Improve Your Coarse Fishing (UK)
Phil Taylor
Catch roach from rising rivers
River anglers have had good reason to be frustrated in recent months. Torrential downpours and heavy floods have left a large number of waterways way above normal levels and unfishable for sustained periods.
When a window of opportunity finally arises, only a handful of species are a viable target, with bream, barbel and perch among them.
Angling for big silverfish is often seen as a waste of time. The finesse tactics associated with them are rendered useless in the fast currents and high water levels.
Skilled specimen angler Phil Taylor reckons adaptation not defeatism is required and has proven on countless occasions that big roach will be on the hunt for food in coloured rivers.
“roach are often completely forgotten about when the conditions take a turn for the worse but they’re still worth targeting,” said the Lincolnshire angler.
“There’s no hiding from the fact they are trickier to catch but by paying attention to your overall approach and making a number of changes you’ll be back in the driving seat.”
Abandon the float
Stick float or waggler tactics are usually favoured for running water roach sport but the ultra- fast pace of the river following a deluge of rain rules them out. it is the sensitivity that makes the pair so effective and Phil leans on another approach that still ensures those subtle bites are never missed.
“A traditional feeder approach is unlikely to enable you to see every bite. Big roach are often old fish that have grown cautious and if they sense the rig after picking up the hookbait, they’ll drop it instantly.
“in order to fool them, i use a link leger that they struggle to detect.
“This involves pinching several swan shot on
to a length of line that is tied to your mainline. I use just enough shot to hold bottom and the link itself is 6in long.
“Whenever a fish picks up the bait the shot remains on the deck and the first resistance they will feel is the rod tip. By that point I’ve seen the bite, struck and set the hook.”
The rest of Phil’s rig comprises 5lb Drennan Double Strength mainline and a size 12 Kamasan B983 hook.
Hide and seek
Your local river may look swollen and heavily coloured upon first glance but the fish have got to hold up somewhere.
They’re unlikely to feel confident sitting in the strongest part of the flow as they would have to use huge amounts of energy to stay put.
Instead, they’re going to seek out cover and if you look closely, you’ll soon notice spots that could be the perfect place to ambush.
“There’s always going to be slacks where the flow is less forceful and this is where the fish are going to hide. Look for these close to the bankside or any vegetation that could slow down the fast- flowing water,” said Phil.
Cast your link leger to your preferred spot and see how it responds. If the tip is continuously bouncing – even with a decent amount of weight on the link – it is a sign that you are unable to hold bottom and the search for a suitable swim must continue.
Once you’ve found the ideal area, the rod tip will remain pretty much motionless until a big roach gets in on the action.
Standout bait
The bait bill for big roach in coloured rivers is extremely cheap. In fact, for less than a fiver you can sort yourself out with both hookbait and loosefeed.
“Bread is my number one bait. I liquidise two loaves – crusts included – before I get to the bank and use a third for hookbaits.
“I want to give the fish the best chance possible of seeing it in the murky water so I use a hookbait the size of a 20p coin.
“That may seem too big to some anglers but I want to pick out the better stamp roach and this helps do just that.”
Phil feeds a table tennis ball- sized ball of liquidised bread every 10- 15 minutes, dropping it directly in front of him. The bait is then washed downstream to where his hookbait is sat.
The only other bait is half a bag of Dynamite Baits Pure Crushed Hempseed that is added to the liquidised loaves. Roach adore the stuff and the extra weight helps to keep the loosefeed in the swim for longer.
Bain beauties
After several weeks of persistent rain, Phil’s favourite stretch of the River Bain to the south of Horncastle was hardly in ideal shape.
The levels were high, the water chocolate brown and the pace was pretty fast, but Phil quickly scoured the water looking for the slacks that he knew would give him a chance.
A swim was soon found and two rods were cast out – one down the inside edge and the other towards a far bank snag.
The rods were positioned on a 45° angle to keep as much line off the water as possible to boost presentation. Action wasn’t instant but the show did commence within the hour with a 12oz redfin the first to oblige. It was a matter of having to be patient but whenever the tip twitched there was a quality fish attached to the other end and he soon banked four fish over 1lb with several others just under.
“I would have caught more in better conditions but this just goes to show roach remain a worthwhile target in coloured conditions,” said Phil.