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River roach rigs


Anderoo

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Andrew, did you just stumble upon the roach while chubbing? I'm tempted to see if I can find some on my own stretches of the Thames, but it's finding the buggers.

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Andrew, did you just stumble upon the roach while chubbing? I'm tempted to see if I can find some on my own stretches of the Thames, but it's finding the buggers.

 

Yes, exactly. It was on my second session on the new chub stretch, doing the usual bread mash and flake thing. We had a lot of jabbing bites that we couldn't hit, I caught one of about half a pound that hung itself on a size 6 hook, and I saw fish that I thought were either big roach or small bream after dark, so plenty of evidence!

 

It's never happened before on any of the other stretches I've fished, it looks like the roach are extremely localised in the winter. This bit of the river is significantly deeper than a lot of the other stretches, which is probably significant.

 

No sign of chub at all there, I'm starting to wonder if it's actually too deep for them? It's about twice the average depth of the bit I fished last winter.

And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music

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No sign of chub at all there, I'm starting to wonder if it's actually too deep for them? It's about twice the average depth of the bit I fished last winter.

 

I'd bet there are, but only a few. And I'd also bet on them being bigger than in the shallower stretches, but very hard to find..

 

Knowing how big you've had chub from the latter I'd be pretty excited!

 

A few trips with whitebait, especially after dark, may be interesting.

Wingham Specimen Coarse & Carp Syndicates www.winghamfisheries.co.uk Beautiful, peaceful, little fished gravel pit syndicates in Kent with very big fish. 2017 Forum Fish-In Sat May 6 to Mon May 8. Articles http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/steveburke.htm Index of all my articles on Angler's Net

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There are a lot more roach in the Thames than most people realise; it's still one of the best roach rivers in the country. They are localised but not that hard to find. As for chub why bother when the roach are about? ;)

 

On some Thames stretches the chub are in a handful of swims right tight under far bank tree cover especially if it's deep whereas the roach are more in the deeper main flow.

 

The ODAA match result from last weekend was interesting; 12 weights over 20lbs to 45lbs, mostly bream but a 24lb of roach and 20lb of perch. Don't ask me more because it was a stretch I don't fish and that's all I know but what potential!

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I'd bet there are, but only a few. And I'd also bet on them being bigger than in the shallower stretches, but very hard to find..

 

Knowing how big you've had chub from the latter I'd be pretty excited!

 

A few trips with whitebait, especially after dark, may be interesting.

 

Yes, we haven't forgotten about the chub, we're convinced there are a handful along there somewhere. We'll track them down eventually! It'll be with bread though, everything else gets hammered by the crays, especially fish baits. Last weekend, Chris caught 2 crays on 1 cast, one on his hook and the other hanging onto his split shot!

 

You're right though, it's exactly the kind of place a couple of absolute monsters might be living in, but I'm fairly sure they're not in the bit we're catching the roach from. Too many annoying kids whizzing about probably... The chub on the other stretches definitely like the quiet, empty water.

And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music

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Guest redfin2
Yes, exactly. It was on my second session on the new chub stretch, doing the usual bread mash and flake thing. We had a lot of jabbing bites that we couldn't hit, I caught one of about half a pound that hung itself on a size 6 hook, and I saw fish that I thought were either big roach or small bream after dark, so plenty of evidence!

 

It's never happened before on any of the other stretches I've fished, it looks like the roach are extremely localised in the winter. This bit of the river is significantly deeper than a lot of the other stretches, which is probably significant.

 

No sign of chub at all there, I'm starting to wonder if it's actually too deep for them? It's about twice the average depth of the bit I fished last winter.

 

Being too deep would not be a problem I reckon, in fact it would be a great winter haunt for big chub.

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