As the leaves begin falling from the trees, it is now the perfect time to turn your attention to the rivers as the big roach start to feed. With the weather cooling, the weed will begin to die back allowing you to present a float perfectly down the river and intercept some of these superb fish.
The Hampshire Avon rewarded two-time Drennan Cup winner Simon Daley with a fine brace of its famous roach last week. He trotted red maggots on the middle reaches of the southern river to take fish weighing 2lb 10oz and 2lb 5oz from a fairly fast-running, shallow area.
Simon used 4lb mainline, a 3lb hooklink and a size 12 hook carrying three maggots. Interestingly, the swim he had the fish from is one he’s fished many times this season, and although he’d caught a few small roach from it previously, after catching the two big ones, he’s managed nothing there since other than minnows and rogue chub.
THE BEST FLOAT RODS WILL HELP YOU CONTROL A STICK FLOAT FAR BETTER TO FOOL WARY ROACH.
