This small, silvery fish searches for food in the upper layers of rivers, taking tiny insects off the water’s surface.
The common bleak is a small freshwater fish from the carp family.
Bleak facts
Scientific name
Alburnus alburnus
Family
Cyprinidae (Carp)
Diet
Water flies, pupae of gnats and flying insects
Predators
Perch, pike, zander, trout and fish-eating birds
Size
12-15cm
Weight
40g
British record
0.129kg (4oz 9dms)
Lifespan
3-5 years
Bleak and our network
Bleak are an important fish for predatory creatures in our network. Due to their size and abundance, they’re a food source for many other species in the river, like perch, pike and kingfishers.
They prefer open waters and live in large shoals in rivers, streams and lakes – as well as some of our canals at river confluences.
How to identify a bleak
These tiny fish have bright, silvery sides, small heads and very large eyes compared to their size. Their silvery, iridescent scales are so captivating they were once used in jewellery making.
Although they can be confused with the common bream, bleak have a forked tail and are distinctly identified by their keeled belly and upturned mouth with a protruding lower jaw.
Lifecycle of a bleak
Bleak sexually mature at around three years and spawn in shallow water with a hard bottom from May to June. Females can lay between 5,000 and 7,000 eggs in different batches, which stick to branches or stones and hatch within a week.
Where to find bleak
Bleak primarily live in rivers, but many canals connected with a river will also contain bleak. In particular, you might find relatively large bleak along the South Oxford Canal.
Many canal pounds close to the confluence with a river will contain bleak.
Carl Nicholls, fisheries & angling manager
Bleak live in large shoals, and skilled anglers can catch several in a minute.
Like the rudd, the bleak primarily feeds at the surface. This can make them difficult to catch at times, and a 'trial and error' feeding approach is usually required to strike a balance between bites and fish hooked.
To catch them, anglers usually use a very wet ground bait mix with maggots and hemp. When this mix is fed regularly, it creates a cloud of tiny particles near the surface that helps the bleak feed more confidently. Using a light line and small hooks is essential. Some anglers even curl the hook length when fishing in very shallow water so the fish feel less resistance and are more likely to bite.
Their scales easily detach, and care should be taken when handling them.
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