Catching roach: photos, videos, rules and secrets of fishing for roach

Roach, roach, ram, roach and even chebak - all these are different names for the same fish, the common roach, the most common freshwater species on the Eurasian continent.

Catching roach with a float rod is popular among many fishermen. This fishing method is easy to use and shows good results not only when catching roach, but also many other fish. Catching roach with a float rod does not require any special preparation; it is enough to prepare your gear, bait and groundbait and you can go after the roach.

Roach fishing.

This is an extremely unpretentious fish: it lives equally well both in small rivers, almost streams, ponds and lakes, and in large rivers, and some of its species live even in the lightly salted seas - the Azov, Black and Caspian seas. But a large number does not make roach fishing easy. This fish is capricious, its habits change throughout the year, it is selective about bait, and bites carefully. Therefore, fishing for roach requires a lot of effort and knowledge from the fisherman.

Characteristic feeding habits and habitat of roach

The appearance of the roach depends on local habitat conditions and the age of the fish. Most often, the color of the back is black with a blue or greenish tint, the sides of the body and belly are silver-white, the dorsal and caudal fins are greenish-gray with a reddish tint, the pectoral fins are pale yellowish, the ventral and anal fins are red, the iris is yellow with a red spot at the top. The length of roach is usually 15-18 cm and for the most part does not exceed 30 cm. Weight is 50-300 g. However, under favorable conditions, that is, with abundant food and sufficient space in the habitat, roach is not inferior in growth to many other carp fish. In lakes, as well as in the Caspian and Azov seas, it reaches a much larger value, and in some Trans-Ural lakes it has gigantic dimensions - up to 50 cm in length and more than 2.5 kg in weight.

Habitats

Roach loves warm and quiet water, rich in aquatic vegetation. The unpretentiousness of the fish allows it to take root in small and large rivers, large reservoirs and small flowing ponds, quarries, and oxbow lakes. In winter it prefers the deepest parts of the reservoir, and in spring it rushes to the shallows and into flowing rivers. In summer, roaches disperse throughout the entire reservoir, and with the appearance of grass, they move into tributaries and backwaters, approaching bridges and swimming pools. Depending on the time of year, weather and mood, it may be at the bottom or in mid-water.

What do roaches bite on?

Roach is a fish belonging to the carp family. Accordingly, its diet is quite varied and depends on the time of year. Thus, in the summer, the diet of roaches is dominated by plant foods, supplemented by various small larvae and aquatic insects. This is the most fertile time, from a nutritional point of view, and the roach takes full advantage of it. It can be caught with equal success using a worm, maggot, bloodworm, mayfly larva, caddis fly, worm and bloodworm. At the same time, the roach responds with pleasure to various types of dough, bread crumbs, steamed cereals, as well as to some types of plants.

Roach is not a fish that digs through silt and other bottom sediments in search of food. Basically, its food is zooplankton, which lives in the water column and on plant stems. Therefore, if there is a choice between bloodworms and mayfly larvae, or maggots, the first will not be so in demand. Although, given the omnivorous nature of roach, bloodworms as bait also give good results.

Summer is the best time to offer plant food to roaches. Many fishermen, with the onset of the warm season, catch it with great success using filamentous algae, which cover the stones at the bottom and the walls of various hydraulic structures, dams, bridge piles, and concrete foundations with a continuous carpet. The peak of such activity occurs at the end of spring - beginning of summer, when roaches feed mainly on this grass rich in microelements. When gutting fish during this period, this is clearly noticeable - only greens are present in the stomach and intestines.

Anglers actively take advantage of this, using so-called “green bait” fishing near dams and bridges. This fishing is very productive and exciting, although it does not last very long. The roach is actively interested in mulberry for a relatively short time, and over the next few weeks it completely switches to other available food.

The roach's bite is extremely capricious: today it takes well, tomorrow it doesn't take at all for no apparent reason. This fish is very lethargic, and if it is full, it is reluctant to rise or fall behind the falling bait. One of the most successful ways of fishing for roach is on greens. It begins as soon as warm weather sets in and 4 cm of greenery appears on the stilts, and continues until September.

