Esthwaite's 50lb roach net

Simon Ashton had every reason to smile after helping himself to this fantastic 50lb-plus net of pristine roach from Esthwaite Water.

The 280-acre trout water just outside Hawkshead in the Lake District has just opened its doors to coarse anglers and the North East-based all-rounder wasted no time in heading to the venue to target its stocks of redfins.

“I arrived in the evening and baited up heavily with a bombardment of Sonubaits goodies, including Supercrush Green groundbait, F1 2mm pellets, Hemp ‘n’ Corn and three pints of casters ready for a morning assault,” he told Angling Times. “I woke to an army of silvers topping as far as the eye could see – truly a sight to behold.”
His first cast resulted in a 1lb-plus roach and for the next few hours every chuck was met with a fish between 12oz and 1lb 8oz. “I couldn’t even get my bobbin set before the alarm sounded a take,” he added.

All of Simon’s fish were taken on either double caster or double red maggot hookbaits threaded on to size 18 Drennan Wide Gape hook with a 3.2lb Double Strength hooklink.