| So don't dismiss the retiring roach, Carp | | | | Description: It has an elongated tailfin with silver |
| fishermen, as it is a member of the Carp family | | | | scales. |
| The Roach, Rutilus rutilus, family Cyprinidae. Great | | | | Habitat: Often found in moving water, the roach |
| fishing sport. | | | | likes depths of about 2 or 3 m (6-9 ft); it also |
| It has relatively large scales and its back is | | | | enjoys weedy waters. |
| coloured dark brown or grey. With a bluish or | | | | Behaviour: a gregarious fish that lives in schools or |
| greenish sheen, the sides are silvery white and | | | | shoals; the bigger ones keep themselves |
| they have a white underbelly. | | | | somewhat apart from the others. |
| Fishing for the Roach doesn't have to be too hard | | | | Food: small molluscs, insect larvae, worms, moss, |
| and here are some of our self catering cottages | | | | algae, surface insects. |
| and fishing tips to get you started. | | | | Reproduction: from April to June or July when the |
| The Roach is one of the commonest fish in UK | | | | water's temperature is at least 12°C |
| waters and can be found in stillwaters, canals, | | | | (54°F), the female lays from 50,000 to |
| lakes and rivers, where it feeds on crustaceans, | | | | 100,000 eggs. Roach grow slowly over a span of |
| aquatic plants and detritus (dead or decaying | | | | 2 or 3 years. |
| organic matter). The Roach is generally found | | | | The roach has an outer skin of several layers |
| living in shoals and can often feed at all levels. | | | | about 100 microns thick. It is made up of |
| To start your session you want to be fishing at | | | | connective cells. This epidermis has no glands, but |
| full depth and continue to loose feed or cloud bait | | | | there are glandular cells which secrete mucus that |
| at regular intervals, as you continue feeding the | | | | protects the fish's scales. The scales sheathe the |
| swim adjust your depth upwards because, | | | | roach in a kind of exoskeleton. |
| remember, Roach feed at all levels, they will start | | | | The roach has a head with eyes, and blind (ie |
| to compete for the loose feed and will make their | | | | without an opening at one end) nostrils, which do |
| way to the source of the feed. You can also | | | | not open into the mouth as is true of other fish. |
| keep the fish feeding on the bottom by throwing | | | | The roach also has a lateral line along each side, |
| larger particle baits into the swim. | | | | running from one end of its body to the other. |
| Larger Roach tend to be particularly elusive and | | | | This line of special scales is equipped with holes |
| can keep to the outer fringes of the shoal, | | | | which connect the fish's outer body to the |
| smaller individuals are easier to catch on relatively | | | | nervous system, enabling it to detect movements |
| light line. Roach are infamous for their ability to | | | | nearby by picking up small variations in long |
| throw the hook during a catch, which further | | | | wavelengths in the water, caused by movements |
| perpetuates the idea that larger roach are | | | | of other creatures. |
| notoriously difficult to bank. | | | | The roach has a rather streamlined shape, being |
| Best holiday cottages and fishing baits for Roach | | | | four times as long as it is wide. Two kinds of fins |
| are hemp, small redworm, bloodworm, punched or | | | | can be noted:unmatched fins, including the dorsal |
| flaked bread, casters and good old Maggots. The | | | | and caudal fins;matched fins, forming symmetrical |
| only limit in type is regarding the size of the bait. | | | | pairs, including the pelvic fins at the rear and the |
| Boilies and luncheon meat are generally avoided by | | | | pectoral fins farther forward. |
| Roach because they are too large for them to | | | | The former give the fish stability in the water, |
| swallow. | | | | and the latter are used for orientation. |
| Roach can be float fished and you can use | | | | The roach has four pairs of gills set side by side |
| legered baits. Don't forget steady loose feeding | | | | that have hairs whose function is to keep foreign |
| will tempt the Roach, because as we have | | | | particles out. The gills together form a V-shaped |
| previously said, they congregate in shoals to feed, | | | | set. There are also the gill slits which are used as |
| be careful not to spook them for they will spook | | | | exchange surfaces to extract oxygen from the |
| as a shoal, you need to gain their confidence, | | | | water. |
| they then will make more positive bites and more | | | | The heart is found beside the gills, which allows |
| aggressive feeding. | | | | blood to be pumped through the gills with a |
| At some self catering cottages and fishing | | | | considerable pressure. The circulatory system is |
| centres the Roach are no different to others, a | | | | otherwise rather simple. Deoxygenated blood |
| small freshwater and brackish water fish native to | | | | passes through the heart only once. |
| most of Europe and western Asia. It is typically a | | | | So remember, those of the Carp fishing |
| small fish, reaching 350 mm (14 inches) long, | | | | fraternity, don't dismiss the elusive Roach |
| rarely 450 mm (17 inches), and weighing up to 1 | | | | Come fishing in Devon on a Devon fishing holiday, |
| kg (2¼ lb), rarely 1.8 kg (4 lb). | | | | stay at holiday cottages and fishing for fun, |
| Name's origin: from Old French roche, possibly | | | | Devon self catering cottages and fishing |
| from Germanic. | | | | extraordinaire. |