Let's talk Roach

[Matt Brown]

Just followed the link. Fantastic story and great photos.

I've just got back from Barbel fishing and now I want to go Roach fishing!

 

[Graham Whatmore]

What a brilliant session that was at Sway, I'd give my right arm to fish a place like that, I absolutely adore roach and I've only ever had one two pounder in my life but boy! did I enjoy the trying.

 

[Ron Troversial Clay]

We should have a go at the roach of the Idle, or even the Don Matt. Not that many 2s but good chance of 1 1/2 pound fish.

Haxey is a good spot.

 

[Graham Whatmore]

There used to be a theory that if you wanted to catch big roach then the bread flake approach was the way to go, I'm still of that opinion, but its not the only way as Coops 2.11 proves.

On the river, bread flake will sort out the quality fish for sure but if there aren't any 2 pounders there in the first place you can't catch em! but you will have some nice chub as a bonus.

I know a matchman in Redditch who once weighed in 5 two pound roach in one of the Stourport opens, every one caught on caster, link ledgered down the side. Many big roach are caught in the Stan Lewis winter opens which are fished on his water above Bewdley and most of them fall to bronze maggot.

Hemp and tares are tried and tested roach catchers as well.

So theres five totally different baits for a start, not counting the boilies, and I bet somebody will come up with some others as well.

 

[Ron Troversial Clay]

Roach will take most baits of course. If you only have big roach in your swim then maggots is as good a bait as any. If you want to catch the big roach with a mixture of sizes in you swim then bread will often sort out the better fish.

Don't forget stewed wheat however. One of the best big roach baits of all. I've also caught good numbers of big roach in Oxfordshire gravel pits on sweetcorn.

 

[Baz]

I only tried stewed wheat once, the sport was hectic, and I'm pretty sure nobody else was useing it. Anothe rgood roach bait is a single grain of hemp on the hook, loose feeding it as well.

 

[Coops]

"It also won a Fox ?50 weekly award as I mailed it to the paper for him and the selfish git didn't even buy me a beer."

Some people have short memories, you drank it so fast you don't even remember it! You do make a good ghillie though Rik, it's got to be said.

I went down the Nene again yesterday afternoon just for a couple of hours after lunch on the off chance. Stole a loaf of bread out the cupboard and liquidised it, saving three slices for hook bait (the missus will kill me when she goes to make the kids sarnies this morning!)

I legered Drennan punched bread on a size 10 alongside a cage feeder of liquidised bread and I was getting quality roach 8oz to just over the pound every cast. The conditions were perfect, mild, virtually no wind, really dark overcast sky. All the bites were really positive, virtually self hookers. Funny how short impromptu sessions can turn out really well and be some of the most enjoyable.

 

[Matt Brown]

Ron, I'm definately up for a trip or two to the Idle. When can you make it?

Regarding Stewed Wheat, is it an instant bait? Or do you need to pre-bait for days to get them used to it? Is it a summer only bait? How much would you use? ie. is a pint of Wheat more filling that a pint of Casters? Does it sink quicker than Hemp?

I keep seeing it on sale in the pet shop but haven't had the bottle to try it yet.

 

[Ron Troversial Clay]

I wouldn't call stewed wheat an instant bait. These days I reckon you would have to bait up with it for a while as nobody ever uses it except old farts like me.

It's also a very filling bait, you don't need much of it.

Size 14 gilt hook for a single grain.

 

[Baz]

Sorry, it wasn't stewed wheat I used, it was pearl barley. As above, it is very filling.

 

[Ron Troversial Clay]

Actually if I was fishing the Idle I would also take casters and a bit of hemp.

Try trotting with a stick for a while. You normally catch a few of the smaller ones. Feed little and often. The feeding is vital, dont let up.

As the afternoon advances put on a lollipop float with shot bunched about 3 inches from the hook, a size 16 with two casters on it and lay on. That's when you get the biggies.

 

[Anthony Dixon 2]

I picked up a packet of plastic hemp the other day on the recomendation that it stayed on the hook well and gave a better presentation.
Not tried it yet and was wondering if anyone else had tried it and had any success with it.
I intend of course to use it in conjuntion with real hemp to try and temp some of these shy winter Roach.

 

[Graham Whatmore]

I must be an old fart as well then Ron cos I always have stewed wheat in the freezer, its a great little bait and ideal for sticking in the feeder to add a bit of interest.

You can catch most fish on stewed wheat and being starch it takes on flavour and colouring very well, ideal size for the small hook too.

 

[Ron Troversial Clay]

I tell you what Graham, we should get together and make money.

We all know about canned flavoured coloured sweetcorn - Pescaviva et al.

What about canned flavoured coloured stewed wheat? All you have to do is give some to Bob Nudd, let him catch some fish on it in an AT feature and we are made.

)

 

[Ron Troversial Clay]

By the way one of the best waters for a really big roach in Yorkshire is Three Lakes at Selby.

I've had 1 two pounder out of here and lots in the 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb bracket. Most have been taken on sweetcorn whilst tench fishing. Maggots are a pain as all you catch then are lots of little perch. The Bailiff told me that this water has thrown up 3 pound roach in the past.

Mind you the carp boys wouldn't be happy if a crowd of specimen roach hunters turned up.

 

[Gary Knowles 2]

Graham,

I saw at least 2 dozen roach all over 2lb at several places very near you !

some may have even been over 3 - I think you probably know whee but if you don't drop me a private email.

 

[Graham Whatmore]

Anthony, an old trick we used to employ when hemp fishing was a small black rubber bead with a bit of white pole elastic tied thru it, kept in a drop of hemp flavour. Once you had the fish feeding on the hemp (and not until) put the hook thru the elastic and away you go, no worries about it being on the hook then.

So in answer to your question then yes it probably will work but don't put it on to start off with, and remember, only feed a few grains at a time not handfuls, you want them competing.

 

[Anthony Dixon 2]

Thanks very much for the advice Graham.
I will definately be using your tip of soaking the plastic in the hemp flavour...I guess it's these little touches that can make all the difference.

 

[john conway]

Ron how about another Idle Roach fish-in, remember the last one was rained off? Went back in November after the rained off, and managed a 1lb-6oz roach and lost a bigger one at the net. Caster and hemp were the bait to use and the tackle shop in Bawtry opened at 6 in the morning, good place to meet is the car park in the centre of Bawtry opposite the tackle shop I seem to remember.

 

[Graham Whatmore]

One type of bait has always intrigued me, and for whatever reason I've always thought that fish would prefer, and thats paste.

Many years ago (40 plus) the paste used for roach was usually plain old bread paste, occasionally some would flavour it with Birds custard powder, but in the main it was just plain bread. Flavouring was virtually unheard of except maybe for the very elite, dedicated specimen hunter.

What flavour paste do you reckon the wily old roach would most desire given that we have so many to choose from these days. It wouldn't necessarily be bread paste of course, it could be a commercial one or the home made variety but what flavour? I have used, and caught, some decent fish on pineapple flavoured baits, nothing massive but I do have confidence in that flavour.

Coincidently, my one and only two pounder was caught on a 8mm banded pellet, now that ain't very romantic is it?