Rudd rocks the record

A little-known venue has produced one of the biggest rudd in angling history in the form of this 4lb specimen and has now been tipped to break the UK record for the species.

The new lake record was the highlight of a string of large fish banked by big-fish hunter Neill Stephen during his first-ever session at Buckland Lake Reserve Fishery near Rochester in Kent – a water that’s produced over 30 3lb-plus fish in the last month.

The 54-acre Main Lake, which drops to 60ft deep in places, has been seldom fished in the past and its unrivalled stock of huge rudd had remained a secret among a handful of local anglers - until now.

In just two hours the current holder of the British perch record floatfished corn in the margins to bank his new rudd pb along with other fish weighing 3lb 2oz, 2lb 15oz and 2lb 14oz.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that this incredible fishery will break the current British record of 4lb 10oz as there are definitely fish in there bigger than the four-pounder I caught,” Neill told Angling Times.

“What makes this complex so very special is that it’s pretty much come right out of the blue and proves there is still hidden gems out there waiting to be discovered.”
Due to the fact that the Main Lake is also a nature reserve and diving centre there are restrictions on the fishing and a 12-man rudd syndicate is now in operation. Well-known specialist Adrian Eves is one of the members of the newly formed syndicate and he also struck gold when he adopted floatfishing tactics to bank this 3lb 8oz specimen.

The Fox consultant from Farnham, Surrey, used Dynamite Baits Scopex corn on a size 14 hook while feeding corn and maggots over the top.

But day-ticket anglers need not worry about missing out as Scott Trovell, who took over the running of the fishery three months ago, revealed that there is large rudd to 4lb in each of the other three lakes on the complex.

“I’ve seen fish at least 1lb bigger than the one Neill caught in the Main Lake, the numbers of huge fish are unbelievable. My 10-year-old son has now banked 12 fish over 3lb,” said Scott.

“Every lake on this complex has done big ‘threes’, but they haven’t been fished for rudd enough to know exactly how many there are and how big they go to. I believe that we are only just beginning to scratch the surface of what this incredible place is capable of,” he added.

Pick up a copy of this week’s Angling Times as we join former Drennan Cup champion Darran Goulder on the banks of Buckland Lake Reserve Fishery. On sale now.

Venue Factfile
Venue: Buckland Lake Reserve Fishery
Location: Cliffe, near Rochester, Kent
Number of Lakes: 4
Depths: Range from 30 feet to 60 feet
Species: Rudd, roach, perch, carp, pike, tench
Day ticket prices: £15 for 10 hours, £18 all day, £20 for an overnight ticket and £28 for 24-hours
Facilities: Toilets, Disabled facilities, refreshments, free parking
Sat nav: ME3 7RT
Contact: www.bucklandlake.co/ or call: 07827 337424
**RUDD RECORD**
The current British record stands at 4lb 10oz with a fish caught by Simon Parry in 2001 from a stillwater in Co. Armagh, Northern Ireland. In recent years there have been two fish caught over this weight but record claims were rejected by the BRFC as they didn’t meet the criteria required.
- In 2010 carp angler Chris Moule caught a 5lb 2oz specimen from a Cambridgeshire pit. The pictures taken of the fish, however, weren’t of sufficient quality for BRFC officials to identify the fish as a true rudd.
- A small Fenland drain produced a colossal rudd of 5lb 2oz in June 2012. Unfortunately for the captor, Adrian Cannon, he was unaware of the magnitude of his catch and put it in the hands of young Adam for the photo. The fact he wasn’t pictured with the fish and its weighing wasn’t overseen by two independent witnesses meant he was unable to make a record claim.