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Dace
Common name:
Dace
Latin name: Leuciscus leuciscus
Family:
Current UK Rod Caught Coarse Fish Record
DACE (Leuciscus leuciscus) 1lb 5oz 2dr 2002 Simon Ashton, River Weir
Description and Habitat of Dace
The Dace is a fast, lively, active fish, nicknamed 'the Dart', because
of the way it darts through the fast flowing waters.
The Dace is closely related to the Chub but is a more streamlined fish
and distinguished from the Chub by its anal and dorsal fins which are
both concave, whereas the Chub's anal and dorsal fins are convex and
red in colour. Dace also closely resemble the Roach in appearance,
both in size and shape but the Roach has red eyes and the Dace have
yellow eyes. Dace have a slender body, narrow pointed head with large
yellow eyes and a small mouth. The body of the Dace is - greyish blue
back with silvery flanks, white belly and the tail is deeply forked.
The ventral and anal fins are white, tinged with pale red and the
dorsal, pectoral and caudal fins tipped with black. Depending on local
climate and water temperature, Dace generally spawn between March and
May, laying their pale orange eggs on a sandy or gravel bed or on
aquatic plants. Dace are know to hybridise producing Dace/Chub and
Dace/Rudd hybrids. This hybridisation makes identification rather
difficult. Dace do not grow to big heavyweights and a fish of 8 ounces
is considered a good catch. The British rod-caught record Dace was
caught by Simon Ashton in 2002 from the River Weir and weighed 1 lb 5
oz 2dr. The average life span of Dace is around seven to ten years.
Dace prefer clean, well oxygenated water, and can be found in shoals
in mid water or the fast flowing upper layers of water especially
around weirs and weir pools. Although predominantly found in rivers
and streams with a sand or gravel substrate, the Dace can also be
found in lakes and stillwaters, probably introduced by man or through
floods. Natural foods for Dace is algae, worms, insects, larvae of
aquatic insects, snails and small crustaceans. Dace are often seen
feeding from the surface, taking flies and non-aquatic insects which
have fallen into the water.
Fishing Methods for catching Dace:
As Dace are usually fished for in fast running water, the method I use
when fishing for Dace is stick float fishing. Because Dace are quick
to feel resistance on the line and tend to drop bait easily use the
lightest stick float possible. In the summer the stick float, with
shot spread evenly down the line, hook size 22 to 16 baited with
single castor or maggot should be set to fish from just below
mid-water - holding back from time to time to let the bait rise nearer
to the surface. This rise and fall of the bait will often tempt the
Dace into biting. Feeding little and often keeps the Dace interested
as they become more confident they can become avid feeders, with more
confident bites. In the winter it has been said Dace tend to hole up
in potholes or depressions on the riverbed. As I don't fish for Dace
in the winter I cannot say what method is best. If you do or have,
please let me know what tactics you use so that I can include it on
this page.
Baits for catching Dace:
Because of their small mouth the main baits for catching Dace are casters, maggots, pinkies and squat's. Alternatively bloodworm, a small red worm, bread punch or small piece of bread flake can catch dace. Dace have also been known to be caught by fly fishermen using small flies although this was more by chance
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