Quite some day on the River
Luck is a 3lb 2oz roach! Fishing for big river roach, Dougal has more than one surprise
3lb River Roach is Second Biggest Surprise of the Day!!
I will never forget Friday 17th of February 2006.
My soon to be brother-in-law and good friend Roger had flown over from Virginia and we had arranged a rare day out fishing together. I told him of my recent obsession to catch a 2lb river roach. The River Kennet has been so kind to me this season, bearing immaculate red fins and a personal best of 1lb 7oz. Although I could see much bigger fish in the gin-clear river every time I visited, it became so obvious that the larger fish were laughing every time my hook went past; they had seen it all before. This is a swim fished by excellent anglers almost daily at this time of year, for the huge roach are clearly visible from a small bridge.
I decided that those roach were going to drive me crazy and I needed to clear my head of them for a while. So we planned to fish another special river. I’d heard on the grape vine that the hallowed River Test, that most famous and beautiful of all chalk streams, has been showing some fine roach form. So “To hell with the cost and journey time” we said. Next morning saw us pointing southwards in heavy traffic, slowly making our way from Cheltenham to Hampshire. On the way we discussed 3lb roach and how rare they are, I recounted Martin Bowler's recent articles and Terry Lampard's incredible Stour achievements. When we arrived we were buzzing with anticipation.
The River Test looked stunning, carrying a good tinge of colour. Overcast and mild, low and stable pressure, gentle south-westerly; perfect conditions. We walked a good length of river chatting to other anglers and the bailiff. Accounts of specimen roach were rife. "The river's fishing its nuts off" was the general consensus.
A mobile approach would provide more knowledge for the inevitable future visits so we travelled light, leaving the chairs in the car. I was using a new centrepin for the first time and was delighted as the first trot through saw my stick-float vanish at just that magical point where you expect it to. The first of many roach nearing the 1lb mark was netted. Almost every likely looking glide for a mile produced similar results. Feeding a pinch of red maggots, followed by a single maggot on a size 20 hook, slowed drastically by thumbing my new centrepin made roach fishing seem easy for once. Some cracking grayling and trout would occasionally grab the bait on the drop- indicating a good time to move swims.
Like all great red letter days- dusk was approaching unnaturally quickly. I returned to a swim I had really fallen for earlier in the day- a sharp bend with a vivid crease and a fallen branch snag just upstream- the perfect long trot as the float clung to the edge of the crease. I dripped maggots onto the snag for ten minutes whilst having a final cup of tea. Whilst waiting for the kettle to boil a big fish rolled on the surface. I downed a hot coffee and could wait no longer. Second cast I watched the float bury at the end of a twenty-yard trot and connected with what at first I thought was a surely a trout, then I thought it had to be a bream bream? A common carp perhaps. Then "No, surely not, it's too big" as it swirled dramatically on the surface. It was- the largest roach I have ever seen. I could barely control my arms, netting that fish seemed to take on a weird slow motion. Thoughts of 'hybrid' went through my mind, but no- it was OK. It was amazing. It was huge. On my first visit and in just a few hours I had hooked one of the greatest fish in the Test. Roger was suddenly present to help weigh and photograph the leviathan and his calm actions and photography skills I am so grateful for- I was suddenly like bumbling drunk, momentarily unable to stand up. I must take this opportunity to thank the mystery angler on his way home, who's top quality scales fully confirmed 3lb 2oz 0dr.
I couldn't fish after that. It took me ages to pack-up as my head lolled from side to side. The long drive home flew by and I was looking forward to informing a few people of my new PB. I thought my day could not have got any better than that. How wrong could I be? My girlfriend sat me down and before I could recount my tales she calmly said "Dougal- I'm pregnant, your going to be a Dad!". One of the happiest days of my life, one I shall never ever forget.