Just Simply Brilliant.

 This season has been special for quite a few reasons, but none more so than the capture of two pound plus Roach and I have been blessed with the opportunity on multiple occasions this last three months, fish of (2.03, 2.05 & 2.10 ) have graced my net and thankful for the chance to witness one of anglings wonders. So when I head out in search of Roach there is never expectation of specimen fish at all, just happy to be on the bank and in with a chance, so with that a few days ago I set out my stall to trot for Roach using maggot and caster with the sporadic use of bread just to see if the change sparks a fish into taking should the grubs fail.

 The plan was to fish roughly the last hour of light until I could no longer see the tip of the float, I find if the redfin's are feeding that this is the time to get trotting, a couple of decent Chub put in an appearance very early on and when this happens it usually means the Roach are either not around or that the Chub are simply hungrier, never a good omen but carried on I did, at around half-three the magic wand was waved again as the float sailed away and was met by a sturdy fish hanging in the current, immediately I thought "big Roach", from the off I played the fish carefully and was met by a large red dorsal fin cut through the surface of the river towards me, special sight that is and even more so when the entire of the fish was revealed, I scrambled for the net and she cruised straight in, when you do your water-craft and put the hard work into finding these special fish, it all depends on the Roach from there on, this fish was testament to legwork put in and boy I'll tell you it felt special. Another Fish of a Lifetime ( Mark 27 ). On the scales this stunner weighed a handsome 2lb 6oz.

 I simply can not get enough of these impressive creatures. If I was only this good at Pike fishing, I may get the taste of my first twenty. But that put aside, my holy grail of a three-pound Roach is still very much there to dream about, but with the belief growing every time I get a "two" I hope one day that the dream is played out for real and that the magical barrier that is seldom surpassed can be achieved, until that day.....I shall continue to dream!

2lb 6oz of sheer angling beauty. Magical. Mystical.