It has been noticed that with each not only strengthening, but also weakening of the current, the roach begins to take on the greens more greedily. The method of planting greenery is quite original. Take a strand no shorter than 9-13 cm, with a thickness of 2 to 5 mm, bend it in half and make a double loop in the middle in the shape of the letter P. Thread a hook into the hole in the loop, tighten the loop and cut the ends so that the length of the strand is at least 4 cm This lightest bait swims ahead and is swallowed before the fish feels the hook.

Anise, which is used as a flavoring, has a positive effect on the appetite of roaches.

If with animal baits everything is relatively simple - the size of the bait should correspond to the size of the fish, then with the use of various cereals, there are small nuances. Thus, the proposed bait should be softened, but elastic enough to stay on the hook.

To do this, pearl barley, oats or other cereals are pre-steamed. A thermos with a wide neck is best suited for these purposes. The cereal is pre-washed, poured into a thermos, poured boiling water, sealed and left overnight. By morning, the bait will swell and be ready for use. Cooking cereal is quite a troublesome task, since there is a high probability that the porridge will burn or not be cooked enough. In this case, it is best to use the so-called “water bath”, when the saucepan with the bait being prepared is placed in another, larger one, into which water is first poured. Roaches have a very negative attitude towards foreign odors, in particular the smell of burnt food. A water bath avoids this.

Choosing a place to catch roach is not difficult. The search for roach should begin at shallow depths, from 1 to 4 meters.

In addition to standard cereals, in summer another interesting attachment is used. This is thin pasta cooked until al dente. The pasta is cut into small pieces and placed on a hook with a stocking. This is a very affordable, effective and easy-to-use bait, which only requires proper storage to prevent it from souring and becoming too soft.

Closer to autumn, the roach switches to animal food and the best bait will be maggots, a piece of earthworm and various larvae. By the time of freeze-up, roaches are caught only with bloodworms and burdock larva, which is explained by a decrease in the daily food “doses” of wintering fish and the easy availability of these baits in winter. True, in some reservoirs, especially those that are often visited by fishermen, you can also catch roach using dough, which, for convenience, is pumped into a disposable medical syringe.

The unstable bite and general lethargy of roach, as well as any other fish, continues until spring, until the first warm days. During the last period of ice, and in the subsequent period of early spring, metabolic processes in the fish’s body accelerate and it is already quite possible to switch to heavier baits. The favorite among spring baits is, of course, the earthworm, or rather its small pieces that can be attached to a jig or used for float fishing. Then the food cycle repeats again.

In winter, roach is caught at great depths with float rods with a nod to a jig, using bloodworms and dough baits as bait. Before spawning, roach is caught using a worm and bloodworms. With the onset of post-spawning food and for about two weeks - on worms, bloodworms, caddis flies and maggots. In the summer you can also try steamed wheat grains, dough and barley. The best time to catch roach is in the morning and evening hours, and it can be caught with plant baits in the middle of the day.

Vegetable baits for catching roach

In the warm season, baits of plant origin become especially important when fishing for roach. It's all about changing the diet and nutritional needs, with the appearance of algae, the fish switches to a carbohydrate diet and happily consumes what people eat.

Dough

The usual dough, a mixture of water and wheat flour, performs well when catching all white fish. Of course, you can’t count on catching carp with such an elegant bait in modern realities. But the number of carp is not commensurate with the number of ever-hungry roach. Therefore, you can use the dough with great success.

Recipe for catchy sweet dough

Already at the end of May, peaceful fish begin to switch to plant food, as it becomes very widespread due to the aquatic vegetation that has appeared. Preferences in aromas and tastes among cyprinids also change. If in cold water they preferred the sharp smells of spices, now they respond with pleasure to sweets. In this short article we will tell you about effective bait, which fish such as bream, roach, rudd, crucian carp and even carp respond well to. Of course, the last two are a little more difficult to surprise, because they are famous for being picky, but still, they can react well if all the factors come together in one place.

We will need:

One chicken egg;
One teaspoon of cocoa;
Vanillin on the tip of a knife;
Half a tablespoon of dry milk;
Semolina or wheat flour.

Break an egg into a container, which should be fresh, and, preferably, homemade. Add cocoa powder and milk powder, and then stir everything until smooth. Add vanillin and mix everything thoroughly again. By this point, the base of the future bait should become fragrant and dark in color. Start adding semolina (from soft varieties of wheat, which is indicated by the letter “M” on the package) or flour in small portions and stir. Pour in the dry ingredient so that no lumps form. When the mass becomes thick, start kneading it with your hands, like regular dough. If the product turns out to be too liquid, then roll it in cereal (flour) and knead it again. Get to the point where a small piece can fit tightly on the hook.

