Big river roach on the float
A two-month campaign for a big roach paid off in fine style for London angler Adam Jones, in the shape of this immense 2lb 10oz fish.
Fishing a local river, Adam opted for his favoured stick float tactics, loosefeeding hemp and maggots for a while before casting out, in the hope of drawing fish into his swim from the deeper, inaccessible pool below.
He said:
“I’d just been catching minnows and tiny dace, and as the light started fading, I could only just make out my float.
“As it neared the end of my swim it dipped, and I was fully expecting to connect with another minnow.
“My strike, however, met with solid resistance, and a huge roach immediately surfaced.
“The rest is just a blur, but I can confirm I’m still shaking from the catch. I can’t believe what happened!”
Adam Jones – 2lb 10oz roach
Broken rod avenged with 3lb-plus roach - Paul Scowen
“FOLLOWING a run of four blanks and breaking one of my old rods, persistence paid off when I banked this 3lb 3oz roach.
“Targeting a southern pit, I fished a maggot feeder on a helicopter set-up to tempt the specimen redfin.
“Lockdown restrictions mean that I, like everyone else, am limited to fishing days only, so I’ve been fishing short afternoon sessions when bites are most likely.
“After a drop-back bite I was delighted to land this fish after what seemed like such a long wait. I’d fished the same venue last spring and had seven roach over 3lb.”
Paul Scowen and his 3lb 3oz roach
Slack water the spot for a big river roach - Colin Hebb
“MY local river was in flood, so I headed down with my quivertip rod and a loaf of bread to see if I could catch a chub.
“When I arrived, the water was coloured and rising fast, but I managed to find a swim near some boats and an area of slack water where I could present a bait.
“Pinching a piece of flake on to my hook, I cast my link leger rig into the middle of the river and watched as my lead swung round and settled near a boat.
“A minute later my tip pulled round and I connected with a powerful fish that tried to snag me under the moored craft. I managed to steer it away using side strain, and no more than 30 seconds later this huge roach surfaced.
“At 2lb 13oz it was a new PB, and I was absolutely chuffed to bits.”
Colin Hebb – 2lb 13oz roach
Cigar to celebrate big river roach catch
A VICTORY cigar was the order of the day for Roman Vann after he slipped his net under this sublime 2lb 15oz roach during a trip to the Hampshire Avon.
The 29-year-old and good friend Simon Daley had wanted to make the most of floodwater conditions so they headed to their local stretch of river.
An hour after baiting his swim with hemp and casting his maggot helicopter rig over the top, Roman hooked the big roach.
“As it was my second-largest roach ever, I had to crack open the cigars!” said Roman.
(This catch was reported to us before the latest lockdown)
Roman Vann and his 2lb 15oz Hampshire Avon roach
Hampshire Avon giant is season's biggest roach
Simon Daley became the envy of all anglers just before Christmas when he caught what many consider to be the holy grail of fishing - a 3lb 8oz river roach.
This 3lb 8oz roach followed a string of 2lb specimens for Simon Daley
Fishing a stretch of the Hampshire Avon controlled by the Christchurch Angling Club, he connected with a flurry of 2lb fish before the biggest reported roach this season took his trotted maggot hookbait.
He told Angling Times:
“The conditions weren't great, so I decided to fish a swim with a far bank slack, not a very big one, but it had an undercut snag where the roach were hiding.
“The northerly wind was making presentation very difficult. I was getting four or five good trots through an hour when the wind died down enough.
“The first bite I had was 2lb 1oz fish, which on its own would have made my day.
“The next few fish were about a pound, then a 2lb 2oz roach and a brace of twos in short succession followed - I was buzzing.
“What came next was something very special indeed.
“When I hit the bite, the fish tried hard to get back into the snag. I managed to pull it out but it shot into the fast water. I was very nervous as I’d seen the fish and thought it was a big two.
“After a tense fight, I drew it over the net and was gobsmacked.
“The fish was colossal, I’ve never seen anything like it.
“A 3lb 8oz Hampshire Avon roach, I’ve never been affected so much by a fish, my mind was well and truly blown.
