Greater spotted roach

[Leon Roskilly]

I just bought a new rod specifically for roach-fishing and went out to christen it this evening with some quality roach from the tidal Kentish Stour.

 

Most fish were perfect silver, framed with flaming red fins.

 

The odd fish with a few signs of black-spot.

 

Then I caught this one.

 

 

For a moment I thought it was a new species as it came to the net!

 

The infestation didn't seem to do it any harm, for its size it was the hardest fighting fish of the session, and for a while I thought I had hooked another of the larger specimens in the swim.

 

(The new rod is a Preston Innovations 13ft Excel match rod, and I'm very pleased with it. Strong and light, it gave me no problems with a 2lb bottom, and no fish bumped off. And the feel of both fishing and playing some smaller and some good-sized roach was brilliant).

[Chris Plumb]

Never seen that before, any ideas what it could be?

 

I see it quite regularly on a stretch of the Kennet I frequent - seems to affect Chub and Roach....

 

 

C.

[Elton]

That doesn't look pretty at all, Leon!

[Vagabond]

Never seen that before, any ideas what it could be?

 

 

To save me a lot of typing, Google "Diplopstomiasis"

During the 1950s/1960s it was very common, but I have seen very little of recent years.

 

Done it for you !!

 

"A disease caused by the larvae of parasitic digenetic flukes, Cercaria and Metacercaria. A common disease in earthen bottom ponds and lakes, this disease is caused by a parasite (larval trematode) that burrows into the skin of a fish causing the formation of a cyst approximately one millimeter in diameter. This parasite has a complex life cycle that requires fish eating birds or mammals, snails, and fish at different stages in order to survive.

 

In general, even heavy infestations of these parasites do relatively little damage to the fish. There is some evidence that heavily infested juvenile fish may experience excessive blood loss, physiological stress, and even death. Also, fish with heavy infestations on the eyes may be blinded.

 

The term "Black Spot" refers to the formation of small cysts in the muscle and skin around which the parasite lives. The cyst accumulates black pigment cells. These cause little harm to the fish. Young fish have growth problems if heavily infected. The first intermediate host is a mollusc. The fish is the second intermediate host and the final host is a kingfisher or heron"

Perhaps they haven't heard of cormorants!

Edited August 20, 2010 by Vagabond

[Leon Roskilly]

As far as the new rod is concerned, well that looks just the job, and the type I really need

 

Spigots will give a better action I reckon, and does look like a reasonable trotting rod, something that is a rarity nowadays.

 

Was the rod fairly fast action Leon? ie with the line ''pick up'' when trotting?

 

Not cheap though the best I can find is c.£180 and with my latest 'new' barbel rods the missus will need some convincing

 

 

Yes, it has a very nice crisp action on the strike.

 

At 13ft it's limited to close in work when trotting (I've been using 14ft rods for trotting previously), but then again the shorter length and crisper action does make for better effortless control, and less backache.

 

I picked mine up on ebay (brand new) with a snipe for £82!

 

( http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...e=STRK:MEWNX:IT )

 

(After an unsuccessful search of local tackle shops which I prefer to support).

 

 

 

 

At the same time I was also after an Anyfish Anywhere 11ft Estuary rod, usually around £145, but unable to find one I called in my local tackle shop and told them I was willing to go to £125 if they could get one. They phoned back later in the day to say that a club member had come in with one that they wanted to sell for £80, not a mark on it!

 

They couldn't believe the co-incidence!

 

 

 

So, two rods I'd really wanted for a while in two days for a fraction of their normal price.

 

(After that I had to go and buy a lottery ticket, but my luck had run out )

 

 

 

Now I need a trip out for some estuary/bass fishing

[Mark Wintle]

Black spot does come from a parasite. It gets into the roach (and chub and dace, and occasionally other species) through them eating infected tiny water snails (an important part of the roach's diet. When roach etc. are eaten by birds, especially herons, the parasite develops to the next stage then released into the water getting into snails and so the cycle continues. So the presence of fish with black spot means a snail-rich water with herons.

[Tony U]

Now I need a trip out for some estuary/bass fishing

 

Yes please!!

 

With regard to the Black spot it is very common on the Roach population in the River Beult

 

 

Tony

Edited August 20, 2010 by Tony U

[Jim Murray]

Interesting Leon, have only caught them lik ethat from the Baltic. Presuming your stretch may have been slightly brackish too, where does that leave the oft quoted remark that such areas harbour top quality fish?

[Leon Roskilly]

Interesting Leon, have only caught them lik ethat from the Baltic. Presuming your stretch may have been slightly brackish too, where does that leave the oft quoted remark that such areas harbour top quality fish?

 

 

Hi Jim,

 

I've had them with blackspot (but nothing like this infestation) in the Medway, Beault and Len all far from the sea.