John Bailey's Roach Obsession Diary

[Molehill]

Some good news today here in Wales to combat agricultural pollution, we have an appalling record, new regulations coming in. The farmers (mainly dairy) have had years of threats to clean up their act, they are not so happy now. Hope it is enforced.
BBC News - New Wales farming pollution rules 'compel industry to change'

New Wales farming pollution rules 'compel industry to change'

Farmers' unions say Welsh Government regulations are "draconian" but wildlife groups welcome them.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[no-one in particular]

That is good news, not before time, I hope the English Government follow. Is this because we are out of the EU? I only ask because it has has been said we would become lax on this sort of thing and this belies that if that is the case..

 

[peterjg]

Yes, well done the Welsh Government, England should follow. Apparently there are 270 tonnes of fertiliser going through the river Kennet system every year.

 

[Molehill]

This has been ongoing for years with pressure from angling clubs and wildlife trusts, there has been blatant polluting time after time. Followed by threats and more threats of action, suddenly someone has had the balls to sign a piece of paper and say enough is enough.

 

[bullet]

I may have read the article incorrectly, but I couldn't find what exactly is going to be done and how that will be carried out.

 

[John Bailey]

Roach Obsession Diary. 5.00pm 28/1/2021

Wow, all, how this one runs! Illness struck again, and today I have watched the rain tipple down from the shelter of the cottage. So for that reason all your comments mean even more to me.

First, I am/have been an RSPB member largely these days as the Standing Order always eludes cancellation. It was useful to me in my birding days, and it is useful now to see how the organisation thinks and works.

Second, congrats to Mr Wintle on a 1.04, which these days is the equal of a 2.08 forty years ago. I find it just so reassuring that I am not the only roach freak out there. I also find it wonderful one or two of you have said that for me to catch a whopper would be a nice ending to all this. I estimate I am in the cottage on the Wensum for another 2 to 3 weeks so time is still on my side. To a degree! Health dependent!

Third, I am as sure as I can be that the cormorant influx these last 25 years are birds from far off. In my personal view that makes them non-indigenous... of course... with a complex story. Why have they decided to come here, for instance? What is the attitude to cormorants in Slovenia or Hungary, say? I have to say that I have looked long and hard at the role of cormorants in the demise of river roach, and even weighing up all adverse arguments, I still feel they are central to the problem. I could write a small book on my experiences but believe me, I have seen so many cormorants eat so many roach that I know where I stand on this.

Fourth, I like the way we beat about the bush when it comes to “the celebrity” who is such a thorn in the side of right thinkers. I have a story about him which shows him in his true colours... if we decide to name him, that is.

Fifth, we still seem no nearer thinking of how we get more roach in our rivers, and how we look after them! As I have hinted, I am part of a team that is working on a plan that might at least offer some sign of a part-solution. I can only reveal all when the time is right, and when I am allowed.

 

[liphook]

I refer to him as CP (although I have far stronger expressions for use in private) as I know his machine are looking across all media for any form of kindling to stoke their fire. I'd like to hear that story JB! PM me if you prefer? I'm no more a birder than I am a roach expert - I'm a died in the wool all-rounder as an angler and countryman, I also happen to make a living as ghillie/ gamekeeper/stalker - but a bit like with whole the EU debate my fellings are that in many ways you need to have a stake in these organisations to voice the alternative opinion and create that ballance I keep harping on about!

 

[no-one in particular]

I didn't refer to him by name because I wasn't sure if the story was true, just something my mate told me. I like bird watching in a casual way and I like all things countryside as well. Chris Packham is a very knowledgeable chap and a good presenter. But when he gets onto his crusading he is not interested in any other view and has too much influence on these things that are twisted to suit their designs.

