There's no better time for roach with bumper week topped by 2lb 7oz specimen

Rivers and stillwaters have hit their best form of the year for big roach and anglers nation-wide have proved that there couldn’t be a better time to get out there and beat your personal best.

There aren’t many better ways of catching a big redfins than with traditional floatfishing tactics, as proved by Richard Booty when he banked a brace of fish that topped the scales at 2lb 7oz and 1lb 14oz.

The specialist from London, who won the chance to fish a stretch of the River Test in Hampshire after taking part in a Barbel Society Research and Conservation Auction, made the most of his prize when he trotted casters down the iconic waterway.

“I don’t have to tell anyone how great this river is for its roach fishing. Fortunately my trip coincided with perfect conditions and mild temperatures,” said Richard.
Another angler to demonstrate how devastating floatfishing tactics can be was Charlie Kemmett who landed no less than five specimens over 2lb topped by a fish weighing 2lb 8oz.

After heading to a London AA-controlled stretch of the Hampshire Avon at Britford, The 63-year-old from Salisbury used stick float tactics with hemp to amass his haul with a simple rig comprising 0.12mm mainline and an 0.10 mm hooklink.

The lure of perfect roach fishing conditions were also too much for Doncaster’s Mike Townsend to resist and his 480-mile round trip to Sway Lakes in Hampshire was made worthwhile when he netted a trio of roach over the 2lb-barrier to 2lb 3oz fish.
He began his session by waggler fishing casters, but after being pestered by small roach he swapped his size 18 hook for a size 16 and nicked it through a soft 8mm pellet.

“Some people might think that I’m mad to travel so many miles, but if the conditions are right then it’s definitely worth making the effort,” Mike told Angling Times.

Further north on the prolific River Ribble the big roach were certainly on the feed and John Hicks banked eight fish between 1lb 9oz and 2lb 7oz.

Having caught big ‘redfins’ during recent barbel fishing sessions on the venue, the specimen hunter from Cumbria, refined his rigs and fished a small feeder filled with mashed bread and micro pellets with a piece of flake on the hook.

Last but certainly not least was Gary Maton, who also used bread to tempt a fish-of-a-lifetime weighing 2lb 1oz.

He stalked the banks of the Bedfordshire venue and in just a couple of hours he’d landed the impressive specimen along with chub and dace on floatfishing tactics.