The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Many Wye roach fishers wait until the Autumn rains before targeting the redfins. However the fact remains that the fish are there all year round so there is no need to wait until September. The truth is that when the river is low (40cms) and clear you have to work hard to find your shoal. But when you do, the sport can be amazing. I've hit the August roach jackpot, according to my fishing diary, in about one season in six. Now these are big fish that obviously don't read the books because they will feed in broad daylight; the other point is that when you find a shoal like this they will often stay in situ for two or three weeks.

What areas/day tickets are worth trying for roach?

Well the roach pop up in different places during successive seasons. I've had some great sport at Wilton Bridge on a Ross day ticket and also further downstream by the Saracens Head at Symonds Yat. Hereford club water is always worth a try, the town stretch, ferry meadow and even above the Pump house some years. Bartonsham can fish well for roach but it hasn't done much these last two seasons. I've tried Letton water but only had small roach there although that means the bigger ones are there somewhere.
I hope that this is helpful - let me know if I can suggest more.

Troydog wrote: ↑Sat Aug 12, 2017 3:08 pm Well the roach pop up in different places during successive seasons. I've had some great sport at Wilton Bridge on a Ross day ticket and also further downstream by the Saracens Head at Symonds Yat. Hereford club water is always worth a try, the town stretch, ferry meadow and even above the Pump house some years. Bartonsham can fish well for roach but it hasn't done much these last two seasons. I've tried Letton water but only had small roach there although that means the bigger ones are there somewhere.
I hope that this is helpful - let me know if I can suggest more.

Thank you for that information.
I belong to Worcester AS, we have water at Bishopwood, although I've never targeted roach with bread, I have done lots of trotting for barbel and chub with maggot and hemp over the past 3 seasons and I am yet to hook a roach, so I assume they are not on this stretch!

I only fished for the roach on the Wye once; I was taken to Wilton Bridge by a local chap when they were on the go. It was a frost all day day. I fished it like I would the Hants Avon, with flake and mash (but a fair bit deeper) and had a lovely morning on the float picking up goers to a pound or more. How big have you managed them off the Wye Troydog?

Yes I think that big roach need a more focused approach. I remember targeting several swims in 2016 that have produced over the years. One
evening I had 6 chublets and 7 barbelettes in the first hour with no fish over 8 ounces. When its like that you have to start thinking of a different approach. I've had a few 2lb roach in the forty odd years I've been here (max 30) with the best at 2lb 8oz. Most of the two's have been low two's however and nothing like Mark Everard who has apparently had more than 1000 2lb roach on the Hampshire and Bristol Avon plus other locations as well!

Troydog, did you know Lionel Burrows by any chance?

Hi Tengisgol - I knew 'Joe' Burrows who may have really been a Lionel. 'Joe' was on the committee of H&DAA for years. I only ever fished one match in my life and Joe knew the lake venue and told me exactly what I had to do to win. So I followed his instructions and did win! That was thirty years ago.

Hi Paul F - yes I wouldn't put money on the roach not being in your stretch. The times these amazing fish are actually there and not being caught or not feeding. I was fishing a swim that screamed roach for two or three seasons. I caught everything but roach. Then one day the wind caught my line and took it behind the drum of my Seldex pin. I held the rod up in the air to be able to see the line against the sky and free it. Whilst doing this the float veered off at right angles to the stream for a couple of yards . When I reeled in I was amazed to find a 1:14 redfin on the end. And this sort of thing has happened in similar circumstances too many times to be a coincidence.

So I fished on for another three hours 'knowing' there were more roach around, but of course, no more roach came to the net. Roach are an enigma!

I've fished the Wye many times with maggots, bread and corn and have yet to catch a roach. I know that a few came out on the Red Lion stretch a few years ago but never to my rod. I'm pretty certain that most of them live farther downstream nowadays and, of course, they congregate around the towns in the winter.