Direct individual measurements
Largest golden goldfish 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 | Lincolnshire LakesAnglian | 40 cm (15.7 in) | 21 cm (8.3 in) | 466 | 8 Dec 1999Grange Farm Salmonby |
| 2 | River StourAnglian | 39.7 cm (15.6 in) | 33.1 cm (13 in) | 4 | 26 Sept 2003Baythorne End |
| 3 | River ChelmerAnglian | 38.7 cm (15.2 in) | 28.2 cm (11.1 in) | 6 | 7 Jun 2007Downstream Ricketts Lock |
| 4 | Holland Brook (Main Reaches)Anglian | 35.8 cm (14.1 in) | 30.9 cm (12.2 in) | 5 | 14 Oct 1996Fan Bridge |
| 5 | River MardykeAnglian | 35.5 cm (14 in) | 12.9 cm (5.1 in) | 58 | 15 May 1998M25-A13 |
| 6 | Bulwell Hall PondsMidlands | 35.2 cm (13.9 in) | 34 cm (13.4 in) | 3 | 19 Nov 2013Bullwell Hall Lower Pond |
| 7 | River BlackwaterAnglian | 33 cm (13 in) | 26.1 cm (10.3 in) | 7 | 27 Aug 1996Pointwell Mill |
| 8 | Kirby BrookAnglian | 32 cm (12.6 in) | 30 cm (11.8 in) | 3 | 10 Nov 1993Frinton Golf Course |
| 9 | River StillwatersMidlands | 31.5 cm (12.4 in) | 30.2 cm (11.9 in) | 7 | 20 Nov 2014Halls Pond, Balderton |
| 10 | River ColneAnglian | 31.5 cm (12.4 in) | 27.9 cm (11 in) | 5 | 28 Jul 1987Cricket Ground |
Equal maximum lengths are ordered by sample size. Measurements are shown as recorded and are not converted into estimated weights.
1,107 fish measured
Measured golden goldfish lengths
The median divides the measured sample in half. This distribution describes surveyed fish, not every golden goldfish living in England.
Only positive individual lengths that pass RiverFish's general measurement checks are included. Each bar covers a 20 mm range.
Latest EA evidence
Latest golden goldfish observations
The ten most recent survey visits that recorded golden goldfish in named waterways.
| Date | River or waterway | Survey location | Fish recorded |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Oct 2025 | River Wandle | Waterside Way | 1 |
| 30 Sept 2025 | River Wandle | Ravensbury Park | 1 |
| 17 Jun 2025 | River Alver | Apple Dumpling Bridge | 1 |
| 17 Sept 2024 | River Uck | Buxted Bridge | 1 |
| 16 Aug 2023 | Darley Brook | Daas01 | 4 |
| 15 Sept 2022 | River Bollin | Bobo10 | 1 |
| 3 Aug 2022 | River Lee | Hyde Mill | 1 |
| 10 Sept 2021 | River Roding | Nether Street | 1 |
| 12 Sept 2019 | Main River Tone | Bulland Lodge | 2 |
| 4 Jun 2019 | River Mardyke | North Stifford | 12 |
A survey record confirms golden goldfish at that place and time. It does not show present-day abundance or fishing access.
205 positive survey visits
Survey distribution
EA surveys recorded golden goldfish at 170 locations across 98 named waterways represented on RiverFish.
| Region | Waterways | Locations | Survey visits | Latest record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South East | 40 | 52 | 61 | 2 Oct 2025 |
| Anglian | 33 | 92 | 115 | 4 Jun 2019 |
| Midlands | 10 | 11 | 12 | 7 Jul 2016 |
| South West | 7 | 7 | 7 | 12 Sept 2019 |
| North West | 6 | 6 | 8 | 16 Aug 2023 |
| Yorkshire and North East | 2 | 2 | 2 | 26 Jul 2012 |
10 detailed pages
Golden goldfish by river
Open any river-specific page for its measured lengths, largest surveyed individuals, locations and observation history.
Anglian 8 pages
South East 2 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 golden goldfish.
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 →