Fly fishing for roach

[Ian]

This will be something i shall try next summer.has anyone ever tried this

[Snape]

I haven't but I will be interested to find out more.

[Iasgair]

I'm very interested in how you do next summer, so keep us informed.

[Olly]

Would you use grayling type flies, nymphs, etc? Or as for dace - a small dry fly? There is a whole book written by Bill Howes on coarse fish on the fly in the "How to Catch" Them series.

I have had perch, pike, chub and dace in the past but not in recent years. On some 1st category waters in France where fly only is the norm - they fish for barbel on the fly!

[Banksy]

I suppose it's a bit infra dig, catching roach on a cork caster imitation on fly gear and "groundbaiting" using dark floating casters, but I've had some excellent days doing just that!
Going down the purist route, I have caught good roach on a Black Gnat and a Coch y Bonddhu , but found that the rudd were often quicker to hit the fly.

[Ian]

I'm very interested in how you do next summer, so keep us informed.

In between using the flies you tied for me of course iasgair.i am looking forward to seeing how they get on down the burn.

[Ian]

I was fishing the white loch the other day roach fishing and there was a big hatch of midge on the water,I mean millions.i was using red and white mags on the hook and it was the red maggot that got the interest,but after the hatch had finished they weren’t interested in anything.usually it’s the white maggot that gets more interest.i guess a black gnat,like banks mentions or a bloodworm pattern.

[Duebel]

I've had roach on nymphs by chance when fly fishing for trout.
I haven't caught enough though, to have any idea, what to do to catch them intentionally.
I've read a quite interesting German article somewhere about catching roach on the fly. I'll have a look, whether I can find it again. If your German isn't the best, I'm happy to summarise the article in English.

[Liphook]

I've not specifically targeted them Ian but have caught them in amongst brown trout on Windermere and the odd one when targeting rudd on local farm ponds. Griffiths gnat and knotted midge dries and tiny black spiders have been to their liking in my case but as you say bloodworm/buzzers should work in small sizes. Be interested to hear how you get on

[Nigel Rainton]

I have fished for roach with a fly many times. They are prepared to feed in warm weather when trout are not.

I use a size 14 buzzer on 2lbs bs tippet. They are not as fussy as trout and are good fun to catch. I dead drift the buzzer, takes are usually confident.