Gudgeon rod

[Huanzhou Zhu]

I know this is fairly unusual, but I become obsessed with this little beauty recently and want to spend some seasons until August to target them.

And for some reasons I would like to have a rod dedicated for gudgeon, I know I can use light feeder/float rod, but I few they are still too strong for the task, I would like to have a really soft light weight rod, and ideally, 8-10ft long, any recommendations?

Thanks

 

[Joe Winstanley]

Get a 2-3 wt fast actioned fly rod blank. That would do the trick.

 

[Huanzhou Zhu]

Get a 2-3 wt fast actioned fly rod blank. That would do the trick.

Thats what I thought, but don't want to spend too much on the blank. Maybe I can get a fly rod and rebuild it.
Alternately, I can buy a dedicated micro fish rod from far east. Apparently, micro fish fishing is very popular in China and Japan recently.

 

[Paul Bullinger]

What a brilliant post! In a world where many anglers are obsessed with catching bigger and bigger fish, you're targeting the tiny gudgeon. This was the fish of my childhood. I still catch them now in the upper reaches of the Bure, normally when trotting for roach and dace. I use a 13' Guru float rod and have no problem with bite indication. Terminal tackle is light and single or double red maggot seems to do the trick. To be honest I have never set out to "target" them, so maybe if I adjusted my approach I could catch more?
Roll on the Glorious 16th! Good luck.

 

[Tony Rocca]

Catch them on the fly like a pal of mine down South, although he catches all species with a fly rod.

 

[Tim Marks]

As suggested a light fly rod blank is probably a good off the shelf option.

There might be some more ideas in Mark Everard's book on Gudgeon.

When I was involved in tbe spoof 'Ruffe study group' we suggested the rod of choice was an Edward Barder special build called 'The Pope'. It had a 4oz test curve.....

Just in case people dont get the joke, ruffe have a myriad of nicknames including daddies, tommy and pope.

 

[Huanzhou Zhu]

What a brilliant post! In a world where many anglers are obsessed with catching bigger and bigger fish, you're targeting the tiny gudgeon. This was the fish of my childhood. I still catch them now in the upper reaches of the Bure, normally when trotting for roach and dace. I use a 13' Guru float rod and have no problem with bite indication. Terminal tackle is light and single or double red maggot seems to do the trick. To be honest I have never set out to "target" them, so maybe if I adjusted my approach I could catch more?
Roll on the Glorious 16th! Good luck.

I still love catching big ones, chub, barbel and perch in particular, but sometimes, it is boring. But catching these small species brings the joy of angling to me, so why not spend sometime to enjoy it.

I am sure most float rods will do the job, and I caught some when trotting for roach as well. But I may just fish the margin with a whip, try to be as simple as possible and just enjoy it.

 

[Huanzhou Zhu]

As suggested a light fly rod blank is probably a good off the shelf option.

There might be some more ideas in Mark Everard's book on Gudgeon.

When I was involved in tbe spoof 'Ruffe study group' we suggested the rod of choice was an Edward Barder special build called 'The Pope'. It had a 4oz test curve.....

Just in case people dont get the joke, ruffe have a myriad of nicknames including daddies, tommy and pope.

Yeah, a #1 or 2 fly rod blank will do. Although I do find a good option, a proper designed micro fish whip.
Ruffe is also on my target list. a 4oz test curve rod is exactly what I want, but I guess I need a mortgage to get one from Edward Barter.

 

[Huanzhou Zhu]

View attachment 23169

Catch them on the fly like a pal of mine down South, although he catches all species with a fly rod.

lovely little beauty. I should learn fly fishing.

 

[Nicholas Cole]

Could make your own 'Gonk Slayer' by ringing up a short whip and adding a reel seat. Choose a cheap, soft actioned model with a spliced glass tip and look forward to putting an alarming bend in it with a 2ozer

 

[Huanzhou Zhu]

Could make your own 'Gonk Slayer' by ringing up a short whip and adding a reel seat. Choose a cheap, soft actioned model with a spliced glass tip and look forward to putting an alarming bend in it with a 2ozer

It is possible, but why we need a reel for that

 

[Nicholas Cole]

It is possible, but why we need a reel for that

Only because in your OP you said 'And for some reasons I would like to have a rod dedicated for gudgeon'. For me, a rod without a reel isn't a rod, it's a pole or whip

 

[Dave Brooksbank]

The perfect Gudgeon rod for me would be an ultralight bomb rod with a 1/2 to 3/4 Oz tip.Great fun when the tip pulls around from a violent Gonk.

