RIVERS TO CATCH A NET OF ROACH
RIVER WELLAND, SPALDING, LINCS
The free town centre stretch can produce nets over 40lb. Use bread when it is clear and pinkie over groundbait in coloured conditions.
Contact: 01775 712206
OLD NENE, MARCH, CAMBS
Pegs close to the bridge at the end of North Drive are producing roach to 12oz. Hemp will pick out the better samples. Contact: 01354 660556
WARWICKSHIRE AVON, FLADBURY, WORCS
This Birmingham AA stretch produces double-figure roach nets to long pole tactics with hemp, pinkie and bread. Contact: 01562 882116
RIVER DON, SPROTBROUGH, S YORKS
A deep, slow stretch suiting pole or whip fishing to hand. Feed balls of groundbait and fish a 1g-2g float rig with a single maggot or caster hookbait. Contact: 01709 862558
GREAT OUSE, BROMHAM, BEDFORDSHIRE
Narrow, and with depths up to 5ft in normal conditions, the fish here respond well to maggots and casters in winter and pellets in summer due to the amount fed by barbel anglers.
Contact: 01234 852530
RIVER THAMES, MEDLEY, OXFORDSHIRE
An iconic stretch of the waterway that can produce 20lb nets under the right conditions. Include lots of of hemp in your groundbait, feeding a few balls at the start to help concentrate the shoals.
Contact: 01865 201020
RIVER THURNE, POTTER HEIGHAM, NORFOLK
There are plenty of roach mixed in with the skimmers, and either a small feeder or pole to hand will produce bites. Pack small balls of groundbait with loosefeed and introduce them regularly.
Contact: 01692 670825
RIVER MEDWAY, EAST PECKHAM, KENT
The stretch running through this village responds well to long pole tactics, with hemp and caster a good combination for sorting out double-figure catches.
Contact: 07494 670328
RIVER PARRETT, LANGPORT, SOMERSET
Big shoals of silverfish pack together close to Huish Bridge in winter, with roach to over 1lb on offer. Fish a 7m pole to hand, using an olivette and a couple of droppers on your rig.
Contact: 01935 476777
RIVER ANCHOLME, BRIGG, N ORTH LINCOLNSHIRE
Cake Mills is a brilliant winter venue, where breadpunch hookbaits alongside liquidised balls of feed will keep roach coming all day on the pole. Contact: 01724 855730