Beginners guide to catching roach
Catching roach can be quite easy considering how packed nation’s river systems are with them. This mean you will likely be able to produce a few bites when the going gets tough. However if you present a single maggot or caster under a light floatfishing set-up then the action is bound to kick off in an instant and keep on going until you decide to pack up for the day.
Catching a bigger roach however is a completely different question and takes a lot more skill, commitment and effort to go out and find them. A 1lb-plus fish would be a special capture but a 2lb giant is something that most believe is reserved for the angling elite.
Matthew Tann disagrees. So here are his best tips to help you catch your best-ever roach.
Where to find roach
Whenever we anglers begin a new campaign we hunt high and low for information on the best venues to help get us off to a flyer.
We will tap into the vast knowledge held by tackle shop owners and online forums, but when big roach are on the agenda you have to do the complete opposite.
“Specimen roach thrive on neglect. If you find a stretch that barely gets any attention at all then there is a good chance it will be home to quality redfins,” said Matt.
“This is a species that doesn’t respond well to pressure once they grow to a large size, so any side streams, feeder waters or areas that haven’t got a good reputation could be ideal.” If your local river is fairly clear and narrow, spend time walking up and down with a pair of polarised sunglasses.
“Just because you don’t see anything the first time doesn’t mean roach don’t live there. It is worth undertaking several exploration trips before you look elsewhere. “When you finally find roach then that spot is worth attention for a long time. Roach are creatures of habit and will continue to revisit the same stretches throughout the seasons.”
Exploring the river will also help you analyse the contours of the riverbed and help you spot potential snags and areas where you could trot a float through.
If you make a mental note, or even take pictures of the clear water conditions with your phone, you will then be able to fish the river effectively even when the water colours up because now you’ll have a good idea of what is going on underwater.
ROACH FISHING TACKLE
Bread and maggot feeders have both accounted for some very impressive roach over the years but for Matthew, you can’t beat the thrill of using a float.
“Trotting a stick float through the swim gives a much more natural presentation, which is crucial. Roach are a very finicky species and will spook at any hint of danger,” he said.
A 15ft rod enables Matthew to trot the float through, enabling it to run before holding it back for a second to vary how the hookbait acts.
Mainline is 3.2lb Drennan Floatfish to a 2lb 8oz hooklength and a size 20 hook. Two or three maggots tend to be the best hookbait, although switching to casters can pay off.
Float choice is important, and a pattern that is sensitive yet remains buoyant in a decent flow is best. Matthew uses a DH Alloy Stem No.1 Shallow Water Stick, and in fairly steady conditions one taking 6xNo.4s is often ample.
When to feed for roach
As a simple rule of thumb, the bigger the fish get, the more bait you have to introduce to satisfy their needs.
But that doesn’t apply to large roach. Lash in the loosefeed and you’ll be on a hiding to nothing, with a blank more than likely.
Give them a large carpet to feed over and they’ll become preoccupied with it, ignoring your hookbait as it runs through the swim.
“Roach absolutely love hemp, and because of that I don’t like to feed too much of it,” cautioned Matt.
“If there is lots of it in your swim they will gorge themselves on that and eat nothing else.
“I feed a small handful of maggots, casters and a few grains of hemp directly in front of me and this will run down the swim and leave a few morsels that act as an attractant to keep the fish in the peg once they arrive.
“I only introduce this amount once every three runs through the swim with the float.”
Wait it out for roach
If you were fishing for chub or pike on a river in winter you would be constantly on the move. You’d spend 10 minutes in each swim and if you gained no response you would up-sticks and look for the next likely spot.
But yet again with big roach, you need to rip up the rulebook and do the opposite. Big roach could be present in the swim from the moment you get there, but that doesn’t mean they’ll play ball straight away.
“I’ve been able to see my rig run right past big roach in clear water and they haven’t moved at all, showing no initial interest in feeding.
“But you can almost frustrate them into having a go and if you keep trotting the float through and putting in a little bait in every now and then you can provoke a response.
“That is why I always give each swim at least an hour. Even if the water is coloured, you should persevere in the swim, especially if it has previous form or you can see the fish.”
It would be a complete lie to say that catching a new personal-best roach from a river is easy, but Matthew’s theories and success rates show that the rewards are definitely there for those willing to put in the groundwork and go the extra mile.
