“I wouldn’t have landed it if I hadn’t tweaked my rig”
HUGH CHAPPELL – 2lb 9oz ROACH
“I’VE just caught a PB-equalling roach of 2lb 9oz from the Hampshire Avon, but I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have landed it if I hadn’t tweaked my rig. A couple of weeks ago I enjoyed what was the best roach fishing session of my entire life – where I landed four over 2lb to a best of 2lb 9oz.
I caught those fish using a combination of maggot feeder and trotting tactics, but as the swim was clear with plenty of playing room, I could get away with using a light hooklink of around 2lb breaking strain.
Fast forward to my latest session and I found myself looking for slack areas on the river, as extensive rainfall had caused the Avon to flood.
At around 6.30am I discovered a very tight swim next to an overhanging tree which had three floats tangled in its branches. This revealed two things – first, it was a good area to catch fish and second, not to bother using a float!
I decided to stick with a quivertip rod, but I did away with the light 2lb hooklink and opted for 4lb mainline straight through to a size 14 spade-end hook instead. I used three red maggots as hookbait.
I thought that if I hooked a big roach and it tried to snag me under the tree, I’d have strong enough gear to pull it away.
So, after squeezing into the swim, I cast my feeder under the tree and recast every 10 minutes or so to ensure a constant flow of bait kept the roach interested.
This worked, and by 11am I’d already caught a few fish to just over 1lb. At 11.15am I received another couple of taps on the tip and I put my hand on the rod butt, ready to strike.
When the tip eventually smashed round I lifted into it and straight away this big fish headed straight for the branches.
My reel was locked up so it was hit-and-hold stuff, but I had faith in my mainline and quickly steered the fish away and up to the surface.
I think only 30 seconds had passed from hooking it to seeing this huge roach resting in the bottom of my net.
It took me 50 years to catch just one 2lb roach, but in the last three weeks I’ve managed to catch five – including this one which weighed 2lb 9oz.
Had I stuck with the same rig and light hooklink I used a couple of weeks ago I really don’t think I’d have got roach away from those snags.”
“It took me 50 years to catch just one 2lb roach, but in the last three weeks I’ve caught five”