Martin Bowler’s Adventures In search of big summer roach (and he finds them at his local carp water!)
A fine Wiltshire spring day is made even better by a superb redfin
WILTSHIRE is a gentle county, and for once the weather reflected this.
Dappled early morning sunlight danced shadows across the grass as the trees above swayed their branches in a light breeze.
My mood perfectly matched the scene, and while I’d planned a fishing trip, there was no alarm call at an ungodly hour.
After days of little sleep I needed to rest although, as is always the way, I found it impossible to stay in bed through the dawn chorus. Instead I sipped coffee and watched the world wake up in my sleepy hamlet.
There was no rush, as I needed maggots and the tackle shop wouldn’t be opening until 9am.
I had decided to fish locally, and I have to say the thought of not driving miles was very appealing. I’m as keen as anyone, but today I was determined to fish at a slower pace and perhaps savour it all the more for that.
It was, in fact, 10 o’clock when I stopped off at Premier Angling, and 15 minutes later I was pushing the gate open to a series of small pits at Great Somerford.
Secluded and peaceful, this was the perfect place for me – and with only three other anglers there I had plenty of space to lose myself in the Wiltshire countryside.
I was bound for the smallest of the three pits, at just three acres, where my goal was roach. But whether it’s 100 acres or only two, fail to locate fish and you’ll not get bites. So before I even thought about unloading the tackle out of the truck I donned some polarised glasses and went for a walk.
The narrowest part of the pit was shallow, and I felt I could write this area off immediately – but as the water opened up it became far more interesting, with a marginal shelf dropping away to 5ft 6ins.
I watched the surface for a few minutes and, exactly where I sensed the fish would be, two small roach primed.
Watercraft is about using your eyes but also about feelings based on everything from past experience to the weather on the day. Sometimes a simple thing like a warm breeze blowing on your face is enough to give the game away. I had chosen my spot, so it was time to get the tackle.
My intention was to floatfish, so I teamed a 13ft Acolyte rod with 3lb mainline, treated with washing-up liquid to help it sink and combat the ripple blowing in towards me. I’d start fishing just out from the marginal shelf, but should I need to push out further an adaptor would allow me to change float size without breaking the tackle down.
To start with a 4BB Drennan Glow Tip antenna, with its segmented tip, would be ideal for shy-biting roach. I wouldn’t
miss a bite, as the special material used to create this shone out like a beacon.
I suspected bites would start near the bottom, so I bulk-shotted at three-quarter depth with a couple of small droppers on the tail. This was made up of fine 3lb line to a size 18 barbless Carp Maggot hook. Why the heavy gauge? I suspected tench would be regularly crashing the party.
The final part of the puzzle was plumbing up – knowing what I am fishing over is a job I never ever rush. There were a couple of large clear areas to my right and low-lying weed in front, which I opted for. The light shot on the hook-length would see the bait resting on top of it, and I suspected there would be natural food here, rather than over a sandy bottom.
The weed would be packed with snails, and fish eggs from recent spawning activity. Preparation is never time wasted, but I was pleased to begin fishing at last.
I cast past my chosen spot, feathering the line to stop tangles, plunged the rod-tip underwater and reeled in a couple of turns to sink the line, then catapulted some maggots around the float. This was the ritual to repeat as necessary – and to good effect!
From the off every cast resulted in a bite. First it was small perch and roach, then, as the commotion increased, the bigger fish moved in for the free food.
Two consecutive bites came from tench intent on smashing me up. They weren’t big but they just wouldn’t give up, ploughing up and down the margin and making me worry that they might have pushed the roach away.
However, the very next fish d showed all the classic signs of a big roach, with a jagging sensation on the rod-tip. Unfortunately the hook sprang free.
Expletives deleted, I began to build the swim up again, starting with small fish and progressing on to roach of 1lb-plus.
This was wonderful pleasure fishing, but I couldn’t help but want a specimen.
Once more the Glow Tip’s light was extinguished as it was drawn beneath the surface by a roach keen to sample red maggots.
My strike indicated that I was connected once more to a big redfin, and I hoped the hook had found a better anchor. On balanced tackle a big roach can put up quite a scrap, and while this fish broke surface a couple of times it just wouldn’t give up, plunging down towards the weed in the hope of breaking free.
I should have enjoyed the fight far more than I did, but I felt relieved when a roach of 2lb 3oz lay safe in the landing net. What a lovely day, and I had ended up with a big fish after all – better still, I’d be home in time for tea.
It’s all too easy to miss great sport right under your nose – the grass isn’t always greener in the