Simon’s giant Redfin fell to three red maggots trotted under a 10g Bolo float on a size 12 hook.
A true river monster. A 3lb 8oz Hampshire Avon roach
PB roach on the second cast
JAMES Hutchinson couldn’t believe his luck when he connected with a 2lb 9oz PB roach on only his second cast.
Targeting a short near-bank run on a southern chalk stream, he baited the head of his swim with maggots for a few minutes before flicking out his rig.
“The first cast produced a minnow but on the second the float shot out of sight,” he said.
“I connected with what felt like a decent grayling, but then this huge roach swirled mid-river!”
James’ successful hookbait was a maggot and caster cocktail.
James Hutchinson and his 2lb 9oz chalk stream roach
16-year wait for a 2lb roach ends with two in five days!
A PAIR of pink maggots trotted into a large eddy accounted for this clonking 2lb 13oz Hampshire Avon roach for specimen-hunter Tony Sweeney.
It was the larger of two hefty specimens banked by the redfin fanatic during the same week – the other, weighing 2lb 11oz, was taken during a visit to a private stretch the river near Fordingbridge.
Tony said:
“I caught my last 2lb roach around 16 years ago, but I’ve now had two within five days of each other!”
Tony Sweeney – 2lb 13oz roach
Rig switch gave me my biggest-ever roach brace - Simon Ashton
“I HAVE complete faith in maggot helicopter rigs for stillwater roach, but during my latest trip all I could catch with them were tiddlers. By chopping and changing the rig’s components, though, I landed my biggest-ever English brace of roach weighing 2lb 12oz and 2lb 15oz.
Simon with one of his big roach at 2lb 12oz
“The catch was recorded two weeks ago when I was supposed to be at Gillhams Fishing Resort in Thailand, but this was cancelled because of the pandemic. I still had the week booked off work so I headed down from Durham to fish a southern stillwater over five days, hoping to latch into a 3lb redfin. I arrived on the Sunday afternoon, and after setting up in an open-water swim which had an area of gravel 50 yards out, I cast my rigs to the mark.
“They incorporated 45g Drennan maggot feeder bombs filled with maggots and a size 16 hook carrying two red grubs.
“For the whole afternoon, evening and the following morning, though, I was constantly recasting the feeders as I was getting plagued by small roach and perch. They were doing my head in so, I delved into my tackle box for a solution.
“The first thing I did was swap the feeders for heavier 2oz versions, before upping the size of my hooks to 12. The maggot hookbaits were also getting sucked dry so they were replaced with two sections of dendrobaena worm.
A switch from 45g feeders baited with maggots to 2oz feeders with worms paid off in style
“After rebaiting the swim with a few Spombs of hemp and chopped worm I cast out and sat back in my bivvy, to shelter from the wind and rain. I didn’t stay dry for long, as the rig change made an immediate difference! Over the next 96 hours I had bite after bite, landing a 19lb common carp, five perch to 2lb 6oz and more than 20 roach over 1lb. More importantly, I was no longer getting plucks and rattles from nuisance fish.
“At 5pm on the Tuesday I netted an immaculate roach of 2lb 12oz, but this was bettered less than 24 hours later by the 2lb 15oz specimen.
This 2lb 15oz roach was the biggest landed by Simon
“This fish made me think it was a tench as it took line straight away, before revealing its identity by jumping like a trout! The sight of this thing clearing the water was incredible, but not as good as seeing the needle on my scales spin round to 2lb 15oz.
“It’s safe to say that I now have a new favourite stillwater roach rig.”
Dream river session sees 7lb-plus chub and 2lb-plus roach banked - Connor Threadingham
“While fishing a quick overnight session on my local Dorset Stour I managed to catch my second 7lb chub of the season weighing 7lb 1oz.
Connor Threadingham and his 7lb 1oz chub
“It fell to a trimmed-down 14mm squid boilie alongside a very small PVA bag of Elips pellets and crumbled boilies, freebies thrown over the top.
