News

Wondering how to describe a Society member? (19 July 2022)

Try "Several rigs short of a tackle box" or "His legers don't go all the way to the bottom", both of which are now recognized as official GUGGS terms.

Another stretch provides a forty on the day's "last cast" (16 Jun 2022)

Many anglers were enjoying the first day of the river season while WiNe (Neil Williams) was toiling away through a number of smallish gudgeon in the heat on various stretches of the Kennet & Avon Canal near Bradford on Avon. His persistence was rewarded though on his last cast (*) of the day, just west of Avoncliff aqueduct, when he landed 44.1g Tatiana who was approaching twice the size of any other gudgeon caught that day.

* Needless to say he had a few more casts after that!

HiVe's first 'GUGGS on the Road' trip (May 2022)

Vernon Hills risked his sanity by joining WiNe (Neil Williams) on a gudgeon-hunting weekend on the Shropshire Union this month. Despite visiting most of the Shroppie stretches to have produced specimens over the past couple of years, Vernon's best fish of the trip was a 28.8g gudgeon caught from Knighton. To make his disappointment even worse, on the Saturday evening he had to watch his beloved Liverpool FC lose to Real Madrid (again) in the European Cup final, or whatever it's called this year.

Remember what we said about 2020? (31 Dec 2021)

2021 was a better year for decent gudgeon but not by much. Again, no specimens were caught from TTA waters, with just a couple from London AA's usually dependable Grand Union stretches around Berkhamsted. The rest came from the Shropshire Union, including our biggest fish for several years, 45.1g Sunshine Superman, which was caught by WiNe (Neil Williams) on Market Drayton's Tyrley lock flight in September.

Highlight of the year was the Celebration of Youth and Angling weekend organised by Canal & River Trust, Angling Trust and Hodnet AC on the Shropshire Union in September. We were pleased and proud to provide a GUGGS mug for every youngster who caught a gudgeon during the event (i.e. ALL of them!) and to help with the stewarding each day.

A poor year for specimens (31 Dec 2020)

After three bumper years for fish over 30g, we thought that 2020 would continue in a similar vein but boy, were we wrong?! Just four specimen fish were caught, two each by ShEr (Eric Sharman) and WiNe (Neil Williams). and none of them came from a Tring Anglers canal stretch. Obviously we missed a few weeks of spring-time's prime gudgeon hunting due to Covid-19 restrictions but it was still a very disappointing and mystifying year for the Society.

First Society fish from Broughton East (10 Jul 2020)

Broughton on the Aylesbury Arm was thought to be a GFS (gudgeon free stretch) so following reports of gudgeon having been caught there, WiNe (Neil Williams) hot-footed it over. He managed to tempt three of the little beauties (to 8.7g) along with a wide variety of other small fish. Another angler present also had also caught one.

CoVid19 update (22 Mar 2020)

Sadly, it would appear that specimen gudgeon are practicing self-isolation or social distancing as only two 30g+ fish have been caught so far this year. Both have fallen to dedicated GUGGSter ShEr (Eric Sharman) and both came from the Bullbeggars cottages stretch of the Grand Union on the south-east end of Berko. Gudgeon of any size have proved elusive in other usually productive sections in that area.

McMi (Mike McNamara) has defined an apt new term, NoVid, which has been added to our existing list.

Cracking start to the month (2 Oct 2019)

Just the second day of October saw MaAn (Andy Martindale) tempt 38.9g Quan at Marsworth to set a formidable target for the rest of the month. Being caught on bread, she's also our best veggie fish of the year so far by some distance. Seven other GUGGSters also recorded fish from various stretches today.

Phew - someone different tops the GotM list (30 Sep 2019)

It's been a long time since anyone other than WiNe (Neil Williams) or McMi (Mike McNamara) caught the biggest monthly fish but PaRo (Rob Payne) managed it in September with 32.7g Quiterie taken from the Bourne End sewage outfall swim on the 8th of the month. Nice one, PaRo!

New terms 'Gobi' and 'wild gudgeon chase' ... (16 Sep 2019)

... defined by McMi (Mike McNamara) and WiNe (Neil Williams) and added to the list of GUGGS terms, awards & definitions.

