Herons catch of the day

[daffy66]

looks more like a roach and a damn good one at that.rudd are more gold but both have the red fins.was this fish already dead and the heron just took t from the water or did it actually catch it? the cold water makes the fish lethargic.

[Ian Gray]

Originally Posted by welsh.lensman

Thats a great image Ian, its like one of my fishing stories, really hard to swallow.

Nice one Wayne.

[Dogghound]

Yes this is a roach. Nice photo.

[Ian Gray]

Originally Posted by daffy66

looks more like a roach and a damn good one at that.rudd are more gold but both have the red fins.was this fish already dead and the heron just took t from the water or did it actually catch it? the cold water makes the fish lethargic.

I didn't actually see it catch it but I assume that it did. I was sitting at a Kingfisher perch, waiting.......... The Heron was on the opposite bank of the lake, 80-90 metres away. I had a look a couple of times,to see what was going on, but it was to far away for a photo. Next time I look it's got the fish in it's mouth, it hadn't moved so I assumed it was a capture.
I know what your saying about the colours, but the exposures not to clever on the photo. I estimate the fish to be about a foot long. Do Roach grow that big

[Dogghound]

A foot long? must be a big heron. At their maximum size they would about reach that, But I dont think that fish is a foot long in relation the the heron.

[camo]

Hi

it is definetly a Roach as the Dorsal is about level with the Pelvic fin. With a Rudd the Dorsal is set well back from the pelvic fin. Size wise Roach can grow to 4lb but generally need very good conditions and a low stocking level to grow to 2lb. An average river Roach will get to about 12oz. A foot long Roach will weigh about 1 - 1 1/2lb.

A really interesting photo. I recently watched a Cormorant catch and eat a Pike and was amazed that he could get such a fish down its throat. Unfortunatley it was in heavy reeds so the photos were a waste of time.

Roy

[Ian Gray]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

A foot long? must be a big heron. At their maximum size they would about reach that, But I dont think that fish is a foot long in relation the the heron.

Yep! you might be right. Give me few weeks and when I tell this story it will be two foot But at the moment I don't think I'm far off. Herons are 2.5 - 3 feet long, and your looking at the fish kind of side on. Come to think of it, it's at least a foot, getting on for a foot and half

Ian

[Ian Gray]

Originally Posted by camo

Hi

it is definetly a Roach as the Dorsal is about level with the Pelvic fin. With a Rudd the Dorsal is set well back from the pelvic fin. Size wise Roach can grow to 4lb but generally need very good conditions and a low stocking level to grow to 2lb. An average river Roach will get to about 12oz. A foot long Roach will weigh about 1 - 1 1/2lb.

A really interesting photo. I recently watched a Cormorant catch and eat a Pike and was amazed that he could get such a fish down its throat. Unfortunatley it was in heavy reeds so the photos were a waste of time.

Roy

Thanks for the fish detail Roy. This is a rather large lake, and as far as I know stocking and fishing is at a minimum.