 

[Huanzhou Zhu]

Only because in your OP you said 'And for some reasons I would like to have a rod dedicated for gudgeon'. For me, a rod without a reel isn't a rod, it's a pole or whip

Ah, yes, you are right. Few of my whips can be converted I guess.

 

[Huanzhou Zhu]

The perfect Gudgeon rod for me would be an ultralight bomb rod with a 1/2 to 3/4 Oz tip.Great fun when the tip pulls around from a violent Gonk.

I thought even a ultralight bomb rod is too strong for a gudgeon?

 

[Dave Brooksbank]

I thought even a ultralight bomb rod is too strong for a gudgeon?

Your probably right,
But its the lightest rod in my collection.

 

[Josh Porteous-Webster]

Dropshot rod, 2-8g rating..more in 7ft but theres a few out there in 8/9ft.
Basically an ultralight feeder rod, most tend to have a coloured tip too

 

[Adrian Mitchell]

Going slightly off topic here but once ended up in the early hours of the morning watching a programme on Japan Today (ex shift worker).
It was about catching a fish called a Bitterling if I remember correctly and the idea was to catch one smaller than a Yen coin,It had sub titles but I became fascinated watching it.The guy looked to be fishing a small drainage channel with what looked like a small whip with micro floats and hooks.
He started to catch fish but moved swims because they were too big,around 25 to 30mm long.The new swim started to produce the "specimens" he was after and eventualy caught one of the required size,he then packed up a happy man.
The programme then switched to the making of the traditional gear which was used.Of course with Japan being Japan the gear was made by hand by a craftsman who had been taught from a young age how to do it by a master and was now passing on that knowledge to a new apprentice.
He was bemoaning the fact that the skills involved were now dying out.However,the prices he could charge were astronomical but "old school" bitterling anglers were prepared to pay it.If you are feeling flush Huanzhou have a whip hand built in Japan,after paying transport costs it would put those lads with their Torrixes and Chimeras to shame.
PS-although living in Yorkshire my mother had relatives in Oxford and we used to visit a couple of times a year.My uncle took me fishing on the Thames at Sandford lock.The first fish I caught were Gudgeon and Bleak.Happy days and the start of the obsession.

 

[Huanzhou Zhu]

Going slightly off topic here but once ended up in the early hours of the morning watching a programme on Japan Today (ex shift worker).
It was about catching a fish called a Bitterling if I remember correctly and the idea was to catch one smaller than a Yen coin,It had sub titles but I became fascinated watching it.The guy looked to be fishing a small drainage channel with what looked like a small whip with micro floats and hooks.
He started to catch fish but moved swims because they were too big,around 25 to 30mm long.The new swim started to produce the "specimens" he was after and eventualy caught one of the required size,he then packed up a happy man.
The programme then switched to the making of the traditional gear which was used.Of course with Japan being Japan the gear was made by hand by a craftsman who had been taught from a young age how to do it by a master and was now passing on that knowledge to a new apprentice.
He was bemoaning the fact that the skills involved were now dying out.However,the prices he could charge were astronomical but "old school" bitterling anglers were prepared to pay it.If you are feeling flush Huanzhou have a whip hand built in Japan,after paying transport costs it would put those lads with their Torrixes and Chimeras to shame.
PS-although living in Yorkshire my mother had relatives in Oxford and we used to visit a couple of times a year.My uncle took me fishing on the Thames at Sandford lock.The first fish I caught were Gudgeon and Bleak.Happy days and the start of the obsession.

I actually watched that video few days ago, they have a series of it called fishing crazy. I guess it won’t surprise you guys too much that I am Chinese and we fish the same method as Japanese. So I have the same whip and tackle they use in the video back home, maybe I should bring them here next time when I go back.

I am living in Oxford now and sandford is on my club ticket, and it’s the swim I have in mind for gudgeon.

 

[Adrian Mitchell]

I actually watched that video few days ago, they have a series of it called fishing crazy. I guess it won’t surprise you guys too much that I am Chinese and we fish the same method as Japanese. So I have the same whip and tackle they use in the video back home, maybe I should bring them here next time when I go back.

I am living in Oxford now and sandford is on my club ticket, and it’s the swim I have in mind for gudgeon.

It`s over 50 yrs ago since I last fished there Huanzhou so cant really recommend a swim..As my fishing progressed I was lucky enough to land a couple of massive chub from the weirpool.They were probably around the 2lb mark,massive to a 6yr old.