The main advantage of this attachment is its aroma. In the summer, fish will enjoy chocolate dough with pleasure, because once it gets into the water, it will immediately begin to “dust” due to the starchy part and the fish will be able to smell the aroma even in not the most transparent water.

Store the chocolate dough in the refrigerator in an airtight container or container. It should not absorb foreign odors. When fishing, also make sure it is sealed so that the product does not weather or dry out. Avoid exposure to sunlight.

Bread

Bread, in its nutritional properties, is the same as dough, only its advantage is a more pleasant aroma that appears during the preparation of the product. To catch small roach, you can use pellets of white or black bread crumb. If you want to sift out small things, then you can fish with crusts or rolls of bread crusts.

Pearl barley

Pearl barley is a desirable dish not only for crucian carp, but also for roach. The preparation of this attachment is very simple - pearl barley, pearl barley poured with boiling water is infused in a thermos for 5-6 hours, after which it can be used for fishing.

If you don’t have a thermos or you need to cook barley faster, you can boil it. Just remember that it should be slightly undercooked and elastic in order to stay tightly on the hook.

Potato

The use of potatoes in fishing may shock some novice anglers, but this attachment has long been tested and is very effective when catching peaceful fish. It can be used in its pure form - i.e. a small piece of potato, boiled in their jackets, is placed on a hook, or in the form of potato dough. The recipe for which you can see in our article.

Corn

Corn is suitable if you are fishing for large roach. After all, a small fish will not be able to swallow such a large piece. To catch small fish, you can use hominy prepared for fishing from cornmeal.

Methods of catching roach

The main method of fishing for roach is fishing with a long rod with a float, practiced in both still and slow-moving waters. The difference lies in the attachments. When using baits, roach fishing can last almost the whole year. In addition, roach can be caught at night - in the river with bottom fish, and in ponds with float rods, using lighting, which, at the same time, serves as fish bait. Roach is almost the only fish that is more convenient and profitable to catch from the shore than from a boat. The easiest way to catch roach is by wire, with a fishing line up to 14-18 m long and a light float.

Alternate baits, if the roach has become difficult to take on maggots, replace it with a worm or use it together as part of the so-called “sandwich”.

In general, the best depth for fishing for roach is 1.5-2 m; place - on the border of the grass, in clearings between the grass, in creeks and in weak currents. The most intense roach bite is in the summer, before heavy rain with thunder and lightning, when the roach greedily grabs almost any bait for about an hour. During the autumn heat, before the onset of frost, the roach takes bait throughout the day. Roach bites are very varied: sometimes it dips the float, sometimes even puts it on the water.

Choosing a place to catch roach

The choice of place to catch roach should be approached with special care. If you plan to fish in conditions of a small current, choose a fishing point on the border of the current and calm water. It’s even better if there is a reverse flow - “return”. Well, it’s really good if in this place there is a hole or depression into which various food is carried by the current, and where the roach will actually feed. If fishing is supposed to be in a reservoir with stagnant water, choose places on the border of algae and clean water, or near the walls of reeds and cattails. In such places, roaches actively feed on small aquatic organisms, insect larvae, and some types of vegetation. For its habitat, roach most often chooses areas of reservoirs with a depth of 1.5 - 2.2 meters. Roaches rarely fall below this horizon due to decreased oxygen content and lower water temperature. Roaches do not enter the upper layers of water and shallow waters due to their caution. Roach is a schooling fish and extremely shy. This should be taken into account when fishing and when choosing a fishing spot. Loud conversations, music while fishing, loud “fluttering”, even bright clothing of a fisherman on a sunny day can force a school of roach to leave the feeding area.

Bait for catching roach

Bait is more necessary in stagnant or semi-stagnant water - in ponds and lakes. In rivers, you can limit yourself to throwing bait while fishing. The fish standing downstream, encountering particles of food floating past, rises higher, to the very source, and here meets the fisherman’s hook with an even more delicious bait.

