The Old Story of Roach Part 1

One of our FaceBook founding group members Andrew Millar sent this beautiful intriguing story of the ‘old fashioned’ Roach…. I will let Andrew continue …… 

“So, today, I travelled back in time approx. 50 yrs. I have for some time been toying with a memory that had never really gone away but equally one that I had not really exploited. I have oft spoken before of my preference for what I call ‘school-boy fishing’. I like nothing better than standing by a brook or stream float fishing for Roach, Dace or Gudgeon etc.

Well, one day as an early teenager I spent a morning fishing a weir in the town centre. The usual scattering of 3” Roach, Perch and Chublets bashed my two maggots to shreds to the point of boredom.

An old gentleman, on his morning stroll, stopped for a pleasant word and the inevitable ‘secret method’ to take ‘big Roach’. He went on to explain how Silk Weed from the steps of the weir was a great bait for Roach (which become increasingly vegetarian as they grow bigger/older). He told me just how to go about that style of fishing then after wishing me ‘good luck’ went on his way with parting advice of “don’t touch the weed with your fingers or they’ll smell you!”

So I spent what seemed like ages dragging my bare size 12 hook across the steps of the weir trying to hook some weed (there’s an irony if ever I heard one). Eventually, yes, a perfectly formed tear-drop of weed was hooked and lifted from the weir steps. This task did become easier with practise.

Next I lowered it into the water from the weir bridge, into the lea of the weir and let it run to the bottom of the swim. I retrieved it and repeated several times. Then to my disbelief, the float slid away and a resulting 1lb+ Roach fought against the stream until the landing net eased it’s journey to my eager hands.

Elation! Completely ecstatic, I can still, 50 yrs later, remember wanting to tell the other lads who were fishing to follow my lead – but didn’t!!

Rather I continued to catch steadily (not all as big, but a better than usual stamp of Roach) until I reluctantly performed the ‘last cast ritual’ before heading home. 

True to say I did return to ‘weed’ fishing a few times but then not for 40+ years until last week! I relived that session from a previous lifetime in my head from my comfort of my armchair during ‘lock-down’ until I though “ I must try that again!”

Pretty much it went according to plan. I took only my Drennan Stick Float rod, Abu 506, a pocketful of terminal tackle and landing net – NO BAIT. I took 8 Roach in approx. 90 mins. No monsters, nothing close to 1lb but lovely fish all the same :)”