New term 'gozophobia' ... (28 Apr 2019)

... defined by WiNe (Neil Williams) and added to the list of GUGGS terms, awards & definitions. He was suffering from it during a session near Billet Lane, Berko, despite catching several nuisance fish including perch, roach, bream and chub.

SB at BouEnS! (24 Mar 2019)

Today saw the setting of a new all-time stretch best when WiNe (Neil Williams) captured 34.2g Quasar below Sharpes Lane lock at Bourne End on the Grand Union. The fact that he was sitting out of the chilly breeze and in the warm sunshine make the event even more pleasant.

New term 'nozo' ... (14 Mar 2019)

... defined by McMi (Mike McNamara) and added to the list of GUGGS terms, awards & definitions. That damned wind has been causing far too many nozoes recently.

New term 'gobiomaniac' ... (13 Mar 2019)

... defined by GiRi (Richard Gibbs) and added to the list of GUGGS terms, awards & definitions. Not that we know anyone who fits the description, of course.

Qs start quite quickly (11 Jan 2019)

2019's first specimen was 30.5g Quadrophenia caught today from Sharpes Lane short pound by WiNe.

This year's specimen names will begin with Q (1 Jan 2019)

Happily, McMi has researched the subject and provided a long list of improbable-sounding names so we're looking forward to catching the likes of Qabil and Quaneisha. We've got a hunch that we might meet Quasimodo at some point too.

2018 - a quieter year for the Society (31 Dec 2018)

No more fifties, sadly, and fewer forties and thirties with the biggest specimen being McMi's 42.6g Pepe caught during the large gudgeon fest at Sharpe's Lane in April. We did, however, once again manage a fish in every month of the year and the only month we failed to record a specimen was July, strangely.

220 miles in a day! (3 Nov 2018)

That was McMi's round-trip distance from home to Gnosall Heath and back today. His madness was rewarded with 41.9g Portia caught fairly late in the session and working on the tried-and-tested "let's go back to the swim we started in" principle.

A forty from a new remote location (21 Oct 2018)

Gnosall Heath on the Shropshire Union provided our first-ever 40g fish from outside the Tring / Berko area when WiNe caught 41.1g Perzsike there today. In what was a relatively short and random visit, he also caught 31.6g Pontifex along with several fish in the twenties.

'GUGGS on the road' Solihull trip (16 May 2018)

Plenty of gudgeon and nuisance fish, the highlight of the event being 35.4g Parsley caught near Henwood Lane, Catherine-de-Barnes.

Sharpes Lane specimenfest (12 May 2018)

In just 29 days we caught 41 fish of 30g or over from the short GUC pound below Sharpes Lane bridge, Bourne End, mostly immediately above the lock. The best of the bunch was 42.6g clonker Pepe caught by McMi, with the most prolific day being 5 May when McMi, MoCo and WiNe caught no less than 12 specimens between them.

Could 2017 be the first year since 2011 ... (30 Nov 2017)

... that we've managed to record a Society gudgeon in every month of the year? We've had fish logged for all eleven months so far and we have several very sad and stupid brave and resilient members so unless December throws some extraordinarily bad conditions at us, we're confident that we'll see at least one fish on the books for the month.

UPDATE (1 Dec 2017) A very quick answer to that question today when ShEr (Eric Sharman) and WiNe (Neil Williams) each caught several gudgeon at Old Fishery Lane, Boxmoor.

Another new Society award - the Whitbread Gozo Tankard (29 Nov 2017)

The Tankard will be held by the most recent member(s) to fail to catch a gudgeon during a canal session even if the current holder is not present at the session. In fact, even members fishing on their own are in danger of picking up the award if they don't manage a single gudgeon ... always assuming that they're honest enough to own up.

UPDATE (6 Dec 2017) The first holder of the Tankard is ShEr (Eric Sharman) who today failed to catch a gudgeon in two hours fishing at Dixons Gap on the Aylesbury Arm. Well done, Eric!

YES - A FIFTY!!! (28 May 2017)

PaRo (Rob Payne) finally ended over seven years of waiting when he caught 50.8g Oh Jesus near Little Heath Lane bridge, Bourne End, this morning. WiNe (Neil Williams) was present to witness this momentous milesone in the Society's history and to take part in much hugging and high-fiveing!

