Species of UK Coarse Fish
Ruffe
Freshwater Coarse Fish Guide For Anglers
Description, baits and general fishing methods for catching Ruffe
RUFFE (Gymnocephalus cernuus) 5oz 4dr
1980 R J Jenkins, Cumbria
1980 R J Jenkins, Cumbria
Common name: Ruffe
Latin name: Gymnocephalus cernua
Family: Percidae
Latin name: Gymnocephalus cernua
Family: Percidae
Description and habitat of Ruffe
The Ruffe, also known as the Pope or Tommy Ruffe, is a relative of the Perch (Perca fluviatilis) and sometimes mistaken by beginners to angling as a young perch due to the similar spiny dorsal fin. The average size is between 4 and 5 inches but can grow larger. It has quite large eyes and a small, slightly down turned mouth with bristly teeth. The body is an olive green or pale brown colour speckled with dark spots decreasing in size fading to a whitish underbelly. The Ruffe has two dorsal fins that are joined; the forward dorsal fin has sharp spines just like that of the perch and the back fin is made up of soft rays. The gill covers of Ruffe are also sharp and spiny.
The Ruffe is generally a shoaling fish and can be found in fresh or brackish waters, in rivers, lakes and ponds although they seem to prefer slow moving rivers. They are most active at dusk or dawn feeding on insects, larvae, worms and small fry fish.
I've not been able to verify this but I have read somewhere that Ruffe also eat the young of the signal crayfish. The signal crayfish is classed as an alien invader and a threat to our native white claw crayfish.
Fishing methods for catching Ruffe
Ruffe are not, as far as I am aware, targeted by anglers. Ruffe can of course be caught and indeed when anglers are fishing for other species the odd Ruffe gets landed. As Ruffe can generally be found in the waters Perch inhabit you could chance your luck fishing for Ruffe in the same waters using a light line with a small worm on a size 16 to 20 hook. Fishing a float over depth or a small feeder / leger hard on the bottom in the margins is worth a try.
Baits for catching Ruffe
small worms, chopped up pieces of worm, red worm, brandlings, maggots.
Tip
As with Perch, Ruffe are prone to deep hooking. Strike early at bites to try to avoid this and if you find you have deep hooked the fish and the hook cant be removed without damage to the Ruffe it is better to cut the line as close to the hook as possible. The hook will hopefully dislodge itself or eventually rust away.
Using barbless hooks make removal a lot easier.
Note. Since writing this article new methods and rigs have been developed.
Article Copyright 1999 J.Boswell www.fish-uk.com
All rights reserved
The Ruffe, also known as the Pope or Tommy Ruffe, is a relative of the Perch (Perca fluviatilis) and sometimes mistaken by beginners to angling as a young perch due to the similar spiny dorsal fin. The average size is between 4 and 5 inches but can grow larger. It has quite large eyes and a small, slightly down turned mouth with bristly teeth. The body is an olive green or pale brown colour speckled with dark spots decreasing in size fading to a whitish underbelly. The Ruffe has two dorsal fins that are joined; the forward dorsal fin has sharp spines just like that of the perch and the back fin is made up of soft rays. The gill covers of Ruffe are also sharp and spiny.
The Ruffe is generally a shoaling fish and can be found in fresh or brackish waters, in rivers, lakes and ponds although they seem to prefer slow moving rivers. They are most active at dusk or dawn feeding on insects, larvae, worms and small fry fish.
I've not been able to verify this but I have read somewhere that Ruffe also eat the young of the signal crayfish. The signal crayfish is classed as an alien invader and a threat to our native white claw crayfish.
Fishing methods for catching Ruffe
Ruffe are not, as far as I am aware, targeted by anglers. Ruffe can of course be caught and indeed when anglers are fishing for other species the odd Ruffe gets landed. As Ruffe can generally be found in the waters Perch inhabit you could chance your luck fishing for Ruffe in the same waters using a light line with a small worm on a size 16 to 20 hook. Fishing a float over depth or a small feeder / leger hard on the bottom in the margins is worth a try.
Baits for catching Ruffe
small worms, chopped up pieces of worm, red worm, brandlings, maggots.
Tip
As with Perch, Ruffe are prone to deep hooking. Strike early at bites to try to avoid this and if you find you have deep hooked the fish and the hook cant be removed without damage to the Ruffe it is better to cut the line as close to the hook as possible. The hook will hopefully dislodge itself or eventually rust away.
Using barbless hooks make removal a lot easier.
Note. Since writing this article new methods and rigs have been developed.
Article Copyright 1999 J.Boswell www.fish-uk.com
All rights reserved
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