Big Roach Tactics

Got any tips for picking out the bigger roach in a shoal?

Replies:

1. Use a hemp or hemp based liquidised bread groundbait to attract the shoal.

Put a really meaty lob on the end. Present it free lined to the edge of the ground baited area.

Be prepared for a chunky perch to muscle in... keep him in the 'net or release well away.

If the middling roach get interested I feel you just have to fish them out, putting them in the 'net to draw in the larger fish.

2. If you are targetting bigger roach, baits for me to use would be...fresh caster, small sweetcorn (big uns love it), and meat, mind you, if other species are in the swim, watch out!

Float rod every time, brilliant to see that float sail away at speed, oh, and chuck some cooked hempseed in too and white crumb.

3.  I saw a carper catch a big one on scaled down tackle, with a mini-boilie.

4. I would use an open end feeder with a bread crumb groundbait. Fill the feeder with hemp and a few grains of corn. Fish a grain of sweetcorn on a size 16 and a short hooklength.

5. Ledgered bread flake for me. Not very high tech but I bet its caught more big Roach than any other method.

6. Casters are THE NUMBER ONE must have. In my opinion, this is just the right time of year to catch the bigger ones.

Quality roach just love casters. Fish the bait static and bait up with a pale caster up the shank of the hook and a darker one on the point.

I have a distinct feeling that they find the pale one and eat the dark one. Do it the other way round and you will find that you will miss bites.