Roach
Rutilus rutilus
Silver, red-finned, and the backbone of coarse fishing across Europe.
Also known as: Estonian särg, Finnish särki, Norwegian mort, Swedish mört.
- Typical size
- 10 to 25 cm
- A big one
- Over 30 cm is a proper specimen roach
- Where it lives
- Almost everything: lakes, rivers, canals and ponds
- Best time
- All year, with easy sport in the warmer months
- Common methods
- Float or feeder with maggot, bread, or corn
About the roach
Roach are the friendly, ever-present silver fish that most anglers cut their teeth on. They shoal in big numbers, feed most of the year, and give steady bites that make them ideal for a relaxed session or teaching someone new. A big old roach, deep and thick across the back, is quietly one of the harder catches in coarse fishing.
Catching roach
Feed little and often to hold the shoal, and fish light, roach are shy biters and a fine float or a light quivertip shows every touch. Maggot, a pinch of bread flake or a single grain of corn all work. Strike on the smallest dip of the float.
Before you fish: closed seasons, minimum sizes and catch limits differ by country and by water, and they change. Always check the current local rules and buy any licence you need before you go.
Log your roach in FishandBeer
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