A great week for river roach

It's been a fantastic week for UK roach anglers with several huge specimens landed and news of one of the biggest river stockings in history.   

At the end of March the Avon Roach Project (ARP) carried out an annual stocking of the nation’s favourite species into three different locations along the Hampshire river. 

Tens of thousands of roach averaging between three and four inches were released into the waterway to add to the substantial stockings made by the project in previous years. 

The ARP’s chief co-ordinator Trevor Harrop helped with the stocking and told Angling Times that it was ‘a fantastic moment in the history of the species.’

He added: “We’re delighted with the outcome and how well these fish have grown on over the years – we couldn’t have done it without expert help and guidance from Stuart Kingston-Turner, Jim Allan and Phil Rudd from the Environment Agency. 

“It’s impossible to gauge accurately how many fish we’ve stocked this year but we could tell that it was a huge number, judging by how many times we had to go back to move the fish from the stews into the tanks!

“The 2014/15 season was by far our largest stocking, but this year has certainly come close.”

Not only has the project helped boost catch rates of roach on the Avon but they are being stocked at an age where they can effectively spawn in the river. 

“We’ve without doubt achieved our objective,” John added.

“Anglers have been catching up to 50 roach in a trip, which was very difficult to achieve around a decade ago, but it’s not just the continual stocking that has assisted their revival. 

“The fertilised roach eggs are taken from our Avon spawning boards and are grown on naturally in our spring-fed stews in Bickton. These hold lots of natural food for the roach to feast on and grow to a healthy condition.

“However, we don’t introduce the roach back into the river until they’re three years old. 

“At this age they are in the best condition for spawning and have the greatest chance of re-establishing themselves in the river naturally.

“They are now true wild, Avon roach. We’ve simply given them that helping hand along the way. It’s been a fantastic journey.”