 

[Molehill]

I am with Liphook regards CP and slightly wary of naming on other people's forums, having seen how quickly "they" can react on other forums. I would also describe myself as an all rounder in the lifetime hunting/shooting/fishing mold and worked much of my life in fisheries and other country jobs, forestry and around shooting many years. Can't deny I would like to hear the story of CP, convinced there is a darker side behind that mask.
I have always seen CP as on a personal moral crusade where his beliefs are the only correct beliefs and alternatives are wrong, no compromise, no thought. I think it takes time physically working and managing our countryside to have an understanding of the complexity of striking a balance to provide the best for all species including us humans that exploit the land. This is something few armchair conservationists appreciate.
I am convinced one of our big problems in conservation are specialist groups, they tend to attract the fanatic (and people become fanatic) and then see and have zero knowledge of anything else. Birds, badgers, hedgehogs, bats, fish species etc. Everyone fights their corner and gives no quarter to others - they don't even understand others nor want to.
Apologies for ramble, I love roach by the way but has taken me near 60 years to appreciate them properly, can't catch the damn things though!

 

[no-one in particular]

Nicely put Molehill, I am not a countryman but that is where I am more or less. Including the bit about humans are as much part of the landscape as well, why do we put ourselves at the back of the queue all the time?
I don't think we should force things on the natural world where it is unnecessary but I do question if stocking fish where they are not natural is doing the same thing! Am I or anglers not being hypercritical?

 

[John Bailey]

Roach Obsession Diary. 6.00pm 29/1/2021

That has to be me! I’m really on the point of throwing in this particular towel. Yes, I’ve not been well of late. Yes, there have been frosts and floods, and grovellingly low daytime temperatures, but even I have to say enough. What’s that five, perhaps six, bites in as many weeks?

I’ve still got a couple of weeks before my move West, but I just have to swap horses and go for another stretch. Those of you familiar with the Wensum, and rivers like it, will know they are divided into entirely separate beats by their mills. Each section might be four or five miles long and, fascinatingly, quite different to even adjoining stretches in every way. They might look different, fish differently, and have quite differing fish stocks.

You can speculate about this as much as you like, but no easy answer has ever presented itself to me. The fact is that I am on a stretch that was hard fifty years ago, and has become rock-hard and beyond as the decades have progressed. I have no doubt occasional roach could be present along these four miles, and a handful of these could be colossal, but how long can you throw your all at a challenge before pulling out?

I’m not proud of any of this. I’d have loved to have gone out with proof that the Old Lady River still has a monster in her. The next sessions I suspect roach will come along - levels permitting - but they will not be jaw-droppers. It’s just I yearn for a pounder after all this. A Mark Wintle 1.04 at this moment, after another drab afternoon, would do me fine.

So, ROD (!!) will continue, but perhaps with a fish to show for it, perhaps even from the Bure. And who knows, if I do get a few, I might even risk a last few head-banging sessions on the Farm stretch to round things off.

And those differences in the stretches that are so marked? I guess I do have a few ideas to be honest... any thoughts from you lot, and we’ll compare notes.

 

[xenon]

Roach Obsession Diary. 6.00pm 29/1/2021

That has to be me! I’m really on the point of throwing in this particular towel. Yes, I’ve not been well of late. Yes, there have been frosts and floods, and grovellingly low daytime temperatures, but even I have to say enough. What’s that five, perhaps six, bites in as many weeks?

I’ve still got a couple of weeks before my move West, but I just have to swap horses and go for another stretch. Those of you familiar with the Wensum, and rivers like it, will know they are divided into entirely separate beats by their mills. Each section might be four or five miles long and, fascinatingly, quite different to even adjoining stretches in every way. They might look different, fish differently, and have quite differing fish stocks.

You can speculate about this as much as you like, but no easy answer has ever presented itself to me. The fact is that I am on a stretch that was hard fifty years ago, and has become rock-hard and beyond as the decades have progressed. I have no doubt occasional roach could be present along these four miles, and a handful of these could be colossal, but how long can you throw your all at a challenge before pulling out?

I’m not proud of any of this. I’d have loved to have gone out with proof that the Old Lady River still has a monster in her. The next sessions I suspect roach will come along - levels permitting - but they will not be jaw-droppers. It’s just I yearn for a pounder after all this. A Mark Wintle 1.04 at this moment, after another drab afternoon, would do me fine.

