Winter Roach Feeding Frenzy

[Vagabond]

With arctic conditions forecast as likely in the next couple of days, today (actually yesterday Sunday Jan 25th as it is now past midnight) looked like being the last chance for stillwater roach before the freeze-up.

 

Went down to a carp lake that has some roach in it, and found I had it to myself. There was cat-ice in the margins, the sky was clear, the sun just rising. Its a lake where you might get 50 or more roach on a summer or autumn day, but its usually harder in winter. Given the conditions I expected to struggle, and would have settled for 20 roach.

 

As I tackled up, I flicked in about a dozen maggots, and was pleased to see immediate boils as roach came up in the water. Cast out, immediate bite and a nice roach. second cast, same thing, next fifty casts, a bite a chuck. They were confident sail-away bites too, almost unmissable. These fish were ravenous!

 

To cut a long story short, this pattern went on ALL DAY, from 8 am to 4.30 pm. I had to have a few breaks to warm up numbed hands, as these fish were like ice to handle. The fish were still feeding as avidly as ever when I ran out of maggots at 4.30. All the fish were roach apart from a couple of rudd. The average size was about 4 to 6 oz, with a few larger fish up to 1 lb 4 oz.

 

For most of the day the sun was shining brightly, and there was a steady drip off the willow trees as the ice on the twigs slowly melted. At about 2.30 the sky clouded over, and the temperature dropped.

 

I've come across feeding frenzies often enough in warmer weather, but never one that has lasted so long, and certainly nothing like this in cold weather. Has anyone else been fishing in the Southeast today, and did the same thing happen to you?

 

Has anyone got any ideas as to what triggered this? Were these fish sensing the coming freeze-up and "stocking up" ?

 

BTW I did have time to appreciate the other wild life around. After two minutes, on my second roach, a robin came and sat by my feet and winked at me. I gave him a few maggots, and he seemed to like the spicy flavouring I had added.

 

When I weighed and photographed my best roach, the mallard were not impressed, and said "Harr, Harr, Harr" in that nasty sarcastic way mallards have.

 

A kingfisher came and sat in the willow bush next to me - perhaps it thought it might learn something

 

I finished up with probably the biggest total weight of roach I have ever caught in one session - and that on a day when I expected to have to work hard for any fish at all. Its a funny old game...

 

PS Just seen on another thread that Bonzo did well with the chub today (7 between 3-6 and 4-3)

What county were you fishing in Bonzo?

 

[ 26. January 2004, 12:09 AM: Message edited by: Vagabond ]

[Newt]

LOL - this is just the sort of unexpected day that keeps us going in all sorts of conditions.

 

Glad to hear you had such a day this time of year though. Something to break the winter doldrums.

[kendo]

Haven't had a day like that for sometime its nice when it comes along tho and especially at this time of year,congrats

[kleinboet]

I have found that when you get a day like that, it is usually due to a previous "angler" having finished his session, throwing what was left of his maggots in the water. this may have happened up to two days previously, and the Roach have gradually congregated at that spot because of the amount of food available.

 

I have had it happen to me only twice before -

and it is absolute magic!! well done and tight lines for the future!

[Leon Roskilly]

I had a lot of roach yesterday too

 

see: www.anglersnet.co.uk/ubb/ultimatebb...ic;f=1;t=012107

 

Tight Lines - leon

[Vagabond]

Leon Roskilly:

I had a lot of roach yesterday too

Very interesting - "bite after bite after bite" and in a river too. It could'nt have happened to a nicer bloke

 

Have just heard one of my mates had a good roach catch on another still water - I suspect these feeding frenzies WERE due to temperature and/or barometric changes.

[David Johnson]

No roach feeding frenzy for me, but a local stillwater that I fish a lot in summer, produced my pb roach on Saturday. Strangley, in the summer all you catch is little stunted roach and the bigger roach only show in winter with no small fish showing. Also had a 8lb mirror on my roach tackle which was fun!

[Bradford Angler]

same for up north too, infact yesterday heard that one bloke pulled out 50 skimmers too . . normally one or two is par for the course (excuse the pun)

 

some roach also in the 1lb range came out, on Friday same pegs struggled for odd skimmers and no Roach . . maybe the already fished peg theory holds up then

[John Ellison]

Robins, mallards, kinfishers. Where you fishing Vagabond, under the shadow of Walton's mountain? goodnight billy bob, goodnight pa

I had exactly the opposite kind of day. Fished in't midst o't industrial north, never had a bite between the two of us.

[RUDD]

I fished the waveney at beccles (suffolk) on friday and had 15lb of roach with some other bits thrown in, one perch, four small skimmers and a gudgeon.

See 'Bob Nudd at Beccles' for more details.