Roach Respect

[Clive Moore 2]

I have always enjoyed catching some roach but never targeted them specifically. i have always seen them as a nuisance fish in every way and just a thing to turn to when it gets slow with the carp fishing.

BUT, today i caught a relatively huge roach to me off the top on a dog mixer intended for carp obviously, but when i pulled it out i thought "whoa". at just over a pound its probably my biggest roach that i can recall, immaculate silver with the red fins certainly a roach not some hybrid. it seriously got me thinking that i should respect these fish more and perhaps i may even target some specimens as they are beautiful fish at that size, and i suppose rudd and dace are as well.

i can now begin to understand why people DO target these roach, whereas i used to think they were just waisting their time as it is boring. the only thing that does concern me if i intended to target roach is the hybridization that can occur in many waters which i feel could make a good capture less creditable and valuable......

just thought i would share my thoughts that where provoked by that eye-opening experience............DISCUSS!

Clive.

 

[Xplorer1]

I could (and often do!) spend all day happily catching roach from stillwaters and rivers. The challenge of getting them feeding, then hooking and landing them on light tackle is only equalled by their graceful beauty, and the vigour with which they flash away when released again. To me they are the most beautiful of fish and an eternal pleasure.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Clive,

For many years the Roach were the most sought after, and popular fish in England - take a look at some of the statistics from the EA surveys.

I probably spend 60% of my time on the rivers fishing for Roach and Dace these days and that is after having spent a decade or so doing the Carp 'thing' back in the 80's and 90's.

As Xplorer1 says, "they are the most beautiful of fish and an eternal pleasure"

As for 'hybridization', well, a lot of people might consider a Mirror Carp as not being quite "right" and that Common Carp are the only true Carp?

 

[Keith M]

It takes all types but to me mainstream Carp Fishing isextremely boring whereas stalking for them is far more enjoyable, however no more enjoyable than catching large Roach or Barbel or Tench on suitable tacke (not on Carp gear of coarse).

Like you I only fished for Carp at one time but I was always lying back on my bedchair daydreamingabout the early mornings and nights that Iused to spendon the Kennet after the Barbel or catching large Roach on the upper Lea, or the Dark olive green red eyed Tench we used to catch on the local ponds. Which seemed far more enjoyable to me than lying on my bedchair just waiting for the big one.

So I moved away from mainstream Carp fishing and have enjoyed my fishingfar more ever since, howeverI still love stalking forCarp though.

 

[Matt Brown]

I think the best thing about specimen roach is that most of us are so used to seeing small ones that the difference is startling. Add to that how difficult that can be to locate or catch (excluding a handful of waters) and they really are something to appreciate.

Big perch are stunning too.