Winter Roach Part One.

 It's that time of year again when the close season looms, it has gone so quick ( since June ) that I hadn't realised it was this close until I counted five weekends from last until the river's get a much needed rest from all of us anglers, as the 14th of March falls on a Saturday I suspect weather permitting the banks will be full to the rafters with savvy anglers looking to get their last flowing fix before the gear is throw into the corner of the garage, I for one won't be doing so as a Rudd campaign is on the cards but I won't get ahead of myself as that's still quite a while away. Between now and then I will be making a more concerted effort to catch some more Roach with a 2lb specimen a possibility, I have fished a large amount of rivers this season and managed good Roach off of quite a few and I look to keep this theme up until mid-March arrives.

 My late winter Roach campaign started a little while back and I had a fantastic bag of Roach on the centre-pin to the tune of 18lb 11oz, this was my best haul of Roach for quite a long time and although they weren't 2lb fish it's been a while since I've had such fun with a shoal as I have been largely frustrated at times by their inability to feed when I'm around!, I know it's nature and all that but I seemed to get it wrong spectacularly (for 6 trips).

As pristine as is possible.

 That trip out where I had nearly 19lb of Roach comprised of 33 fish to 1.5 and another three over a pound which was brilliant and all in great nick, the tackle was made up of a 3lb hook-link fished through to a size 12 wide-gape hook and 4BB wire-stem float, it took a while to find fish and the depth but once I sussed that out there was no looking back, it was almost a bite a chuck and even the 3 Barbel to 4.15 couldn't spoil the show as the Roach just kept coming and a couple of swims downstream proved to be just as productive. The only other intruder was a porky Gudgeon at around 2oz.

A decent gonk not a monster though.

4.15 Winter Barbel.

 It's a shame that I don't catch Roach like this all the time but when it does all come together it's immense fun, little session's with a massive return, but after all it's just great to get out on the bank.

Average stamp of Roach around the 12oz mark.