“The tactics were suitable for chub and barbel, although during the night I also had a strange take on the same rig. The rod-tip bounced around and hardly any line came off the reel.
“When I hooked into it I thought it was just a small chub, but still couldn’t verify what species it was even when it slipped over the net cord.
“After I finally got my headtorch on and saw the bright red fins of a big roach my heart started to race!
“When the needle on the scales crept round to 2lb 5oz, I was well chuffed!
“I’m pretty sure that I actually saw this roach earlier on in the season when I was prebaiting for chub. I recognised it instantly from the really distinctive scarring that it had along its back.”
Connor Threadingham and his 2lb 5oz Stour roach
Scaled-down barbel rig fools big river roach - Paul Houghton
“It’d been a few years since I’d last targeted the roach in my local river so I decided I’d have another proper go by fishing evening sessions.
“My approach was pretty much a scaled-down barbel rig with a trimmed-down wafter hookbait fished in conjunction with a feeder packed with hemp, small mixed pellets and crushed boilies.
“Half-an-hour before it got dark I connected with a big fish, which I knew was a roach from the tell-tale jags and glides. I knew it would be close to my 2lb 5oz best so I was made up when the scales read 2lb 6oz.”
Paul Houghton and his new PB 2lb 6oz roach
Roach-fishing trip of a lifetime for our man Des
A 340-MILE journey to a northern stillwater proved 100 per cent worth it in the end for Des Taylor after he slipped his net under a flurry of 2lb-plus roach – topped by a personal-best equalling 3lb 1oz fish.
Our man on the bank was invited by close friend Craig Renwick to fish the private water but had no idea he was about to enjoy the roach-fishing trip of a lifetime.
Des Taylor found himself in roach fishing heaven recently
For more from Des Taylor pick up Angling Times every Tuesday!
Clonking canal fish the roach of a lifetime! - Jag Bains
“The fishing on the Wolverhampton Canal has been quite difficult of late but during a recent session I caught the roach of a lifetime weighing 2lb 4oz.
“I was fishing a carp rod down the edge with boilies for carp, but while I was waiting for a bite I decided to have a bit of fun with a float and a tub of maggots.
“Five hours had passed and I only had a small perch to show when all of a sudden my float buried and I was into a fish, which at first I thought was a bream.
“My mate Micky was with me by this point and he helped net it, before shouting that it was a massive roach! I posted my catch on Facebook and after just a few days it’s had more than 1,600 likes!”
Jag Bains and his 2lb 4oz canal roach
Fin-perfect Trent roach falls to pellet hookbait
A BANDED 4mm pellet has accounted for one of the largest recorded river roach of the season so far in the shape of this 2lb 8oz beauty.
The fin-perfect silverfish was the largest of around 20 roach taken by Newark-based ace Alfie Naylor, who fished the pellet offering alongside liquidised bread on a middle stretch of the River Trent.
He tells us:
“Just before dark I hit into an aggressive bite which I thought was from a bream, but then this huge roach broke the surface and I started praying that it wouldn’t come off!”
Alfie Naylor and his 2lb 8oz Trent roach
Does this fishery hold a record roach?
A FISHERY owner has claimed this week that his lake will produce a new British record roach in the very near future.
The bold claim comes from James Brown, owner of Norfolk’s Highbridge Fishery, who is so confident of a monster showing up to beat the existing 4lb 4oz national best that he has invested in a new set of top-end scales and associated kit in preparation for the big day.
“It all came about after a carp angler recently landed a 4lb 2oz roach from the lake,” James tells us.
“He didn’t realise the magnitude of the fish and weighed it on heavy carp scales and in a carp sling, a practice that wouldn’t stand up with the British Record Fish Committee.
“I’m very confident that we’ll do a record in the next few years, so we need to be prepared.”
It all came about after a carp angler recently landed a 4lb 2oz roach from the lake
After buying digital Reuben Heaton scales, James spent £130 having them calibrated and certificated, as well as purchasing a small weigh sling – ideal for the roach.
“This equipment will stay on the fishery for anyone to use,” he adds.
“I’ve told my members to call me at any hour should they catch a fish over 3lb 12oz.