The best bait is bloodworms: in May, after the roach spawns, and then in August or early September. At the end of May and June, you can successfully catch roaches by feeding them with ant eggs. Both are usually crushed together with the clay. For bait, it is better to use not pure bloodworms, but together with algae and debris. The weaker the current, the looser and smaller the clay balls with bait should be.

Catching roach with a float rod

Roach begins to spawn at water temperatures above 10-13 degrees. During spawning, fish can only be caught from the shore and only with float or bottom gear, although we note that during this period, the roach is not particularly concerned about food and the bite worsens.

Catching roach with a float rod is popular among many fishermen. This fishing method is easy to use and shows good results not only when catching roach, but also many other fish. Catching roach with a float rod does not require any special preparation; it is enough to prepare your gear, bait and groundbait and you can go after the roach.

If the roach stops biting, try throwing in an additional portion of bait and lowering the bait even deeper.

The roach bite changes depending on the season, so the equipment of the float rod also changes. For example, in the spring, using a light float, you can catch a dozen bleaks, but you will never see a roach. But summer roach, which does not urgently need food, or similar autumn roach, requires more delicate gear.

Catching roach with a float rod is possible using four different rods - Bolognese, fly, match and plug. For a beginner, it will be easiest to master Bolognese or fly fishing and, as you gain experience, move on to plug fishing. Match fishing is mainly used as a sport form of fishing.

The Bolognese or lapdog, as it is often called by fishermen, is a telescopic fishing rod with rings for fishing line and a place for attaching a reel.

The flywheel differs in that it does not have passage rings and a spool holder. The fishing line is attached through a connector at the tip of such a rod.

A pole rod is a long rod consisting of several legs that are connected to each other. It is used not only by amateurs, but also by athletes. A rod stand and a recoil roller are required.

To stimulate roach to bite, raise the float a few centimeters above the water and gently lower it.

A match fishing rod is used for long casts; its structure resembles a spinning rod. It is lightweight, has guide rings for fishing line and a place for attaching a reel. A special device is required for long-distance casting of bait; usually a bait slingshot is used.

The equipment of all fishing rods varies depending on the features of their structure. The main elements are fishing line, float, sinkers and hooks.

How to catch roach in spring

The intensity of roach biting varies throughout the year. Roach can be caught in early spring, immediately after the snow melts. In reservoirs without a current, it collects in shallow water, where the water warms up faster. A temperature difference of 1-2 degrees is enough for it to appear in large quantities in the “warm” shallow bay of the lake. In March and April, roaches prepare for spawning, gathering in schools and migrating long distances.

Some fish leave the lake or reservoir, going into small river tributaries. In such rivers it is good to catch roach in the spring; here you can catch even a large specimen relatively easily. Depending on the width of the river, choose a 4-6 meter fishing rod, without guide rings, with full equipment and a light, 0.5-0.3 gram float. It is better not to attract, but to look for the area in which the flock is located. The line should be thin, but it ensures quick fishing for large roach; in a narrow river there is little room for fishing for too long.

You need a hook No. 18-20 for bloodworms, the best bait during this period. You can also fish with maggots. Plant baits are ineffective. They wander with a fishing rod “from hole to hole,” placing the bait in places above or on the bottom. On straight sections with a current and a flat bottom, they fish in the usual way using retrieval with braking.

You can release the tackle with the current so that the bait gets into hard-to-reach places; you just need to replace the fishing rod with full equipment with a float rod and reel. In the spring it is good to get out to the strait connecting two lakes or a lake with the sea. During this period, large roaches also appear there in large numbers. A true miracle awaits the fisherman 2-4 weeks before spawning and 1-2 weeks after the roach spawn, which usually occurs in late April and early May. In a later period, the bite weakens. You cannot catch roach during spawning, as this seriously threatens the population of this type of fish in the reservoir.

Catching roach with a Bolognese rod

Rod. Catching roach with a float rod using a Bolognese rod is perfect for a beginner. To make your hand less tired, you need to choose a lightweight carbon fiber rod. The choice of length depends on the distance at which you are going to fish. For fishing from the shore, it will be enough to use a rod 5-7 meters long. In addition, the rod has an action and test. The test allows you to find out what weight of equipment you can use when casting without fear of damaging the rod. To catch roach, 3-15 grams or 4-20 grams of dough will be enough. Action determines the shape of a rod's bend under load. For a Bolognese rod, choose a medium or medium-fast action, this will allow you to better control the fish when playing.

