Roach fishing - August 2016

A nice Sussex Stillwater fish

Roach are amazing fish. Beautiful creatures with their bright red fins and silver scales. Probably one of the first species I ever caught and as such, I view them with some sentimentality. On another note, I have caught very few large ones in my time. A 2lb+ Roach from running water has got to be the holy grail. Well....it is in the roach fishing world anyway!

With so many species and styles of angling that I try to squeeze in every season (it's tough being an all-rounder!), I always try to find a little time for my beloved roach. There are some very fine specimens to be found in some of the tidal stretches of my Sussex rivers. I just haven't done very well for them as yet...but it's always a nice challenge to come back to at any point in time. They are notoriously tricky fish to catch...when they get big.

Tidal Sussex Ouse Roach

I've had a couple of sessions just recently after hooking up with a roach mad friend of mine, Dave. It's always worth a crack and takes me to some waters i don't normally frequent. Which is nice! I love the variety of all-round angling, it keeps things interesting.

We have recently fished a large stillwater venue and my tidal Sussex Ouse. I always favour good old fashioned bread or small 8mm hooker pellets. Roach seem to love them both! Pleasant surroundings, good mates, tranquil environments and a few fish thrown in for good measure. It's been really lovely with some nice plump fish. However, the hunt for a true giant continues...........watch this space!

Another nice, plump Tidal Sussex Ouse Roach