I'm not up on fish so much, and so am sure what this fish is, although I think it could be a young Roach (Rutilus rutilus). Whatever type of fish it's very adept at camouflage, becoming almost invisible amongst the gravel and shadows of Linford Brook; it's only because the moved as we approached that I saw them, if they hadn't I'd have passed by unawares. There were several of the same species milling about, all of what I thought were a good size for such a small and shallow brook; nearby were some much smaller fry, numbering maybe about 20/30 or so. I'm happy, though quite worried to see fish of this size in our forest streams: firstly, happy that our streams are well enough to support them; though, worried as these streams dry out quickly, how do they survive? It's only April now, and the brook is already exposed gravel in many sections; by the time summer's here proper, the only water that remains is held in dark skanky looking pools.