So, ROD (!!) will continue, but perhaps with a fish to show for it, perhaps even from the Bure. And who knows, if I do get a few, I might even risk a last few head-banging sessions on the Farm stretch to round things off.

And those differences in the stretches that are so marked? I guess I do have a few ideas to be honest... any thoughts from you lot, and we’ll compare notes.

Always a tough call, knowing when to knock a stretch on the head. It becomes a bit like waiting for a bus that never shows up-the feeling that having invested some much time for so little reward can lead you to sticking it out beyond reason. For myself this season my regular haunt of a bit of the Colne above Staines has been rock hard-previously I could be sure of at least one decent chub most sessions. I am beginning to wonder if poachers have cleared it out?

 

[Mark Wintle]

Another one from Wednesday's session, to boost John's morale; a still from video and a roach of 12oz. Fat chance of much in the next few days, the river is over the banks and 3" of rain forecast over the weekend.

 

[chevin4]

I concur with most of the comments on here regarding the decline of big river Roach. I have fished the upper Gt Ouse on and off for 50 years when I say "upper" I am referring to the stretch of river between Buckingham and Stony Stratford. Certainly back in the sixties the river was capable of producing 2lb plus fish and Claydon Brook was said to contain 3lb plus fish. I recall fishing a small weir approx 3miles upstream of Richard Walkers fishery at Beachampton. It was a warm afternoon and I took a walk downstream. In the margins was an old keepnet which I first thought had been abandoned or had washed down in the floods. Out of curiosity I pulled the net up and was surprised to see it was full of prime roach all between 1lb and 1lb 8oz. An angler turned up and said that down by the bridge his friend had another net full of fish which were bigger how much bigger I never found out. Up until 1975 that stretch of river regularly produced quality fish whilst 2lb fish were rare on a good day it was possible to catch a dozen fish between 1lb and 1lb 12oz. In the summer of 75 the old manual gates on the Weir were replaced by an automatic sluice and for a number of years this affected the fishing the river was either a raging torrent in winter or very low in summer. Whilst in the early days there would be lush weed beds present these disappeared a few years after the automatic gates were installed. The fishery recovered in the mid eighties and it was during this period that I caught my PB Roach of 2lb 5oz. Everything changed from circa 1992 when crayfish started to appear in huge numbers the big roach disappeared my friends who fish further downstream in the Wolverton area were also experiencing the same dearth of quality roach. Peter Frost almost gave up his syndicate stretch on the Brook as the big roach had disappeared he was struggling for members but everything changed when the big perch started to show and as they say the rest is history. Although i have no scientific experience in these matters another factor which probably led to the decline in the big roach fishing was water quality. Back in the sixties the water was gin clear in summer it was like looking into an aquarium from the eighties onwards the water is coloured throughout the season. I remember when Buckingham was just a small town little more than a village its rapid growth seems to have coinceded with a lack of water clarity. I certainly have empathy with those who find it difficult to move on from a stretch of river or river. I realise I probably spent too long fishing that stretch of river particular in the lean years. I think I did this for nostalgic reasons and the fact the fishery is based in a beautiful part of N Buckingham. Realistically will the big roach to this part of the Upper Ouse in my lifetime my heart says certainly but my heart says know. Sadly in 2018 there was a chemical spillage near the source and the main river from Brackley through to Mk has been seriously affected. In fairness I believe the EA have commenced a re stocking programme but to the best of my knowledge these have been chiefly chub.

 

[peterjg]

Another similar report to the one above. In the 70s and early 80s the river Colne around Denham and Uxbridge was excellent for roach and chub with the odd barbel. The last time I visited the Colne at Denham it was in a very sorry state with low water, no flow and partially grown over. Heart breaking. In about 2007 I found a nice looking section of the Colne near West Drayton which I fished hard, caught a few roach (nothing special), chub, one barbel and one carp. I eventually gave up though many years previously it had produced roach to 3lbs 3ozs.

