A roach that levels the current British Record has just hit the bank, after Dai Gribble landed a mind-blowing 4lb 4oz fish.
The two-time Drennan Cup winner had the fish from Brasenose 1 on Oxford’s Linear Fisheries complex, with maggot feeder tactics producing the goods. It tops a sensational run of redfins for Dai, who landed fish of 3lb 6oz and 3lb 5oz on the session prior.
“My aim was to catch a PB – I wasn’t targeting the four-pounder – but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hoping it might come along,” Dai told us.
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Dai had planned a trip to Scotland targeting grayling afterwards, but with heavy rain forecast he headed back to the Oxfordshire complex.
“That turned out to be a good decision!” Dai joked. “The swim I was in previously was occupied so I dropped into a different area where there’s a bar at range. This is the go-to spot, so I put two rods on it, whilst the other was positioned well away, out into the open.”
“I had a bite on the rod away from the bar and hooked what I thought right away was a big roach, judging by the characteristic ‘nods’ during the fight."
“When I saw a huge fish rise up just beyond the net, I was on edge. It shied away before I managed to draw it to safety. I was totally blown away by its size. Compared to the three-pounders, it was ridiculous."
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Standard heli-feeder rigs with three-inch Gardener target fluorocarbon hooklinks were his successful rig, but Dai did things slightly differently in terms of his feeding approach.
“I filled my block-end feeders three-quarters of the way with maggots, topping up with Black Roach groundbait and red Lava Rocks, both from the Sonubaits range. The rocks dissolve and produce a cloud, whilst the groundbait gives of plenty of smell, creating an attractive area of bait.”
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Usually, Dai would mark-up and keep the feeders going on the same spot, but he didn’t want to build a bed of bait. Instead, he cast to an area, with the feeders landing in slightly different spots each time.
“My thinking is that, if I make 10 casts a day and if they’re all in the exact same spot, I end up with a large bed of maggots on the bottom. As these big roach only feed for small windows, I want them to be focused on my feeder and hookbait when they are feeding.
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