Coil. An inertia-free reel with a well-tuned friction brake that allows you to regulate the load. The choice of reel depends on the diameter of the fishing line used. A universal option for a Bolognese rod when fishing for roach would be a reel size 1500-2000 according to the Shimano classification. The reel also has such a characteristic as the gear ratio, which means the number of revolutions that the spool with fishing line makes per revolution of the reel handle. A reel with a ratio of 5.7:1 will do. A similar reel is also suitable for a match rod.

Line and leash . For catching roach, monofilament fishing line with a diameter of 0.12-0.18 millimeters is used. The choice of thickness depends on the fishing location, fishing season and weather conditions. In thickets, a fishing line with a thicker diameter is used, and in a clean reservoir, where there are no snags, for example, a thinner fishing line is used. It is advisable to completely fill the reel spool with fishing line. For the leash, we take a thinner fishing line, a diameter of 0.08-0.1, sometimes 0.12 millimeters and a length of 25-30 centimeters will be enough.

Sinker. Sinkers hold the bait at the required depth and are selected based on fishing conditions - depth and current. The weight of the load must correspond to the load of the float. Loading can be carried out both on a pond and at home. The small and lowest sinker is placed at a distance of 5-7 centimeters from the main ones. The pellets used are lead and are made with a small slot where the fishing line is inserted and then compressed with pliers. If you squeeze too hard, you can damage the line.

Hooks. The hook will be used in sizes No. 3,4,5,6. These hooks bend easily, so you should always have spare hooks with you. For large baits, choose a larger hook.

Float. The choice of float depends on the fishing conditions. In calm weather with a light current, a float with a load of 0.4 grams is used, and in strong winds it is recommended to use a float with a load of 1 gram or more. In addition, this weight is also suitable for long casts. Regarding the attachment of the float, it is better to choose not the option with a ring, but the option with a tube that passes through the entire body of the float, this is more reliable.

Technique for catching roach using a bolognese float rod

Fishing must begin with baiting the selected area on the reservoir. The main technique for fishing with a lapdog is dragging the bait along the bottom or retrieving it in the water column. The bait should slowly swim across the feeding area, attracting roaches. This will increase the number of bites.

When fishing with a match rod, use a sinker specially designed for this purpose to probe the bottom.

It is recommended to keep the line slightly tight, since the effectiveness of hooking depends on this. Casting must be done smoothly, as the tackle can get tangled. After casting, we wait a little, letting the tackle go with the flow, and then make one or two turns of the handle to reel in the line and bring the float into working condition. Large roach prefer a stationary bait that is located on the bottom.

Catching roach with a fly rod

Rod. Catching roach with a float rod using a fly rod is very popular. For it, it is better to choose the lightest possible rod that will allow you to cast without spending a lot of effort. A 6-7 meter long stick is perfect for catching roach.

The equipment of such a rod is attached to the tip through a connector, which is fixed with glue. The connector, like its analogues, can be made yourself or bought in a store.

Line and leash. The choice of fishing line diameter is absolutely similar to the choice of fishing line for a Bolognese fishing rod. A monofilament line is used, with a diameter of no more than 0.18 millimeters, the leash is taken thinner than the main line - from 0.08 to 0.12 mm. The golden rule is that the thinner the leash, the better the roach bite.

Hooks. The rules for choosing a hook are similar to Bolognese fishing. During the current, you can take larger hooks.

Float. For fly fishing, take a float in the shape of a drop or a goose feather, which is mainly used for still water. But for currents, a float in the shape of a reverse drop is perfect. Just like in other types of float fishing, the carrying capacity of the float is selected based on the fishing conditions - depth and current.

Loading. The weight of the weights must be selected according to the carrying capacity of the float. It is better to attach the pellets spaced apart, at different distances from each other.

Catching roach with a match rod

Catching roach with a float rod using a match rod allows you to catch fish at a great distance from the shore, in the bottom layer, including at a depth exceeding the length of the rod. In this way it resembles feeder fishing, only here a feeder is not used. A match rod resembles a long spinning rod with a large number of rings. For catching roach, a match rod 4.2 meters long is suitable.

