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Roach

George, have a look closer to you the upper reaches of the Bristol Avon has produced lots of 2lb roach over the years.Short evening sessions are the answer, walk and look for them rolling.DR Mark Everard seems to catch plenty from there. I once saw a massive roach on the free stretch at Chippenham,down towards the bypass bridge.A fish all on its own, that could have been my first 3. I was roving with Barbel gear but managed to find a spool of 3 lb hooklength and a piece of flake from a sandwich was soon flicked out above it in the margins.The fish came right up to that piece of flake,up ended, nose to the flake, touched it and then backed off,what a Git.
 
George. Having done exactly the same as you at Britford....I never go below a 14 hook.and often use 12's now.


It has greatly increased fish netted. They have an awful habit of coming to the surface on that water for some reason. IGNORE if using hemp!
 
Bit late now I know George regarding River Roach and the BA..The Almagamated waters in Malmesbury used to offer up some very good Roach, and I was lucky to have had a few, but alas I fear they are very few and far between now. The further you were upstream, as far as Sherston the Roach were even bigger, but these waters are fly only I believe. Dave Savage the owner of D&J Sports in Cirencester would put you right on this though.

Somerford AA have some cracking waters which I would think would still turn up a big Roach, but it is not cheap to join, and the Barbel fishing has declined...but it would give you access to some good stretches.

Dr Everard used to fish a very particular stretch, but he had special dispensation due to his EA connection, there are still some good fish there, but access? Well it was impossible a few years back, but Dave Savage would advise on that as to current situation.

Of course there is a lot of 'free' water on the BA, as mentioned the Chippenham stretch, also Keynsham, and best of all Bath, where predation is less in the City, and a few gold bars could still be unearthed :)

Good luck, all this talk of big Roach.:eek:
 
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