Rolling Fish

Why do fish roll/top?

Some fish are more prone to roll/top on the surface than others, especially early morning or at dusk. Carp, Bream, Roach, Tench, Barbel and Salmon are all the usual suspects. I've also watched the goldfish in my garden pond roll on the suface and then dive down releasing air bubbles as they go.

I don't know if any scientific research has been conducted into this strange behaviour.

Does anybody have any theories as to why fish do this?

One thing I do know, is that a rolling fish is usually a feeding fish.

I think one must distinguish between fish that roll or come to the surface and fish that take food off the surface.

Many species often take food off the surface. Trout do this a lot of course and in doing so create different rise forms. For example a trout taking floating insects generally makes a different rise form to a trout taking things such as midge pupa just under the surface.

Roach, dace, chub, rudd, barbel and bream all take surface floating insects from time to time and pike take swimming frogs and odd small birds from the surface too.

However this is different from other forms of surface activity. We have all seen bream, barbel, roach, carp and tench rolling on the surface. Often carp will come right out of the water and drop back on their tails in a most impressive way.

Some say it is a prelude to feeding. Some say they are trying to shake parasites or faeces off. Some say that they just do it for fun. Those of us who have ever spent time fishing for bream will have experienced the frustration when bream after bream are seen rolling at the surface but they don't bite.

Why do they do it?

I'm not quite sure.

i have allways thought it was because they are spawning as spawning season is the only time i c it

Fish will roll on the surface throughout the year, especially roach, but this spectacle is mainly seen during the warmer months, plus weather and light conditions also play an important role.

On one featureless pit I used to fish, the best way of locating the bream shoals was when they would 'porpoise' on the surface and give away their patrol routes. The same with barbel. An early morning or evening session on the Trent would often reveal their whereabouts by splashing on the surface. On each occasion, I don't believe the bream or barbel where feeding off the surface.

So whether it is to cleanse themselves of parasites or they do it for the fun of it is a mystery

Talking of barbel on the Trent. Roll on the 16th!