Winter has arrived, and we’ve received the first hard frosts of the year. In my experience, this is a great time to target specimen stillwater roach. There are plenty of open access venues that offer fantastic fishing and the chance of a special redfin over the magic 2lb mark.
I don’t think there’s anything more thrilling in coarse angling than the sight of a big bar of silver coming over the net cord, so don’t let the cold weather put you off.
Don your woolly hat and thermals and get out there, because this is one the most productive spells for roach. Find a venue that holds them, follow my tips below and you may be holding one aloft for Christmas!
Trust in the heli
One of the best ways to catch big roach is with a maggot feeder on a helicopter set-up. It’s a very simple rig, but deadly too! I use a size 14 hook with two maggots, on a short fluorocarbon hooklink of around 4ins fished alongside a Drennan feeder bomb. White maggots are my favourite, and once temperatures drop, small fish will tend to leave them alone.
THE BEST FEEDER FISHING RODS CAN HELP YOU LAND THE ROACH OF A LIFETIME.
Add some flavour
Add aniseed liquid to your groundbait feed. It’s a fantastic roach attractant, but use it in moderation because it really stinks! In terms of the quantity of groundbait to use, I introduce small amounts at first, but if I start catching roach I’ll top it up regularly. Try to build the swim gradually to get the roach really competing for the freebies.
THERE ARE SOME GREAT GROUNDBAITS TO USE, OUR BUYER'S GUIDE HAS SOME OF THE BEST TO TRY!
Locate the right spots
Big roach love to feed on a firm lakebed, so spend time with a marker float trying to find gravel spots. Also watch the water, especially in the mornings and evenings. Big roach will often give their location away at these times of day by rolling on the surface. If you are fortunate enough to see one show, don’t hesitate to get your bait out there.
THE BEST FISHING BRAIDS HELP YOU IDENTIFY WHAT IS ON THE LAKEBED WITH MORE ACCURACY.
Time it right
If possible, try and fish into darkness. Specimen roach can have very short, limited feeding spells, and these often tend to be in the evenings when the light levels really start to plummet. The fish can switch on and off at the drop of a hat, and feeding spells may sometimes last for only an hour, so wrap up warm and try to stay as late as you can.
IF YOU NEED MORE ADVICE ON CATCHING SPECIMEN ROACH, READ THIS ARTICLE FOR EXTRA TIPS.
Fish waters with form
While it would be nice to catch a completely unknown big roach, if you want to have a realistic chance of a big fish then visit somewhere with history of producing specimens. There are some great stillwaters and rivers out there to try, big and small, quiet and busy, there is something to suit everyone. Check Facebook and Instagram accounts of fisheries you are thinking of visiting to find out if roach are present and if they are being caught, it can save a lot of time searching believe me.
IF YOU PLAN ON DOING NIGHT SESSIONS FOR ROACH, ONE OF THE BEST BEDCHAIRS IS ESSENTIAL.
