Chub · Leuciscus cephalus

Chub in England's Rivers

The largest recorded measurement is 69.3 cm (27.3 in), from Brafferton in River Swale on 1 August 1996.

Median length: 17.5 cm (6.9 in)
Fish measured: 317,901
Named waterways: 881
Latest observation: 23 Jul 2026

Direct individual measurements

Largest chub by waterway

Ranked by the largest individual measured in EA surveys. The sample size shows how many valid length measurements underpin each waterway's figures.

Rank	River or waterway	Largest	Median	Measured	Measured at
1	River SwaleYorkshire and North East	69.3 cm (27.3 in)	3.4 cm (1.3 in)	3,719	1 Aug 1996Brafferton
2	River TrentMidlands	67.1 cm (26.4 in)	4 cm (1.6 in)	5,596	16 Jul 2009Catton Park post pollution investigation July09
3	River Shepperton - SunburySouth East	65.3 cm (25.7 in)	35.9 cm (14.1 in)	506	14 Sept 2004Shepperton Weirs 1 and 2
4	River WithamAnglian	65 cm (25.6 in)	23.2 cm (9.1 in)	4,451	24 Jul 1991Upstream Beckingham Bridge
5	River MedwaySouth East	63.3 cm (24.9 in)	13.5 cm (5.3 in)	4,170	18 Aug 2003D/s Ashurst Road Bridge
6	River WearYorkshire and North East	63.1 cm (24.8 in)	4.5 cm (1.8 in)	242	25 Jun 2003River Wear at Kepier farm
7	River Old Windsor - BellSouth East	61.2 cm (24.1 in)	17.4 cm (6.9 in)	299	13 Sept 2002Old Windsor Main Channel
8	River ItchenSouth East	61 cm (24 in)	36.1 cm (14.2 in)	32	2 Sept 2003Bishopstoke Lock
9	River ChelmerAnglian	59.5 cm (23.4 in)	16.7 cm (6.6 in)	3,376	2 Nov 2001Downstream Stonhams Lock
10	River Boveney - RomneySouth East	59.5 cm (23.4 in)	20.2 cm (8 in)	330	11 Sept 2002Boveney Weir Pool

Equal maximum lengths are ordered by sample size. Measurements are shown as recorded and are not converted into estimated weights.

317,901 fish measured

Measured chub lengths

The median divides the measured sample in half. This distribution describes surveyed fish, not every chub living in England.

0–19 mm

2909

20–39 mm

33074

40–59 mm

13054

60–79 mm

15151

80–99 mm

18581

100–119 mm

19652

120–139 mm

20892

140–159 mm

20519

160–179 mm

19328

180–199 mm

17677

200–219 mm

15474

220–239 mm

13496

240–259 mm

11552

260–279 mm

10389

280–299 mm

9309

300–319 mm

8831

320–339 mm

8121

340–359 mm

8369

360–379 mm

8418

380–399 mm

8950

400–419 mm

8922

420–439 mm

8178

440–459 mm

6602

460–479 mm

4949

480–499 mm

3175

500–519 mm

1549

520–539 mm

577

540–559 mm

152

560–579 mm

580–599 mm

600–619 mm

620–639 mm

640–659 mm

660–679 mm

680–699 mm

Only positive individual lengths that pass RiverFish's general measurement checks are included. Each bar covers a 20 mm range.

Latest EA evidence

Latest chub observations

The ten most recent survey visits that recorded chub in named waterways.

Date	River or waterway	Survey location	Fish recorded
23 Jul 2026	River Weaver	Wewe25	5
23 Jul 2026	River Lee	Amwell Loop	14
22 Jul 2026	River Darent	Twitton Brook	103
21 Jul 2026	River Medway	Sovereign Way Tonbridge	29
21 Jul 2026	River Colne	Uxbridge	13
16 Jul 2026	River Medway	Golden Green	18
16 Jul 2026	River Colne	Watford M1 link road	7
15 Jul 2026	Saredon Brook	DS Canal Feeder	1
15 Jul 2026	Saredon Brook	US Canal Feeder	6
15 Jul 2026	River Medway	Teston	8

A survey record confirms chub at that place and time. It does not show present-day abundance or fishing access.

17,304 positive survey visits

Survey distribution

EA surveys recorded chub at 4,227 locations across 881 named waterways represented on RiverFish.

Region	Waterways	Locations	Survey visits	Latest record
South East	261	1,187	5,433	23 Jul 2026
Midlands	195	952	3,222	15 Jul 2026
Anglian	194	1,089	5,064	14 Jul 2026
North West	84	317	838	23 Jul 2026
South West	81	281	800	2 Oct 2025
Yorkshire and North East	66	401	1,947	2 Jul 2026

485 detailed pages

Chub by river

Open any river-specific page for its measured lengths, largest surveyed individuals, locations and observation history.

Anglian 116 pages

Midlands 93 pages

North West 41 pages

South East 157 pages

South West 40 pages

Yorkshire and North East 38 pages

How to read this page

Survey measurements, not angling records

Environment Agency surveys are designed to monitor fish populations. Their largest measurement is not equivalent to a verified rod-and-line record, and the survey sample does not include every river or every chub.

Waterway groups with administrative or mixed-river labels are excluded from the headline national totals and rankings. Their eligible river-specific pages remain available in the directory so no published destination is hidden.

The fish records use the Environment Agency source snapshot dated 10 August 2026.

How RiverFish handles the data →