Coil. It is best to take a spinning reel, with a shallow spool and a gear ratio of at least 1:5. This will help you catch fish at a fast pace.

Line and leash. Here a special match line is used, usually dark in color, which sinks. The cross-section of the fishing line for roach fishing is 0.12-0.16 millimeters. The diameter of the leader is always thinner than the main line. The length of the leash is at least 20 centimeters; usually a long leash is used, up to 60 centimeters.

Hooks. It is selected in the same way as fly or Bolognese fishing.

Float. A special float is used, called a waggler, from 3 to 25 grams. In summer the float is lighter, in cold weather it is heavier. It has its own burden. Some of these floats have the ability to change the load, which is very important when fishing conditions change. For match fishing, a sliding float rig is used, in which the float is limited by a special stopper or a thread knot on the main line only from above. Such a stopper is installed at a distance from the bait corresponding to the fishing depth.

Loading. For match equipment, part of the weight falls on the float itself; additional weights are usually attached to the fishing line above the leash.

Technique for catching roach using a float match rod

Catching roach with a float rod using a match rod always starts with bait. Balls with bait are thrown using a slingshot. You need to start fishing by studying the bottom of the reservoir; for this, a special depth gauge is used.

Roach requires constant feeding; in order to keep it in the fishing area, feed the mixture in small portions, otherwise you can overfeed the roach and it will leave.

The tackle is cast at a short distance from the bait site, as a loud splash can scare the roach. Match tackle allows you to make long casts. After casting the float, close the handle on the reel and recess the line with the tip of the rod. Keep the line taut.

Catching roach with a plug rod

Rod. The length of the plug rod depends on the fishing location. The choice of length will depend on where the roach is located. The optimal length is considered to be 9-10 meters. Subsequently, this length can be increased.

Line and leash. Monofilament with a diameter of 0.1-0.12 mm is used as the main fishing line. The diameter of the leash is usually 0.08-0.1 mm. It is better to use a rubber shock absorber that is not too thick - about 0.8 mm.

Hooks. The hooks used are small, made of thin wire, approximately No. 18-20.

Float. For fishing with a plug rod, fairly light equipment and floats with a small carrying capacity from 0.5 grams for still water to 6 grams for current are usually used. For fishing with a plug rod in the current, special flat floats are used.

Loading. The load is selected for fishing conditions in the same way as in other types of float fishing. The lightest sinker is usually placed on the leash as a catch, the remaining pellets are distributed higher on the main line at a distance of 10-15 centimeters from each other.

Bait for roach

Roach responds well to bait, which will require a fair amount for fishing, since its purpose is not only to attract fish to the fishing spot, but also to keep it in one place for a long time.

Naturally, the components of bait differ greatly from each other depending on the season, water and air temperature, current strength and other factors.

In spring, bait components must be as small as possible so that the fish cannot eat them. You can add finely chopped worms, maggots, and bloodworms to the bait, the presence of which will help keep the school of fish in one place.
In summer, bait may contain large fractions. With the onset of heat and warming up of the water, a lot of bait will be required, since the roach does not suffer from a lack of nutrition during this period and it becomes more difficult to keep it in a certain area.
In winter, bait is used very rarely and exclusively in reservoirs with a current, since in stagnant water it can begin to sour at the bottom, scaring the fish away from the fishing spot. Typically, fishermen use ground crackers, milk powder, and special commercial baits for cold water. In addition to bait, it is recommended to periodically add small portions of food bloodworms or maggots into the hole.

Baits for catching roach on a float rod

The choice of bait depends on the fishing season. In the summer, the roach prefers plant baits, and in the spring-autumn period, when the roach is about to spawn or prepare for wintering, it chooses bait of animal origin.

Of the plant baits, the most catchy ones are:

chattel (semolina);
dough;
bread;
pearl barley;
corn.

And from animals:

maggot;
worm;
bloodworm.

When baiting the bait, it is best to cover the tip of the hook. This is more likely to improve the roach's bite.

Bait and groundbait

Roach has a variable appetite, and it depends on the season. In the spring, when there is no vegetation, the fish are hungry and happily eat protein foods. The same situation occurs in late autumn and winter.

