Ian Gregory was left gobsmacked when this roach of 3lb exactly took his 12mm pellet hookbait on a trip to the River Severn.
It’s the latest evidence of a roach revival on the river in recent years. Ian was targeting barbel at the time of the capture, using a running rig and a size 10 hook.
"I was barbel fishing using 12mm halibut pellets soaked heavily in Chorizo and Salmon oil from the Holy Mackerel Oils range," Ian told us.
“I’d landed one of 12lb 3oz from the same swim a few days earlier, so this roach was unfortunately a bycatch."
“However, I was in sheer amazement to see such a fish from the river,” he added.
“I was using a prototype Wychwood barbel rod, which the roach put a reasonable bend into. The fish gave a few plods before surfacing.”
"The fish was weighed twice as myself and my fishing partner for the trip, Dave Gittens, couldn't believe what the scales were showing."
"It was amazing to see a fish that big, you really can't comprehend how big they are until they are in your net!"
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