The “”Roach Fish-In”” organised through the FISHINGmagic Forum took place at Sway Lake on the edge of the New Forest, Hants on Monday 30 April and Tuesday 1st May.
Targeting the big roach known to be in the lake, myself and five other FISHINGmagic members turned up to see if we could put one or two on the bank. We certainly did that and then some. This turned out, for me personally, to be a memorable coupleof days with Paul Williams taking two special fish as well. Rik Belenger and Mark Tullet each chipped in with a specimen sized fish apiece.
A special picture-feature giving the full account of the two dayswill go online in FM in the next few days, but for now here is asynopsis of the fish caught and the other highlights.
Monday 30th April
The weather was dry with intermittent sun and overcast cloudcover. The fish fed throughout the day, being picked up between10:15 am and into early evening. Most of us were fishing waggler andmaggot. Personally I was using double maggot, a red and bronze, on asize 18 hook, loose feeding maggot over the top with the occasionalpouch or two of hemp.
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I was the lucky one in the right place I guess and five big roachcame to my rod weighing 1lb 8oz, 1lb 11oz, 1lb 12oz, 1lb 15½ oz,and a cracking 2lb 11oz fish. Paul Williams caught a superb fish ofexactly 2lb.
The others, Rik Belenger, Goose Ganderton and Pete Webber, werecatching fish up to the pound mark but unfortunately didn’t connectwith one of the clonkers. Rik also had a good tench and Paul an eelof 2lb plus that prompted him to put a small deadbait out in searchof a bigger one.
Following a superb Balti curry supplied by Paul Williams andseveral bottles of red wine, we set up for the night on mini boilies. Mark Tullet joined us later that evening for the overnight session. The carp anglers had told us that the roach were regularly takingboilies intended for carp, but only a couple of dropped runs occurredwith no fish taken overnight.
Tuesday 1st May
The day started wet and frankly got worse! The fish caught werefewer than on Monday, but of equal quality.
Back on the waggler, Paul Williams started the day with a 2lb 1 ozroach just after 6am. Not long after I landed another ‘two’ at 2lb1½ oz and followed it later with one of 2lb 1oz. Rik Belengerand Mark Tullett finally connected with big ones of 1lb 14oz and 1lb9oz respectively. Paul Williams lost another good roach at the netand also dropped an eel from his deadbait rod that was certainly agood four if not a five pounder. I finished the day with a rudd of1lb 6oz to cap a memorable session.
Although I hope not, it will probably be a long time before I havea catch like this again, finishing with seven roach over 1½lbwith three of them over 2lb, best at 2lb 11oz. Paul should also bemighty proud of his brace of ‘two’s’. In all, a memorable couple ofdays.
