Species › Europe, UK & Ireland · Freshwater › Roach

Freshwater

Roach

Rutilus rutilus · common roach, redfin, redeye

Water temp
57–72°F
Peak season
Jun–Oct
Best light
Daytime
IGFA record
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Roach (Blausteinsee Tierwelt 03.jpg)

Photo: Creator: Ullrich MühlhoffUploader: Cornelius Herget · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

OverviewWhere & WhenHow to CatchGearRegulationsRecordsForecastCatches

Overview

Roach are deep-bodied, silver-flanked fish with orange-red fins and a red iris, native across Europe and western Asia and abundant in rivers, canals, lakes and gravel pits. They shoal by size, feed on invertebrates, algae and seeds, and bite most confidently at dawn, dusk and in colored or low light. Roach matter because they are everywhere, they respond to finesse, and a specimen over 2 lb (0.9 kg) is genuinely hard to earn.

Typical size2–8 oz (0.05–0.25 kg); 6–10 in
Trophy2 lb+ in the UK; 3 lb+ is exceptional
Table farePoor — bony; almost always released

Where & when

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Roach spawn in April–May and feed well year-round, but the biggest river fish come in late autumn and winter when the water runs clear and cold.

River Wensum, United KingdomNorfolk's famous big-roach riverHampshire Avon, United KingdomClassic trotting river; 2 lb-plus fish in winterGrand Canal, IrelandProlific canal roach fishing from Dublin westward

How to catch

Waggler float fishingFish a waggler set just off bottom on a lake or canal with a single maggot or caster, feeding small amounts of groundbait or loose maggots every few minutes. Strike at any dip or lift; roach bites are subtle.
TrottingOn rivers, run a stick float through steady glides with a centerpin, holding it back slightly so the bait precedes the float. Bread flake or maggots fished this way pick out the bigger roach in winter.

Gear

Rod13' float rod or 11–12' light feeder rod
Reel2500 spinning or centerpin
Line2–4 lb mono mainline; 1.5–3 lb hooklength

Lures

micro soft plasticstiny spinnerssmall jigs (rarely used)

Baits

maggotscastersbread flakehempsweetcorn

Regulations

A national rod license and water permit are required in most of Europe, and England has a statutory river closed season from mid-March to mid-June. Roach are almost always caught and released.

Records

IGFA all-tackle world record: not listed. State and regional records are kept by each fish & wildlife agency.

Frequently asked

What is the best bait for roach?

Maggots and casters are the all-round choice because they match the small food items roach eat, and a single red maggot on a size 18–20 hook catches them in any water. For bigger roach, bread flake or punched bread fished in winter is hard to beat, and hemp as feed keeps a shoal rooted to the spot.

Bite forecast — Roach

Recent catches

Posted by anglers on the live map, filtered to Roach.

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