through the marginal pads, praying to myself that it didn’t come off, on my usual size 18 hook, but I was delighted when I saw it slide into the waiting landing net.
My first estimations of the fish; I knew it was obviously at least a big “2” but on lifting the fish onto the unhooking mat it was quite obvious from the width across it’s back that it was going to be nudging the 3lb+ mark.
After unhooking and resting the fish in a retainer, I set up the camera and weigh sling etc, the scales settled on 3lb 3oz of Fenland gold – My second biggest ever for the species.
I ended up with over 15 smaller samples, and all the fish, were taken on slow sinking bread, presented on a bait band attached to a size 18 Drennan Super Specialist Wide Gape Hook, tied knotless knot style to 3 feet of 0.13mm mono as my hooklink, under a 4g Drennan Visi Waggler.
It just goes to show, that even when conditions are poor, a change of approach coupled with bit of extra effort and determination can still bring amazing results!”