“The biggest roach I'd ever seen” - Jake Benson

“Over the last month I’ve been fishing a Midlands river for chub where I spotted a shoal of big roach. I became obsessed with them and wanted to catch this one big fish which held at the back of the shoal. Despite numerous attempts over multiple trips, I just couldn’t get through to the bigger stamp.
“During my latest session I’d fished the evening before, but despite getting the bigger roach feeding, they just wouldn’t take my hookbait. I stayed the night in a nearby hotel and arrived the next morning with just half-a-pint of casters left.
“Reaching the swim, I noticed four huge roach close to the bank and began feeding them four or five casters at a time.
“I nicked two on to my size 18 hook then underarmed my rig into the flow – keeping an eye on my hookbait instead of the float.
“Suddenly the biggest fish turned on my casters... and then all hell broke loose!
“When it splashed on the surface I felt physically sick as it was the biggest roach I’d ever seen and I was only using a 1lb 7oz hooklink – but after holding my nerve I managed to slip the net under her.”