Waggler tactics trick 3lb 1oz roach

A cleverly-adapted waggler set-up helped Ross Lawson fool this 3lb 1oz personal best roach during his latest session at Sway Lakes.

The Hampshire-rod decided to visit his local complex in search of his first redfin over the magical 3lb barrier and achieved his goal when the specimen fell for an 8mm pellet presented over a bed of freebies.

After finding an attractive peg with willows and reed beds lining the far bank, the air traffic controller decided to make an alteration to his standard loaded waggler, a ‘tweak’ that turned out to be key.

“I glued the tip of a pole float to the top so I could cast tight to the features and also have delicate bite indication. The presentation was fine-tuned by using a tiny piece of lead putty at half depth so the amount of tip showing could be adjusted depending on how much ripple there was on the water,” explained Ross, who used an 0.09mm hooklink and a size 18 hook.