In the summer, plants appear in the reservoir, and fish begin to feed on them, so in the summer, plant baits can work better, but not always in relation to large fish. They bite best on those baits that live in the reservoir, these are snails, slugs, caddis larvae, and various mollusks.

The choice of bait does not depend on the type of reservoir; you need to try and experiment. Use:

animal baits: maggots, worms, beetle and insect larvae, doctor's sausage and others;
vegetable toppings: pearl barley, corn, hemp seeds, star pasta, salted bread, dough, semolina.

The following baits can be used to catch roach:

Ready-made store-bought ones with or without modification;
Homemade: bran (feed for poultry and livestock), millet porridge, breadcrumbs, etc.

To interest large fish, you need to add any components from the following list to the bait:

ground dog or cat food;
albumen;
salt;
hemp seeds;
food for aquarium fish;
chopped earthworms or dung worms;
live maggots or bloodworms;
chopped mealworm or zofobos.

There is often no point in adding vegetable baits such as corn or pearl barley; it rarely works effectively with roach, unlike animal components, but it is different in all bodies of water; in any case, experiment.

Balls are rolled out of the bait and thrown into the water, with an interval of approximately one ball every 10 - 15 minutes.

When fishing with a feeder, the bait is placed in the feeder.

It is important not to overfeed the roach, otherwise it will quickly satisfy its appetite and leave the fishing spot.

Bait for catching roach on a float rod

Catching roach with a float rod also requires the use of bait. It is important to lure a flock of roaches to one place and after that you can start fishing. The composition of the bait mixture, as well as bait, varies depending on the fishing season. In the warm season, bait with a large number of plant components is used, but in the cold season, a mixture with protein food is popular.

The same goes for flavoring. Its quantity varies depending on the water temperature.

The amount of bait depends on the reservoir and fishing conditions. In strong currents, use large balls once every 10-15 minutes, and in calm water use 2-3 small balls, throwing once every 25-35 minutes.

Since roaches have very delicate lips, when removing the hook, use an extractor to avoid damaging them.

Starter feeding is used if you are aiming to catch large roach. According to consistency, in warm weather we use loose complementary food, in cold weather it is denser. You need to add soil and clay to the bait. The mixture must be stirred using a bowl from a specific reservoir. It is important to keep the fish in one place; if you overfeed it, it will simply leave.

When purchasing a ready-made mixture, pay attention to the fishing season and type of fish. This information is indicated on the packaging.

When and what do you use to catch roach?

There is hardly a fisherman who has not had to catch roach. Many amateur fishermen specialize in catching this particular fish. Depending on temperatures and weather conditions, roach spawns in March - April. Active roach fishing begins 8–10 days after spawning and lasts until the onset of cold weather and freeze-up. Roaches are also caught from the ice, although its activity decreases at this time of year. The roach is omnivorous, but its feeding preferences change depending on the water temperature. The best bait for roach in the spring and summer are red (or California) worms, maggots, caddisfly larvae and bark beetles. She is also not averse to eating canned corn, steamed wheat or barley, flavored dough, and semolina. Moreover, the largest specimens of fish are often caught on corn. With the onset of cold weather, roaches practically stop pecking at plant baits, preferring only maggots and worms. During the so-called “dead winter” period, the main bait for roaches is bloodworms.

How to spot a bite

The roach has acquired the title of capricious fish. A small roach tries the bait piece by piece, biting off small pieces. At the same time, it can be very difficult to notice the movements of the float. You might think that it is the wind or the current that is pushing the float.

Let's note 3 options for possible roach bite:

when the float rises a little;
when the float twitches frequently;
when the float began to move to the side.

If you notice such changes in the behavior of the float, you need to immediately hook it.

How to choose a fishing spot

Roaches can be found in rivers, canals, lakes and reservoirs, ponds, and abandoned quarries.

Smaller individuals prefer small rivers with weak currents. A good and accessible food supply and an influx of fresh water increase the likelihood of encountering a particularly large specimen.

In a school consisting of small roach, most often there are no more than two large individuals, or even one. The behavior and habits of this fish depend on the reservoir and the presence of predatory fish in it.

It is better to look for roach in holes or in those areas of the reservoir where the depth differs from usual by 50-60 centimeters.

In hot weather, you can catch a good specimen in reed thickets or in places where there is shade from overhanging trees.

