My PB Roach

[Rotrax]

Been away sailing since mid June, only been back home a few days. Had a great time and caught Bass, Mullet and a wonderful brightly coloured Cuckoo Wrasse. My worm farm has thrived while away, my pal Ivor, a good angler, fed and watered them for me.

I am blessed with an Urban chalk stream nearby, the River Ock, which runs through the town of Abingdon where it joins the Upper Thames. My parents lived alongside the Ock in a small retirement appartment and good fish, mostly Chub, could be seen from their lounge window.

Three days after a day of nonstop rain some ten years ago I took a 7 foot Milbro hollow glass spinning rod, Intrepid Elite loaded with 4 lb line and a tin of lobworms along to try the fishing.

The river was dirty, fast running but fining down nicely. I set up a two swan shot patenoster, size 10 spade end hook on the short link, and ran it close to the bank opposite where Mum and Dad lived - no fishing allowed from their side!

Two small Perch came along quite quickly followed by a decent Chub. I worked my way downstream to the head of the weir a hundred yards or so before the river met the Thames. I allowed the rig to be swept along in the flow, holding it back from time to time so it lifted in the current. No luck here, so I dropped into the weir tail, a very urban bit between concrete and brick banks.

The line trembled and stopped moving, then pulled strongly. A strike found me attatched to a strong fish which put a fair curve into the faithful Milbro.

After a short but spirited fight my PB roach came to the net a splendid, but old and past its prime, Roach of 2lbs 13 ozs.

Fished it every year since, September through March, never caught another decent Roach there. Plenty of Perch - good ones - and Chub, but no more Roach.

An odd Trout is caught in the Ock further upstream and I have seen bream rolling below the weir, but never caught either.

But I shall always remember that Roach!

[Liphook]

Welcome back to the fold Rotax I had been wondering if you had sailed away for the summer What a roach that was from a small stream!

[Rotrax]

Thanks Liphook.

I suspect it was really a Thames Roach - the Ock weir is impassable to most fish and I suspect it came from the Thames as food was being washed into it from the Ock - it moved from the Thames to nearer the source of food.

My best Roach by a pound.

That will do for me!