Free stretch of river produces four roach over 3lb

A free stretch of river has this week emerged as one of the best specimen roach waters in the UK after it produced four fish over the magical 3lb barrier.
In the last week the River Frome that runs through the town centre of Wareham, Dorset, produced a handful of what is one of Britain’s rarest specimens in the shape of a brace of fish both weighing 3lb 2oz, plus two at 3lb 1oz and 3lb.
Local angler Phil Cooper, who’s fished the river for over 35 years, used his experience to net specimens topping the scales at 3lb 2oz and 3lb, while trotting a stickfloat and maggots during two short sessions in a swim close to the town bridge.
The fisheries officer for Wareham & District Angling Society also revealed that a holiday maker, who mirrored his tactics, needed just over an hour to bank the remaining brace of 3lb fish.
“This has to be the best roach fishery in the UK at the minute as there’s a huge shoal of specimens that come into this area in the winter, so if they are in the vicinity and the conditions are right then they’re not hard to catch at all,” Phil told Angling Times.
“I had my 3lb fish over two sessions, but this other guy turned up and I gave him a few tips and then left him to it. I returned about an hour-and-a-half later and he’d had a brace of ‘threes’.
“I’ve now caught nine 3lb plus roach from the river and there’s no doubt that there isn’t another stretch in the country that can produce catches like this at the moment and the best thing is that it’s free fishing and available to anyone.”
For expert advice on fishing the River Frome call Dean at Purbeck Angling on: 01929 550770