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Roach

I'm wondering how instant pellets would be for Roach on a stretch of River that doesn't get fished much.
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Not as instant as bread or maggots. ;)
 
First trip of the year on the bread feeder yesterday evening. Nothing huge but great to catch some perfect looking roach and explore a new swim. Lots of bites as the light faded. The river smells of autumn. :)
 
usually fish caster in the quest for roach but used hookable pellet on the Dorset stour in September and manage to land a 2lb roach to my amazement 😀
 
That's fantastic Robert! I'm starting my annual mission to creep closer to the magic mark. Was it your first 2?
 
Hi simon
I’ve had one before over 40yrs ago when I was still at school, so along wait between fish😂 it was from the river colne uxbridge middx I remember like it was yesterday fishing with school a mate trotting a float with caster and bang there it was
A angler along the bank came and weighed it for me it was 2lb 3oz I’ll never forget it fantastic memories the chap who weighed it for me couldn’t believe either
my stour fish was 2lb on the nose with one of my sons on the scales
best of luck in your quest for the 2lb
 
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Nice way to start this season's campaign. Very beautiful fish.
 
Out again yesterday. River was high and turbulent but fishable. Tried a couple of swims behind trees to slow the flow and found 5 beautiful redfins. Best two were just under the pound and things are looking healthy for the rest of the winter.
 
Out today on our roach quest -2 last night stour coloured and push through
Small roach & dace no net wetters.
Until next time 🤞
 
Good luck next time out!
I have a pass for Sunday am, early. Looks like it might warm up again after a bitter day today. Hoping I will be able to trot a float for first time this autumn.
 
Had one of those special days yesterday fishing one of Keith Speers favourite swims. I rejoined the club on Saturday and had not fished the stretch for about 3 years. The morning was bitterly cold and still dark so I started fishing Punched bread on a cage feeder and then the stickfloat with only half a dozen roach and a chub for my efforts. I like to trickle 6 casters in all day down the edge whilst Roach fishing, to lay a trap for later. After three hours of constant drip feeding I changed to a smaller hook and eased two casters 3 to 4 feet overdepth very slowly downstream. The better fish can be very Float sensitive on this clear tiny stream. The float buried and the jag-jag on the rod top made me think I had hooked a big Roach. The swim is full of Chub so you never know for sure. I decided to ease the fish up in the water to have a look. Sh1t its a big Roach, the brain went into meltdown and you ease up the pressure (its not a chub). There is something about big Roach that I get from no other fish, that 'do not come off ' moment until its in the net. Maybe I get the same from big Grayling but I do not fish for them often enough. Your hands need to go soft and playing becomes a shock absorbing experience, the concentration ramps up. The Roach fought well like all big roach do but finally went into the net. I knew she was a 2 straight away, but out came the 8lb Avon scales and carrier bag. She made it with an ounce to spare. Some photos were taken and back she went. On Monday I was fishing downstream and one of the regulars Irish John had mentioned a big Roach with a large cormorant slash. About two hours later It got very bright so I put my polaroids on. Looking into the 3ft margin I spied a couple of Roach, OH sh1t there is the one with the cormorant slash. Where I had been feeding the casters there was a slow back eddy and the fish was upstream of me just where the eddy hit the main flow. I carefully lowered the hookbait and held the float back well away from the fish. The line straightened under the float and the casters dropped right into position. Its mouth opened, the float dipped and the tip did a tap, she was on. Another great fight and another 2lb Roach was in the net. The undignified plastic bag came out, the scales zeroed and she went 2lb 6.5 oz. A couple of months ago I bought an old 12ft Drennan Chystalight on Ebay for only £30 that had a chewed up cork handle so I changed it. Matched with my swallow pin its a great small stream set up.
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Beautiful Mark.

I know exactly that feeling. ...Please don't come off.
On a Britford day it did no sooner than I had seen...and said it!!! Usually when they hit the surface.

You managed it. Congratulations.
 
Lovely story Mark and a couple of cracking roach - well done. Certainly whetted my appetite.

I remember that Graham - fishing with Keith weren't you ?
 
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