FISHERY OF THE WEEK River Bain, Lincs
Venue where 1lb roach are common
THERE’S no doubt you’ll want to end your river campaign with a bang, and Lincolnshire’s River Bain is the place to make that dream come true.
Starting just east of Market
Rasen, it continues for more than 20 miles before joining the River Witham close to Tattershall Lakes.
The most prolific hotspot along the waterway is arguably at Horncastle, with countless personal best roach banked
every year from the zone.
Fish weighing over the
1lb mark are common, and there’s even a generous sprinkling of 2lb giants thrown in for good measure.
To make the prospect even more attractive, it won’t cost you a penny for the luxury of wetting a line, with free fishing on offer within and on the outskirts of the town.
Keep on moving
Drive over the river bridge and the waterway won’t look like a big-fish haven at first glance. It’s so narrow that you could almost step across it in parts, with a slow flow gliding downstream.
But those in the know are fully aware of the gems that linger beneath the surface and venue expert Phil Taylor has enjoyed dozens of memorable sessions on its banks.
He’s set to miss the grand finale due to travel restrictions preventing him from getting there, but he’s urged local Angling Times readers to make the most of what they have on their doorstep.
“It has amazing big-fish potential and if you use appropriate tactics, it’s likely that several 1lb-plus roach will come to the net every session.
“The big redfins always feed well at this time of year, but they rarely sit in the same spot. Instead they prefer to meander up and down the stretch.
“I always travel light, carrying just a float rod, a chair, a landing net and a bag of bits. I’ll spend 15 minutes in each swim at the most and if there are no signs of the fish, I’ll move a short distance and try again,” he said.
Apart from the weir and the occasional fallen tree, there are very few visible features, so it’s a matter of covering as much ground as possible.
Bank on big baits
Traditional silverfish baits such as maggots and casters will get you plenty of bites, but there’s every chance the hordes of smaller samples will constantly beat their bigger brothers and sisters to your hookbait.
In order to give you lots of confidence that a hefty roach is attached the moment the float dips, you need to rely on a decent-sized piece of breadflake on the hook.
Trot a light stick float through the swim, introducing small nuggets of liquidised bread every time you do. Stick a full loaf – with crusts included – through a blender at home and bring a handful of slices to the bank for hookbait.
You need to use a rig made up with 4lb mainline straight through to a size 12 or 14 hook – get that right and you’re in business.
A big river roach is at the top of many people’s angling bucket list, and a trip to the Bain could see you tick it off before the season ends.