No matter how cold it gets, roach will be willing to come off the deck to compete for the food that’s being rained in.
When this happens, they become far trickier to catch. That said, it’s not an impossible task, although you will have to change your tactics somewhat.
THE BEST FISHING POLES ARE THE BEST TOOL FOR FISHING FOR ROACH SHALLOW.
Unbeatable bait
I’d say that 99 per cent of my shallow roach fishing on the pole is done with casters.
I may put down a bed of groundbait at the start to concentrate the roach, before loose-feeding casters over the top to bring them up. I don’t know what it is about casters, but they always seem to attract a better stamp of roach than maggots.
You may wonder why I’d want to get the fish shallow – well, the greater the speed at which you can then catch them at is one factor. If your hookbait need only sink 2ft instead of 6ft before you get a bite, you can imagine how much more efficient that can make you throughout the day.
If you want to catch shallow, then as far as loose-feeding goes it’s all about little and often. As a guide, I would kick off by feeding six to 12 casters every 30 seconds, and it’s then a case of adapting to the situation. For example, if I’m getting a lot of bites, but the stamp of fish is a bit small, I’ll up the feed.
The thinking behind this is that you need to give the bigger redfins an incentive to come into the swim and compete for the food.
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On the hook…
My hookbait is normally a single caster, but how you hook it is important. I like to thread the caster on so that most of the wire is within the it, with the point showing out the side. By contrast, I find that nicking it on as you would a maggot can lead to a lot of missed bites.
You can, of course, try other baits on the hook such as a single red maggot or a worm head. Both are a little more durable that a caster, so they come into their own when the swim is rigid with roach and you are catching at speed.
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Winning set-up
If I was fishing 2ft-3ft deep, I’d use a 0.15g or 0.25g Guru Slim Maggot float, relying on the former in calm conditions. The great thing about this pattern is that it’s ideal for flicking out and hanging on to, due to its shape.
It also has a cane tip, which I love, as it’s so easy to shot and read as it sets. Mainline is 0.15mm mono to a 6ins hooklength of 0.10mm fluorocarbon if I’m targeting only roach. My hook is a size 16 Guru F1 Maggot for commercial work, or a Pole Special in the same size for natural waters.
As for shotting, I just use a strung bulk of No11s, with the bottom shot 6ins from the hook and the rest spaced at 1.5cm intervals above.
CHECK OUT THE BEST FLOAT RODS FOR SILVERFISH TO CATCH SILVERFISH ON RUNNING LINE.
Rig presentation
When it comes to laying the rig in, you need to flick it in straight and then hold on to it tight. This allows the hookbait to fall at a slower pace, and it also increases your chances of hitting bites on the drop.
I like to work the float, too, and as soon as it is sat properly and the hookbait is stationary, I’ll lift the rig out and flick it back in again. To start with, I like to fish in the middle of my feed, but as the session progresses it can be important to work all round your target zone.
I find this particularly effective in the final hour of a session. The biggest roach often settle off the back of the feed and take the ‘scraps’.
Make your hookbait look like one of these and you’re in business. Don’t try this too early in the day, though, or you may clatter them before they’ve truly settled, hampering your chances of a golden run later on!
USE THE BEST POLE FISHING LINES TO TIE YOUR SILVERFISH RIGS.
Use a long lash
Roach will soon spook if you are waving your pole-tip over their heads in clear water. The trick is to use a 2ft-3ft length of line between tip and float, making sure you keep it tight at all times. This also allows you to flick the rig in to gain optimum presentation.
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Soft elastic is a must
An elastic that doesn’t bump the fish when you strike, and prevents them splashing on the surface as soon as they’ve been hooked, is important. A grade five solid or a yellow Daiwa Hydrolastic are both ideal for the job.
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How much bait?
This is a busy style of fishing, where regularly loosefeeding with a catapult is key, but you don’t need to take huge volumes of casters to the bank with you. Buy two or three pints and you’re likely to still have some left at the end of the session, even if you fish shallow for roach from start to finish.
LOOSEFEED ACCURATELY WITH THE BEST FISHING CATAPULTS.