“There are plenty of high ‘threes’ in here, as well as the odd four-pounder, so it’s only a matter of time before a true giant shows up.”
Highbridge Fishery holds roach of record breaking potential
Drennan Cup Champion Rich Wilby has caught some big roach from the lake
Boats, dogs and swimmers couldn't scare my PB roach - Matt Fernandez
“Fishing clear, low and weedy summer rivers is difficult enough at times, but add swimmers and boaters – plus their dogs – into the mix, and it can get all a bit chaotic.
You’d think that no fish in its right mind would hang around all this commotion, but on a recent trip to my local river I learned just how incredibly tolerant they can be.
“The stretch is a public water close to my home in Southampton that contains some huge roach.
I’d popped down at the start of the season and found a group of good fish, some looking close to 3lb.
I had just got them feeding when a load of kids jumped into the river. I was sure this would kill the swim, so I packed up and went on my way.
Returning a few days later, though, I realised that this may have been a mistake.
“The roach live in small clear areas amid the heavy weed, so in preparation for my session I prebaited a few of these with hemp and maggots.
Arriving the next day, I noticed a group of good roach feeding well over one of the spots… but then it all started to kick off!
“Dogs began jumping in, and swimmers were ploughing right through the swim, so I decided to pack up again. But then I noticed something beneath the surface… big roach! Incredibly, they were still in situ after all that commotion!
“I ran the float back over the spot and straight away it darted under. My rod hooped over under the strain of what was clearly a decent fish, but at that moment a group of kids came cruising past in a dinghy!
“I shouted for them to watch out, as I carried on playing the fish, at which point a big pike grabbed the roach!
By some miracle it soon let go, but then, just as the fish came within reach, I saw that my net was drifting downstream!
I wasn’t going to give up after all that, so I jumped in and grabbed it before finally slipping it under the fish. It weighed 2lb 12oz and is a new PB.
“I learned a lot from the catch, namely not to be too put off by disturbances on rivers where the fish are used to seeing them.
It doesn’t impact the fish as much as we might think. One thing for sure – I won’t be throwing in the towel next time a swimmer crashes through my peg!”
Matt Fernandez and his new PB roach, caught amongst many bankside disturbances!
Our greatest-ever roach session - Lewis Bastin
“By thinking outside the box and not following the crowds, my mate Graeme Griffiths and I have just enjoyed our greatest-ever roach session.
“We’re both members of the Highbridge Fisheries syndicate in Norfolk and although it’s primarily a carp water, over the last few years it’s gained a reputation for producing big roach.
“During our penultimate session, we fished maggot feeders but although we caught plenty of fish to a best of 2lb 1oz, most of them were far smaller and it was hard work locating the bigger fish within the shoal.
“The trip ended with us scratching our heads, trying to figure out what we could do differently. We agreed that big boilies, bolt rigs and minimal feeding might deter the smaller fish.
“To put the new approach to the test we headed to Highbridge on a Friday evening for a 48-hour session and began scouting for swims.
“A few roach anglers were already fishing, and after a quick chat we discovered they were catching well on maggot feeders. Graeme and I were a little bit apprehensive at hearing this… considering we’d left the maggots at home!
“We settled into our swims and cast leads around, trying to find fish-holding features. Redbridge is an old irrigation reservoir with depths of 30ft, but just a few rodlengths out I found a 6ft-deep ledge which seemed the perfect feeding spot. Over this I used a 2oz bolt rig, with a 16mm Krill boilie hair-rigged to a size 10 hook. The only loosefeed was a small PVA bag of 8mm pellets nicked on the hook.
A bolt rig with a Krill boilie
“Our traps were set and we watched the water as the evening drew to a close, hoping our new approach would pay off. We soon learned that it was going to be a waiting game, as the Friday night passed biteless, although we could see other anglers were catching well on maggots.
“On Saturday morning the weather had turned much colder and more overcast, but we were happy because these conditions are usually great for roach. Sure enough, it was like a switch being turned on, and we enjoyed multiple hits during the evening and into the following morning.
