Bass [Species Menu] [Bass articles] Common name: Bass (sea bass) Latin name: Dicentrarchus labrax Record weight: Although bass of over 25 pounds have been captured by commercial fisherman, the shore and boat records are remarkably similar at 19lb and 19lb 9oz respectively. Distribution: Bass are found right around the coast of Europe from Scandinavia to…

flounder [Species Menu] [flounder articles] Common name: Flounder Latin name: Platchthys flesus Record weight: As an inshore species, both the boat and shore records for flounder are very similar with weights of 5lb 11oz 8 drams and 5lb 7oz respectively. Distribution: Flounder are very common in shallow coastal waters around Europe. These small fish can…

Zander [Species Menu] [Zander articles] Common name: Zander Latin name: Stizostedion lucioperca Record weight: Despite growing to over twice this size in Europe, the British record has only slowly increased to 19lb 5oz 8 drams. This huge fish, caught by D. Lavender from a Fen Drain in 1998 is by far the largest zander ever…

Perch [Species Menu] [Perch articles] Common name: Perch Latin name: Perca fluviatilis Record weight: Five pounds nine ounces caught from a Kent pond in 1985 by Mr J. Shayler. Distribution: Common in rivers lakes and ponds across Europe. Naturally found in England and introduced to Ireland, Scotland and Wales where it has now become widely…

Carp [Species Menu] [Carp articles] Common name: Carp Latin name: Cyprinus carpio Record weight: The current record fish is affectionately known as ‘two-tone’ and is slowly edging towards 60lb. This lovely fish lives in a large gravelpit in Kent called Conningbrook. The current (September 2001) record weight for this fish is 59lb 7oz captured by…

Chub [Species Menu] [Chub articles] Common name: Chub Latin name: Leuciscus cephalus Record weight: 8lb 10z, taken by P. Smith from the River Wear in 1994. Distribution: Found in England, except Cornwall, South Wales, and Southern Scotland. In Europe chub can be found from Scandinavia to Italy. Not reared as a food fish, so not…

Roach [Species Menu] [Roach articles] Common name: Roach Latin name: Rutilus rutilus Record weight: 4lb 3oz taken in 1990 by R. N. Clarke from the Dorset Stour. Distribution: Found throughout England, Ireland, Wales and Southern Scotland. Very common across the whole of Europe, where several sub-species and closely related species are also to be found…

Whether we have a good end to the season is totally dependent upon the weather. So far, this Winter has proven the stark effect of the weather on barbel fishing. From the middle of November until the beginning of January there might as well have been no barbel in most rivers, catches were almost nil….

Articles by Russ Symons Russ Symons Russ Symons has been an angling Photographer/Writer for over thirty years, the last twelve of which, writing about and photographing the sea and its fish being his full time occupation. Progressing from a black and white darkroom in the attic of his Plymouth home, to the exacting colour requirements…

Articles by Russell Symons Russell Symons Russ Symons has been an angling Photographer/Writer for over thirty years, the last twelve of which, writing about and photographing the sea and its fish being his full time occupation. Progressing from a black and white darkroom in the attic of his Plymouth home, to the exacting colour requirements…