Since 2013 I have been fishing the Kennet having never fished it before. It's hard but the quiet and it's beauty make up for it. There are still some (very few) big roach there but according to the old hands the fishing has deteriorated greatly - fortunately for me as a newcomer I only know it as it is now.

 

[John Bailey]

Roach Obsession Diary. 5.00pm 30/1/2021

Am I quite insane? 3 degrees. A miserable, cutting wind from the North East. The river yet again over its banks. BUT, of course, I was on a different stretch where a roach might just be found, and I did have some maggots too. How could I not give it an hour?

First cast, along a slack beneath a bush, the float hesitated and dipped. I all but ignored it. A bite? No way. It was. The next twenty trots through and the float never deviated. Bummer. After weeks of blanks I suppose I could be forgiven for not striking.

The second swim called. A big, slow moving slack demanding a tricky flick under overhanging trees. Once again, first cast, the float disappeared and by all the roach gods, there was a fish on the end. Three ounces? Four? A bit washed out after weeks of coffee flood water. But who cares.... if you are roach-obsessed. Enoka is summoned from the car. Protests that this is not a biggie are quashed, and a photograph is taken.

A roach to have excited the pants off me aged eight, and still does sixty years on. Roach Obsession in practice!

 

[John Bailey]

Roach Obsession Diary. 6.00pm 1/2/2021

Last night Enoka got in from the Bure in a state close to hypothermia. That nightmare North-easterly wind was blowing right off the nearby coast. Miserable wind-chill but even worse, a kiss of death to our chances. Not a bite. Not a bite for our host, Mark either.

The cold made my illness worse and today has been one of lying low. Shame, because the evening was a wonderful, calm harbinger of Spring.

Still, a certain Paul Whitehouse sent me the photo of a huge roach caught over the weekend by a certain river keeper on a certain Southern chalk stream. It’s not my catch or picture, so I can’t pass it on without permission, but I might be able to rectify that this week. The interesting aspect is that, like so many big fish, it bears the scars of its long, hazardous life. In fact, thinking back over hundreds of big roach seen, I have trouble remembering one that was absolutely pristine.

In my early days, many (if not most) of the East Anglian roach over two pounds bore wounds incurred during the columnaris outbreak of the late 1960s. This virus killed a large percentage of roach, but there were survivors, fish that probably benefited from the lack of competition that resulted. Some of the damage was severe. Fins missing. Deep, still-weeping sores. Chunks of flesh simply missing. What incredible warriors these were.

Today, of course, wounds on big roach are more mundane. Otter claws. Pike slashes. Cormorant stabs. Herons? Keepnet damage? There’s a lot that can go wrong in the life of a 12 or 15 year old roach, so no wonder we protect them and love them like we do.

A lovely roach, but notice the damage done to the bottom lip... nothing to do with us I stress!

A typical two, showing a few scrapes from a battling past

 

[Crystal Bend]

Some Irish Roach & Dace I caught in 2012.

 

[Crystal Bend]

 

[John Bailey]

Roach Obsession Diary. 6.30 pm 5/2/2021

Sorry for my silence of late. So many reasons. Working on two major roach pieces for FM. Moving river. Still not back to my best.

Apologies done with, Robbie and I met up on the Bure this afternoon to fish the stretch I had been baiting for six days. We’d looked at the forecast, and knew we had 36 hours or less before a temperature collapse.

I’m not going to spoil Robbie Northman’s thunder - he caught the fish and it will feature on his social media, but I can reveal we caught this chub of 7.10, witnessed by Enoka, who had done a good bit of the baiting on my down days.

Then, almost as excitingly, both of us missed pulls that had, just HAD to have been from roach. If I’m well, tomorrow I might just squeeze in a float session before the snow comes.

Bloody hell. Zipping around with a song in my heart. How old am I, I wonder??? On a top day like this, it might be 1971 all over again!

Much more from me to come!

Robbie Northman and Enoka