Best Roach river

[The Flying Tench]

jim doyle:

theres maybe the need for a roach conservation society, save the roach campaign or at least some thought given to the welfare of the big roach of britain!!

I couldn't agree more, but who knows what the future holds. In the book I referred to at the start of this thread the author predicts that barbel had reached a peak, and comments about a brace of 2lb perch that catches like this are 'all too rare'. Things are better than I think he would have predicted for both species. As someone said, there are still good opportunities for roach in gravel pits, but there's something about the brightly coloured roach that come from clear streams. Let's hope river roach 'turn the corner' soon.

[Stewart_Bloor]

I fished a new stretch of the Severn today for roach but blanked. Although in all fairness it was a hard day to judge.

 

I'll just have to go back....tomorrow.

[PeterK]

The Flying Tench,

 

I have to disagree about the Kennet. I have seen plenty of big roach there in recent years.

 

I also feel that since 'Roach, The Gentle Giants' was written most waters mentioned in it would have changed completely. I love the book but I was talking to John Baily last year and he feels that is is now out of date in many respects. I wont be throwing my copy out though

[RUDD]

Pete Waller the Winter Roach in Norwich are roach that have travelled out of the tidal broads.

The big roach come from (or did) further upstream.

 

All of these decent roach rivers (or were ) have one thing in common now CHUB

[Bigrivers]

Jim Doyles mention of the roach of of the River Tay took me back to my times there. I've just posted some memories of our sessions there on my Lost River weblog (mentioned elsewhere on Anglers net) - if you're interested please take a read at http://lostriver.blogspot.com/. It was a strange time in my life, where I was kep afloat by a fantastic river.

[Dick Dastardly]

RUDD:

 

All of these decent roach rivers (or were ) have one thing in common now CHUB

Good point Rudd.Certainly very true of several once renowned roach venues.The Wensum,Trent and Wye spring to mind for starters.

[Paulg]

Hi John,

 

I'll back that, haven't fished it enough this season, but I've walked a stretch of the Thames at least once a week since the beginning of the season, and seen some cracking Roach. Many of which would easily break the 1lb barrier, and loads that I guess are 2lb+. Just wish I could get the time to fish for them!

 

Regards,

Paul

 

I was talking to a Reading AA angler the other day who claimed that the Thames is quite good for roach at the moment, though I guess it must depend which part.

[The Flying Tench]

Paulg:

I've walked a stretch of the Thames at least once a week since the beginning of the season, and seen some cracking Roach.

On a day-ticket stretch by any chance?

[The Flying Tench]

PeterK:

I have to disagree about the Kennet. I have seen plenty of big roach there in recent years.

Peter, I mainly know the middle Kennet round Newbury, and while I do meet committed roach anglers who still have some success, the general view is that the roach are few and far between compared with what they were, say, 15 years ago. I don't know the lower Kennet, though I've met Reading AA anglers who've said the roach fishing is not what it was - but of course there may be certain stretches. I'd be very interested to know which stretches you've seen the big roach coming out of.

 

I fully agree that 'Roach - the gentle giants' is out of date, now. I didn't mean to imply things were as 1987.

[The Flying Tench]

I've just done a search on the web, and the RDAA match results came up

 

www.rdaa.co.uk/matchres.htm

 

in general roach don't show up too much in the results. Under 27/1/05, however, they give the results of an EA survey. Once again, few roach in some stretches, but slight encouragement of a comeback in some of the sections.