Although roaches inhabit reservoirs with different bottoms, the largest individuals prefer sand or gravel; they try to ignore places with muddy bottoms.

How to catch roach in summer

In summer, only small roaches remain in small rivers and canals. The large one returns to its native reservoirs and moves to deeper water. Summer is a good season for roach fishing not only in lakes, but also in large rivers. As a fishing spot, you should choose a section of the river where the current is smooth, medium or fast, and the depth is 1.5-2 m. The bottom on which the roach lives is usually hard: pebbly or clay.

Roach likes to swim above the bottom, overgrown with grass, or among algae, swaying in a slow current. Good fishing places are semi-dammed slopes. In roach fishing areas with a smooth current and a flat bottom, long rods with shortened equipment, thin leashes 0.08-010 and small hooks No. 16-20 are used. The bait most often is maggots, colored red or yellow, maggot pupae, bloodworms and “sandwiches”. Less commonly caught with caddisfly, which is very effective, but does not last long, as well as with cereal grains, barley and wheat.

The sinker of the equipment must be selected in such a way that the bait sinks directly to the bottom or drags along it, breaking away from it, rising and falling. You need to fish actively: easily, but very often slow down the fishing gear. The roach reacts perfectly to the movement of the bait and is more willing to grab a piece that floats or comes off the bottom, rather than one that lies on the bottom. However, this does not mean that roach cannot be caught from the bottom. For fishing with this method, a rod with a vibrating picker tip, a light feeder, with a feeder and a short 15 cm and thin 0.10-0.12 leash are suitable.

The bite is cautious and requires immediate hooking. A small bait should stick well to the hook. It is recommended to plant two or three maggots, and additionally plant bloodworms between them. You should not attach roaches to the river abundantly. Bait for roaches is usually dark in color and contains a lot of roasted, ground grains of oilseeds. An additive such as bloodworms significantly improves the bite.

Roach is shy, so it is not advisable to bait with large bait balls while fishing. It is better to bait before fishing with denser bait balls, which last longer in the fishing area. In reservoirs with standing water and in reservoirs with a slow current, you can feed with small portions of bait, for example boiled hemp or maggot. When fishing in a river, where uniform baits are not usually used, you can add boiled hemp grains to the bait, which, compared to roasted ones, have a more pleasant taste and less strong smell, but are equally attractive to roaches. There is an opinion, repeatedly confirmed in practice, that for small fish, as well as for sluggishly biting fish, the best are dark baits made from fried ingredients.

At the same time, for large fish that are not afraid to swim over a light bottom, it is better to use light bait. However, there are exceptions. There are fewer roaches in mountain rivers than in lowland ones, but there are also areas where you can count on a good catch of this fish. You should look for places with a slow current, if possible deep, perhaps with a soft bottom, and also near fascine coastal fortifications.

What to cook from roach

This wonderful fish can be dried, salted, dried, smoked, stewed, fried and boiled. Unpretentious to store, roach has more than once saved people from hunger during hard times. There was even a monument erected to Voble in Astrakhan. Roach meat contains 19% protein, 0.4% fat and 0% carbohydrates. Roach protein is absorbed by the human body much better than beef protein. Low fat content and complete absence of carbohydrates allow this fish to be used in the diet of people suffering from diabetes or obesity. Roach contains large quantities of vitamins A, C, B1, B2, PP and E.

If catching roach in the spring brings results, it’s time to prepare the trophy at home or learn how to prepare it in the field.

It is also rich in various macro- and microelements: nickel, chlorine, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, sodium, molybdenum, fluorine. Just 100 g of roach meat can meet a third of an adult’s needs for vitamins PP and A, as well as completely cover the need for chromium. Roach is considered a unique fish in culinary terms, however, if certain rules are followed, even the most demanding connoisseurs of good cuisine will like it. The main disadvantage of roach is the incredible number of small bones. And the easiest way to deal with this is to marinate the fish. The acid will soften the seeds and after frying they will be invisible. Roach often tastes bitter in the ear. The culprit of this bitterness is her eyeballs, which need to be removed. When salted and dried, roach turns into the roach adored by our people. For its preparation, the best fish is one that has not yet spawned, that is, with caviar. And finally, one more interesting fact: roach caviar, it turns out, is widely used in cosmetology. It contains substances that improve the condition of skin and hair.