First-ever GUGGSter to be dismembered (30 Sep 2016)

WaBi (Bill Ward) has been dismembered from the Society. He knows why.

A new winner of the GotM award (31 May 2016)

Congratulations to EmRo (Robin Emerson) for topping the May 'Gobio of the Month' award with 43.0g Nautilus caught just below Berko's Bottom Side lock. He caught 40.2g Nessie from the same swim a few days earlier and his son EmSa (Sam) scraped into the Forty Club with 40.0g Neptune from there too.
The LAA stretches north of Winkwell bridge proved a good new venue, producing numerous thirties topped by 39.2g Nathan caught by PaRo (Rob Payne). SaCh (Chris Savage) reports several decent fish caught from Newground by him & his mates on a few occasions but he always forgets his scales - aaaagh!
Tring Anglers waters are still difficult, not producing gudgeon of any great size or quantity. The top end of the Aylesbury Arm has been pretty much a "don't bother" area.

Neil catches Neil (30 Apr 2016)

Our first thirty of the year was 32.5g Neil, the only gudgeon of a short session at new venue Northchurch for WiNe (Neil Williams).

Welcome back, PaRo (31 Mar 2016)

Rob Payne resumed his regular visits to Tring waters and was rewarded by heading the March 'Gobio of the Month' list with the 20.0g fish he caught from Cooks Wharf.

Wet, wet, wet ... and chilly (29 Feb 2016)

The naff weather apparently kept GUGGSters off the banks in February as no fish were recorded for the entire month.

Plenty of thirties but no closer to the mythical fifty! (31 Dec 2015)

Not a good year for big gudgeon but GobioMania returned (31 Dec 2014)

Just eight specimen fish were recorded in 2014 with none of them topping 40g. Rather strangely, the biggest fish which was WiNe's 37.3g Lulu was caught in Novemer, a month not usually known for quality fish.

Better news was the return of GobioMania in September - let's hope we can keep that going as an annual event.

Lots of battery wasters but very few clonkers (1 Aug 2014)

The spring and summer months have produced plenty of gudgeon but sizeable fish have been difficult to come by. WiNe's 33.8g Lurgimus remains the only specimen caught so far this year so let's hope the larger ones reappear during the autumn. On a brighter note we've signed up several new members; see recent entries on the Pictures page.

GUGGS in Angling Times (6 May 2014)

AT has devoted today's edition's centre-page spread to Dominic Garnett's article describing the afternoon he & his mate Russell Hilton spent fishing (and drinking) with us last May. It captures the Society's spirit perfectly and describes us as "Britain's most eccentric fishing club". It takes one to know one, Dom!

That afternoon session also features in Dom's newly-published book "CANAL FISHING - A Practical Guide" which we have reviewed here.

At last - a New (?) Year gudgeon! (16 Feb 2014)

BeTo (Tony Beadle) reported our first fish of 2014 when he caught several gudgeon to 25.4g during Tring Anglers' match at Langlebury today. AlAn (Andy Allday) claimed to have caught "a whopper" but sadly it was weighed with his other fish then put back.

2013 brought us no closer to a 50 (31 Dec 2013)

Winner of the annual Gobel Prize was WiNe with his 40.1g specimen Keira being the only 40 of the year. Oh well, there's always next year ...

Well done, WaBi, and exciting new venues (6 Sep 2013)

Congratulations to WaBi (Bill Ward) for topping the August GotM list with 32.6g Kranky. He caught him at Stockers Lock, Rickmansworth (RicSto) along with several other good fish so it's a venue that should be explored further. Bill also played a big part in the discovering the potential of the Berkhamsted sewage works stretch (BerSew) when reports of a clonker came to his ears. We have fished there a couple of times since and, although it produces far more nuisance perch & roach than gudgeon, the sizes are impressive. So far we've caught nothing below 22.2g with the two largest being WiNe's 37.9g Kiki and RoJu's 33.1g Kylie - definitely worth further visits.

