Is this true?

[P@UL]

Is it true that putting a Roach straight back into the swim will spook the rest of the shoal?

 

Do you need special cutters to cut braid properly?

[teepee]

i, P@UL, i think it can spook the rest of the shoal obviously depends how close in your catching as well but distressed fish do give off vibes, just ask the pike men.

they sell special scissors for cutting braid and you'll pay a lot for them, £5 or £6 save your self some money and just buy a good pair of quality scissors, they will be just as good and half the price,

[P@UL]

Thanks Teepee

[phonebush]

P@UL,

No expert here. It is my understanding all schooling fish have the capability to release a chemical alarm. What a shoal or roach does with the alarm I don't have a clue.

 

Your statement is true for the US fish smallmouth bass but not true for a very very close cousin the crappie. So I have always been told - well Newt?

Phone

[John S]

On numerous occasions I've found myself casting into a shoal of roach no more than 5-10 feet from my rod-tip, and returning fish (sometimes in excess of 100 in a session) has never IMO spooked them. I do have the habit of feeding a few morsels of loosefeed even if the fish are biting on every cast, so maybe that has something to do with it....

 

Wet landing nets

[P@UL]

Thanks for the replies people, the reason Im asking this is because Im thinking of getting a keepnet for Roach fishing.

[Newt]

Some US species do seem to spook if you return a fish. Others could care less.

 

I have found (after reading a suggestion) that a spray with Bang (a fish attractant designed for soft plastic lures) will prevent this behavior even in species like the large & small mouth bass.

 

I've never seen a roach so have no idea how they might react. If there is a problem, Bang is not expensive and a single bottle should last many, many sessions.

[poledark]

Paul, do me (and the roach) a favour and please do not put them in a keepnet, especialy the bigger ones, as they lose their scales very easily.

I do use keepnets for other fish but not roach.

Thanks,

Den

[P@UL]

Dont worry poledark I'm not going to bother with a keepnet I've managed for 10 years without one and I have never been that keen on them anyway.

 

My priority has always been the welfare of the fish and I dont match fish anyway.

 

P@UL

[chris]

Paul,my club has a no keepnrt rule, often get stuck into roach and crucians,on the ponds, so have to return them,and really cant say that it seems to affect the catch rate.When on the river chubbing i always release the fish well away from the swim as i really think they spook so easily.

Chris