Roach Reflections

[DaceAce]

Nice one Mark hope you do make some videos on the Frome. I see a big roach came out last week of the season.

I've only had a quick dabble on the Frome the last two seasons and nary a bite. I shall have to try harder next season; not sure it's a good place to film though.

[DaceAce]

Very well done Mark; I have really enjoyed all your videos, and I look forward to more in due course. I wonder if you are concerned about seeing some of your favourite swims overrun by ‘fans’? It can take many years to find great swims.....

One or two swims have become rather too popular for my liking but there's a massive amount of water available and I like to try new areas so not too much of a problem I filmed in one swim that has promise and I decided not to create a video as I'd like to try it some more next season

[Troydog]

Thank you Mark. I have kept a fishing dairy for forty years on the Wye. I have sub Aqua dived may swims, mapped others, plumbed most. I usually nominate a favourite swim ‘discovery’ of the season. And swims change. This year I couldn’t catch any roach where I caught my 2:8 PB ten years ago, but I got a 3:5 perch instead.
I really admire what you do Mark, but I simply couldn’t ‘go public’ on some of these cherished swims. Very selfish I know....

[DaceAce]

Here's the latest Roach Reflections:

[Lea Dweller]

Well done Mark, this latest film will make me use the close season to best effect. Last close season (and the one before) I saw more Roach fry in my stretch of the Lea than I had seen in many previous seasons. Although I fished a few times during this last season, I did not catch many Roach of ANY size! It is encouraging to see so many fry, perhaps adult Roach numbers will improve as a result, I hope so!

[Troydog]

Thanks a lot Mark. Plenty to do on the river in the close season here. Because there was no winter league last season there is a fair bit of work to do the banks. There are trees and bushes to trim and long brambles, the sort that trip you over, to cut back. Ive got several new swims to explore before the new season. I’m also making some flat floats in heavier gram weights for the swims I want to roach float fish in heavier water..
All the best to you for now,
Tim

[ItchenRoach]

never tried flat floats ,what are there advantages and are they any good in deep water i would like to try something different next season .cheers ray

[Troydog]

Thank you Ray. It’s just that I have found quality roach feeding in high water flood swims, after January when the debris has cleared through. Flat floats allow you to hold back hard against the current, even fishing a ten gram float with 15 grams of weight. If the fish are there and feeding this is how I enjoy fishing.....

[DaceAce]

I've just put up my latest Roach Reflections video which is Part 30 - Looking Forward to Summer on the River:

[Troydog]

Thank you Mark. A month of the close season on rivers has gone already. The Wye is down to summer level since we haven’t had any rain since early March, algal bloom could soon be a problem on the water......