New rule - GotM fish get names (1 August 2013)

Starting with last month, the fish which wins the Gobio of the Month award may be given a name regardless of whether it's a 30g+ specimen. The first member to benefit from this is WePe (Pete Weedon) who took the July award with a 24.8g fish which he has named Katy.

Getting better but slowwwwwwwwwly on the Arm (4 July 2013)

Sport on the main canal is now back to normal after the prolonged coldish weather and MarFl5 gave WiNe our first forty of the year, 40.1g Keira, which went on to claim the July GotM award. Absence of boat traffic is still affecting the fishing on the Aylesbury Arm though with several stretches yet to produce a Society gudgeon including, ridiculously, WilGud i.e. the gudgeon stream!

Kim tops the May GotM list (5 June 2013)

Despite being caught so early in the month, PaRo's 33.1g fish named after his wife remained the best gudgeon landed during May.

Sublime to the ridiculous ... (5 May 2013)

PaRo was today trying to stretch his Gobel Prize lead even further but he blanked despite trying FIVE different swims. How can two consecutive days with such similar-looking conditions be so different?

At last - a 30 ... (4 May 2013)

... caught by PaRo (Rob Payne) today during his first fishing trip for several months. His 33.1g clonker caught from DixBel is our first specimen fish of 2013 and is named after Rob's wife, Kim. Nice one, PaRo!!!

The Second Battle of Dixons Gap (3 May 2013)

Recent form told us that DixBel was the place to take Society wannabees journalist Dom Garnett & journalist's mate Russ Hilton when they visited us today en route from Sheffield to Exeter at the end of their week-long canal tour. They both caught several gudgeon to become GaDo & HiRu but Russ in particular was hampered by having to remove lots of nuisance bream from his swim so the Best of the Session award (and all the 50 pences) went to local hero MaPh (Phil Madley) for his 28.3g fish. After MaPh, MoCo & WePe had left for the Half Moon, WoRi (Richard Woollard) landed a fish of 28.4g with almost his last cast. GaDo & HiRu then also decamped to the Half Moon with WiNe & RoJu before the long drive back to Devon.

The Battle of Dixons Gap (1 May 2013)

This afternoon saw Colin Moore, Tony Bradbury and Neil Williams all using their knowledge of recent form to fish DixBel. Each topped their 2013 PABs with fish of 24.7g (MoCo), 28.1g (BrTo) and 29.1g (WiNe) thus setting a cracking standard on the first day of the month.

Prayers answered! (30 Apr 2013)

Thankfully, April brought better weather and better sport. The GotM list had a full Top Ten with BrTo's 27.8g fish taking the award. Best stretches were MarChu, DixBel, MarBla and CooBot but some adjacent stretches such as MarBWY and MarWat still refused to produce fish even at the end of the month.

March GotM = ONLY Gudgeon of the Month (5 Apr 2013)

At least we managed to record one gudgeon in March, one more than in February. WiNe's 13.2g fish caught by Wilstone wooden bridge gave him the monthly award. PLEASE can we have some better weather in April - 10ºC would do for a start!

A poor start to the year (4 Mar 2013)

It has again been hard work catching gudgeon for those hardy enough to even try. BuDa (Dave Burton) took the January GotM award with a 22.5g fish caught during a TTA match at Langleybury, one of the few fish recorded that month. February was even worse with NO fish whatsoever on the book.

2012 Gobel Prize (1 Jan 2013)

Congratulations to BuDa (Dave Burton) for taking the sought-after award for the second year running. He caught 42.2g Jasmine from Marshcroft Lane on the main canal on June 15th. Second and third places went to WiNe (Neil Williams) with 41.0g Jiminy and TuGa (Gareth Tully) with 40.1g Jackie, both fish caught from Watery Lane within a few days of each other.

Oct / Nov / Dec (1 Jan 2013)

The dodgy weather arrived early and, given that most of us are fair-weather fishermen, that really slowed down Society activity. Only the brave (or stupid) were still out there on the bank and we're not saying which of those categories PaRo (Rob Payne) falls into but his efforts were rewarded by the October and December GotM awards with fish of 14.6g and 15.3g respectively. To our shame, we didn't have a single fish recorded for November.

More ...