Loch Tay roach

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keith reid

Guest
I am hearing rumours that roach as a species is being freaquently encountered in Loch Tay. These fish must either have moved up the river (they used to be plentiful in the tidal section) or be the offsprings of livebaits dumped in the loch. As I now live in Plymouth , I can't go and fish myself to find out, but I'd be very interested to hear from anyone who was in the know! I'm in no way condoning the introduction of a non - indigeonous species (sorry ,can't spell!) but if they are there and are now a "fait accompli" then we may as well make the most of their presence as a target species.
 
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Rob Brownfield

Guest
Keith, this does not supprise me in the least. As you are aware, the huge shoals of Roach that used to frequent Perth harbout are all but gone, but I know for a fact that Roach have been caught much further up the Tay at Stanley and higher. Many of the Lochs connected to the Tay have roach, such as Marlee and Cluney. I suspect the Roach in Loch Tay are very much more than just a rumour but the problem will be, "Where do u fish for them"! As u are aware, it is a vast water, and to locate a shol of Roach in there would be a difficult task, although I fancy it myself! ? pound Roach, and no chance of a hybrid!! :eek:)
 
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John McLaren

Guest
I am interested in this from a different angle. It is over 30 years since I visited Perth and watched a guy catch enormous roach after enormous roach from a swim in the park called the Inch (I think). I am going back there this year and hoped to have a go for the roach - am I completely out of luck, or do some shoals still exist in the River Tay above Perth? Anyone know?
 
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Rob Brownfield

Guest
John, good and bad news for u I am afraid. First the bad. The pond u refer too, the Inch, is now devoid of fish. There were big floods in Perth a couple of years back and the Inch was all but under 10 feet of flood water. I believe all the Roach were swept away.
The Roach that used to gather in Perth harbour every winter are gone, because the grain boats no longer unload there, so the Roach do not have a free meal, however, and now for the good news, the Roach are still in the Tay, but further upstrem. I have caught them around Stanely in the winter when after Grayling. They are hard to find, but they are there. Also, I have been told the grain boats are comming back!!!! Yipppeee....

My best bag of Roach from the Tay was 106 pounds in 4 hours, with not a single fish under 2 pounds. My biggest was 3 pounds 4 oz...but I have seen MUCH bigger!!
 
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John McLaren

Guest
Rob, thanks very much for that information, you may have saved me wasted effort - I'll see what further upstream can do! Actually the roach I saw were from the river as it runs alongside the Inch. I did have a go for them but my inexperienced efforts produced only small trout (they were nearly as voracious as minnows).
 
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Rob Brownfield

Guest
John. I know where u mean now. They would have been the fish heading for the harbour. No longer there I am afraid :eek:(

If u want BIG roach, try Loch Marlee (Kinloch) just outside Blairgowrie (15 mins from Perth) There are big sholas in there well into the 2 pound mark. Feeder at about 60 yeards produces (A bit like Loch Ken)
 
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