Roach Midlands

[oyster]

I made my first post just over a year ago now, since then I have been out once a week almost excusively for Roach. In probably 60 or 70 outings the biggest I have managed is possibly a pounder out of the Severn at Stourport in the last week of last season.
Getting the right conditions on the severn in winter has been tough its been at least 4 foot up since december, so I would really appreciate any information on midlands or staffs water I could try?

I have been fishing mainly canals due to time and conditions but would prefer rivers. More recently I have been on an old favourite the mease where I know there used to be big roach as I have seen them caught to over 2 allbeit over 20 years ago. Also the millstream at Alrewas off the trent where I have heard rumours of Roach even bigger! Again this was probably exaggerated or is too long ago now. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[binka]

I can offer a more recent history of the Alrewas area up to a couple of seasons ago if it's any help.

I've seen good sized fish in the stream off of the riverised section just below Alrewas locks but haven't been able to identify them by standing on the derelict bridge and peering down between the gaps, I suspect they were mainly chub but wouldn't be surprised if a few good roach were there as I used to get some right clonkers using flake on the main river stretch as far as Wychnor church but haven't tried it for a couple of years now, I can't see any reason why not though.

There used to be a deep hole just on the entrance and there are stacks of perch.

It's nice stick water when it's pulling through which is usually dependant on the amount of traffic through the lock at the bottom end as most excess water washing through from above goes down the weir, I know it's up and a mucky colour throughout at the moment.

If you get as far down as Wychnor church and March Hare is moored up with smoke coming out of the chimney give us a shout and say hello as I'm spending some time down there soon, it's the first boat upstream of the private access bridge onto the moorings and if I'm there I will get a brew on :thumbs:

 

[oyster]

Re: Roach Midlandsj

Thanks Binka much appreciated. I think I know where you mean for the perch, where the mill stream meets the canal just before it joins the trent. I had a quite a few on the pole a few weeks back, a bite a chuck nothing massive but all larger than average. Were you fishing the canal on the stick with flake or the main river?
I think I know where the moorings are, I took a walk down there late last year. The canal pushes through there until the overspill and it looks quite attractive on the far bank with the reeds. I will give you a shout if I see you certainly!

 

[markv]

I admire your persistence Oyster. Keep it up and you can only get there.

If you can get along the banks, try the Middle Severn Bridgnorth to Bewdley. look for medium paced swims with an even flow, no boils etc. with a reasonable depth, doesn't have to be deep just not shallow, usually.

If you keep up anything like the perseverence that you have shown so far, you should smash through the pound barrier no problem !

Admire your effort.

 

[binka]

Re: Roach Midlandsj

Thanks Binka much appreciated. I think I know where you mean for the perch, where the mill stream meets the canal just before it joins the trent. I had a quite a few on the pole a few weeks back, a bite a chuck nothing massive but all larger than average. Were you fishing the canal on the stick with flake or the main river?

Yep that's the place oyster re. the perch and it was the canal section I fished on the stick further down right at the church, it gets a bit wider down there and often resembles a normal river when it's pulling through, a nice bend with raised bridge walkways over nice reed beds just before you get to it on the side same you would walk down to from where you fished.

The flake thing came about by accident as I used to keep a rod down there but didn't have any bait and so I raided a loaf which we had in, real scale perfect roach too.

I took this from the private mooring side when piking a couple of winters ago (not good for pike now, heavily poached out hence not worrying about naming the location) and you can clearly see the church in the background as a landmark, the opposite side is the bank you would be fishing and this is probably about 2/3 of a mile down from the lock and not too far beyond the weir...



Good luck with it

 

[oyster]

Thanks for the help and support both, certainly gives me some more information to go off. I was out on the Mease today - frustrating, but in this weather I was happy with a couple of Roach over the 1/2lb mark.