Early bird catches 2lb-plus river roach

A river roach over the 2lb mark is on the hit list of many anglers, so Lee Chandler was celebrating when he landed this 2lb 4oz specimen.
He arrived on the banks of a small southern river before it was light, and the fish of a lifetime made an appearance on his very first cast.
He used traditional tactics including a centrepin reel and a 13ft float rod to achieve his long-held ambition.
“I fed for 30 minutes when it was still dark and then, when it was finally light enough to see my float, I made my first cast and just a few minutes later my first two-pounder was in the net,” said Lee.