Winter rudd brace

BIG RUDD are more often associated with balmy summer days, but Adrian Eves proved that they can still be caught in the depths of winter when compiled an astonishing haul of 19 fish, including eight over 2lb, topped by a brace weighing 2lb 8oz apiece.

Following the onset of a period of warm and windy weather last week, the Dynamite Baits-backed angler spent a few days before his session introducing garlic hemp, krill groundbait, 10mm white chocolate boilies and dead maggots into a swim on a stillwater not far from his Surrey home.

The preparation paid off handsomely, as Adrian explained.

“Float fishing was going to be difficult due to the strong side wind and undertow, so I set up two rods with Fox open-end feeders filled with groundbait and maggots, coupled with short hooklinks and size 18 hooks. It was a little while before the rudd arrived in the swim, but once they did the action was hectic. I even had a bonus tench of 6lb 8oz – so I was extremely pleased with such a great result in mid-winter"