“At first we thought we were hooking carp because each fish pulled the bobbin up to the alarm and peeled line off the reel, but on the strike we could tell by the lunging that they were good roach. The average stamp was incredible and we ended the trip sharing 10 fish over the 2lb barrier – with my best two at 2lb 9oz and
2lb 7oz, and Graeme’s going 2lb 6oz and 2lb 9oz.
Lewis Bastin with a fine brace of roach 2lb 9oz (top) and 2lb 7oz
“We’d struck gold and ended up catching the biggest roach taken on the lake all weekend. Although the boilies and pellets look like they’re too big for roach to eat, they certainly worked a treat for us!”
Dream roach session with five fish for 14lb 11oz
A ROACH of 3lb is considered by many to be the Holy Grail of angling, but Paul Scowen managed to land two of them as part of a sensational haul totalling 14lb 11oz.
Between 2pm and 6pm during his stay at a southern syndicate lake, the 48-year-old from Oxfordshire slipped his net under specimens of 2lb 5oz, 2lb 11oz, 3lb, 3lb 2oz and 3lb 9oz. Paul fished maggots and groundbait to a deep, clear spot at 55 yards and admits that at one stage he couldn’t keep the rod in the water.
“Before I could even set up my second rod I’d already caught two roach, and within an hour I’d caught four,” he told us.
“The biggest roach came around 6pm and I thought it could’ve been a perch by the way it was fighting. I was blown away by how quickly these big fish kept coming.”
Paul Scowen with a once in a lifetime haul of big roach
Roach just 4oz off the record caught by mistake...
A roach weighing 2lb is the stuff of dreams for every angler, while a 3lb fish seems effectively beyond our reach – except, perhaps, in our wildest fantasies.
But a 4lb roach? Well, that’s nothing short of ridiculous! But Norfolk-based specimen hunter Phil Spinks recently discovered that these incredibly rare fish do exist, when he slipped the net under a specimen weighing exactly 4lb on a recent trip to Homersfield Lake in Suffolk – a venue made famous by the late angling legend John Wilson.
The fish is just 4oz shy of Keith Berry’s 4lb 4oz British record, caught in Northern Ireland back in 2006.
“I feel privileged to have seen such an enormous roach on the bank,” Phil tells Angling Times,
“and to be honest it was a very lucky capture.
“In early spring I use small, high-attract 10mm pop-ups for carp, and it was one of these that caught this colossal roach.
“It’s not unusual to pick up good-sized roach by accident on these tactics, and usually I put them straight back without weighing or photographing them, but this fish was clearly very big.”
The reason Phil usually puts these big roach back is that they’re not caught by design, and so to a hardened specimen hunter like Phil they don’t strictly count. That’s why he was initially reluctant to publicise the specimen.
“I’ve got mixed feelings about the merit of the capture,” he admits.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to land more than forty 3lb roach by design, so I know just how rare a four-pounder is, even if it was caught on a carp rod!”
Huge Linear roach landed before lockdown
OXFORDSHIRE’S Linear Fisheries proved its potential as a superb roach venue, when Phil Smith slipped his net under a 3lb 9oz cracker, prior to the UK lockdown.
To help draw the roach into his swim, the Coventry-based angler reckoned flavouring his maggot hookbaits would do the trick and fished them at distance via a Drennan feeder bomb.
“I’m so chuffed with this roach as it’s my second largest behind my PB of 3lb 13oz 8dr.” He says.
“Linear is also the fourth water where I’ve managed to exceed the magical 3lb mark for roach!”
Brace of 2lb redfins best yet - Gavin Barrett
“My roach fishing on the Hampshire Avon has been phenomenal this winter but my latest session has probably been the best yet.
I fed an area of slack water on my nearside bank then trotted either a single maggot or flake over the top.
In hardly any time at all I was slipping specimen roach into my keepnet – including fish of 1lb 12oz, 1lb 14oz and 1lb 15oz alongside a fine brace of two pounders.
The Avon has been running crystal clear so you get to see your prize long before it’s in the landing net. They were heart-stopping moments.”
