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Identifying fish from surface activity

travellers

As Dave say's, they may well be on the feed, but not always where they 'roll'.
In my experience, they can be laying up semi-dormant or asleep in the vicinity, then wake up and become active and go on the move to feed or move to another location to feed or other.
As most don't always catch when casting to rolling fish, it is probably because they roll on the surface to take in a gulp of air, to make them more buoyant, for easier travelling higher up off the river bed to another area of their choice, where they know its safer and may feel more confident. ....Ray
 
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I have actually caught quite a few barbel over the years by casting to rolling fish. Mainly on the Loddon. In fact I will often walk the bank looking for this activity after extra water or as dusk approaches.

I agree with Ray re the most obvious cause for rolling barbel.

There is oner particular swim on the kennet near some fast water that 9 times out of 10 you will get a take pretty straight away if you see a fish roll.

However, if a fish has rolled near my bait I will leave it, usually more than one around as Steve says.

Graham
 
On the Lower Severn I'm always encouraged by a fish rolling on the surface. I'm never sure what they are, but that in my mind indicates feeding fish. In fact, if I've not had any indications and have seen fish roll in a different spot, I'll probably move and cast to them.

I've never measured my success rate on this though, but I'm sure others have!
 
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