A hooked roach will often surface immediately and flap on the surface, where they find it infuriatingly easy to divest themselves of a small hook. The only way I've managed to prevent it has been to use a light and soft-actioned rod in combination with a very lightly-set clutch. Even set up in this way I'm still losing too many and it would make sense, I think, to find an even lighter-actioned float rod (perhaps with a long tip action, rather than progressive) than the old Drennan waggler rod that I currently employ. Similarly, my leger rod is a 0.5lb test Fox Specialist.
I'm experimenting with heli-rigs and short hooklengths, which seems to need a fairly tight line to ensure the rig works properly, relying on the tension to pull the hook in. If there's any slack; if the rubber stops slip or if the hook's not razor sharp, the rig is useless and they're away before you can pick the rod up. I'm pretty sure that braid would improve the set-up further, but I'm not allowed to use it on this particular water. I'm using larger hooks than I'd usually use on the float - fine wire 14s - which usually result in a stronger hookhold.