Ide
Ide — also called orfe — are a non-native cyprinid that has been widely stocked into commercial stillwater fisheries across the UK over the past two decades.
Fast-biting, shoal-forming, and willing to feed through winter, they've become a fixture on match and pleasure venues where building a big net of silver fish is the goal. Not every fishery holds them, but those that do tend to hold them in numbers.
Scientific Name: Leuciscus idus
Also known as Orfe, Golden Orfe (ornamental colour form)
- Elongated, torpedo-shaped body with a silvery sheen; back runs blue-grey to dark, flanks silver, belly pale — older fish can develop a yellow or bronze tint.
- Distinctive pinkish-red fins, especially the pectorals and pelvics; tail and dorsal fin are greyer — the red fins are the quickest field ID against roach or dace.
- Typical catch weight on UK commercials runs well under 4 lb; fish can reach around 9 lb and up to 60–80 cm in length, though specimens that size are rare in stillwater fisheries.
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Not native to the UK — introduced to stillwater commercial fisheries across England over the past 20 years; now becoming established in some wild waters.
- Found in ponds, lakes, and slower river sections; tolerates a wide range of conditions and can even handle brackish water near river mouths.
- Stocked venues are spread across England — Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Leicestershire, Essex, and beyond — with no strong regional concentration.
- Shoaling species that tends to occupy the upper and mid layers of the water column rather than hugging the bottom.
Key Locations
- Redbridge Lakes, Essex — a dedicated silver fish venue with strong ide stocks, popular with match anglers.
- The Oaks Lakes, Sessay, North Yorkshire — Alders lake known for consistent ide catches on the pole.
- Springvale Lakes, Bevercotes, Nottinghamshire — good numbers across the complex.
- Aston Park Fisheries, Sheffield, South Yorkshire — well-stocked with ide, with an on-site tackle shop.
- Cudmore Fisheries, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire — Drumble lake produces ide on pole, waggler, and feeder.
Specific Spots
- Lily pad edges and reed margins concentrate ide — they use the cover and the invertebrate life that comes with it.
- Mid-water and upper layers are where most fish are caught; rigs that cover multiple depths outperform bottom-only presentations when the shoal is moving.
- On pole venues, fish tend to sit 12–16 metres out from the bank, away from bank-side disturbance.
- In cold conditions, ide can still be caught shallow — don't automatically drop to the deck in winter.
Ide FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for Ide?
Maggots are the staple bait, red or white, fished on the hook or fed loose to draw the shoal; casters (the chrysalis stage of a maggot) are a step up for bigger fish. Worms and chopped worm mixed into groundbait add attraction; dark, cloudy groundbait mixes suit ide well and help cloud the water to hold the shoal.
When is the best time to fish for Ide?
Year-round species on UK commercials, one of their main selling points is that they feed reliably when other fish are slow. Summer brings the most aggressive feeding, with fish active throughout the day and willing to come shallow.
How do you catch Ide?
Most UK anglers target ide on commercial stillwaters using a pole at 12–16 metres, feeding maggots or casters regularly to hold the shoal in the swim. Covering different depths is key, ide don't always sit at the same level, so adjusting the rig until you find where they're feeding makes a real difference.
What do Ide eat?
Insects, crustaceans, molluscs, and small fish all feature in their diet, on commercial fisheries, maggots and casters are the go-to baits because they mimic the small invertebrates ide naturally graze on.
Where do Ide live?
Not native to the UK, introduced to stillwater commercial fisheries across England over the past 20 years; now becoming established in some wild waters. Found in ponds, lakes, and slower river sections; tolerates a wide range of conditions and can even handle brackish water near river mouths.
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