Direct individual measurements
Largest sprat 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 South Dike FMUAnglian | 14.8 cm (5.8 in) | 8.9 cm (3.5 in) | 12 | 31 Oct 1989Grange Farm |
| 2 | River Steeping FMUAnglian | 13.6 cm (5.4 in) | 11.3 cm (4.4 in) | 24 | 1 Sept 2004Upstream A52 Bridge |
| 3 | Greyfleet Drain FMUAnglian | 13.2 cm (5.2 in) | 11.9 cm (4.7 in) | 27 | 19 Oct 1989Queens Bridge |
| 4 | Trader/Maud Foster DrainAnglian | 12.4 cm (4.9 in) | 7.4 cm (2.9 in) | 30 | 11 Jun 1987Windsor Bank Boston |
| 5 | South Forty Foot DrainAnglian | 12.2 cm (4.8 in) | 7.6 cm (3 in) | 1,701 | 24 Aug 2005Wyberton Bridge Upstream |
| 6 | Anderby Main Drain FMUAnglian | 11.7 cm (4.6 in) | 11.7 cm (4.6 in) | 1 | 8 Jul 1992Anderby Pump |
| 7 | Frith Bank DrainAnglian | 10.1 cm (4 in) | 9.7 cm (3.8 in) | 5 | 7 Nov 1990Downstream Antons Gowt Lock |
| 8 | South Holland Main DrainAnglian | 10 cm (3.9 in) | 9 cm (3.5 in) | 6 | 29 Sept 1997Holland Lodge Farm |
| 9 | C&B Navigation (Long Pond)Anglian | 9.7 cm (3.8 in) | 7.7 cm (3 in) | 36 | 4 Oct 1989Iron Bridge (C&B Canal) |
| 10 | Relief ChannelAnglian | 9.5 cm (3.7 in) | 9.5 cm (3.7 in) | 2 | 23 Aug 2005Saddlebow Bridge |
Equal maximum lengths are ordered by sample size. Measurements are shown as recorded and are not converted into estimated weights.
1,863 fish measured
Measured sprat lengths
The median divides the measured sample in half. This distribution describes surveyed fish, not every sprat 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 sprat observations
The ten most recent survey visits that recorded sprat in named waterways.
| Date | River or waterway | Survey location | Fish recorded |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Jul 2011 | Trader/Maud Foster Drain | Windsor Bank Boston | 29 |
| 9 Sept 2010 | South Forty Foot Drain | Wyberton Bridge Upstream | 79 |
| 8 Sept 2010 | South Forty Foot Drain | Hubberts Bridge R/B Upstream | 72 |
| 28 Sept 2009 | South Forty Foot Drain | Wyberton Bridge Upstream | 23 |
| 24 Sept 2009 | South Forty Foot Drain | Hubberts Bridge R/B Upstream | 64 |
| 25 Sept 2008 | South Forty Foot Drain | Wyberton Bridge Upstream | 181 |
| 24 Sept 2008 | South Forty Foot Drain | Hubberts Bridge R/B Upstream | 1 |
| 10 Sept 2007 | South Forty Foot Drain | Swineshead Bridge Downstream | 1 |
| 23 Aug 2006 | South Forty Foot Drain | Wyberton Bridge Upstream | 46 |
| 24 Aug 2005 | South Forty Foot Drain | Wyberton Bridge Upstream | 1,534 |
A survey record confirms sprat at that place and time. It does not show present-day abundance or fishing access.
45 positive survey visits
Survey distribution
EA surveys recorded sprat at 25 locations across 15 named waterways represented on RiverFish.
| Region | Waterways | Locations | Survey visits | Latest record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anglian | 14 | 24 | 44 | 19 Jul 2011 |
| South East | 1 | 1 | 1 | 30 Jul 1993 |
3 detailed pages
Sprat by river
Open any river-specific page for its measured lengths, largest surveyed individuals, locations and observation history.
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 sprat.
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 →