Roach off the surface

[BarryC]

Do any of you target roach off the top and if so how?
I ask because while fishing freelined floating crust for carp at an old secluded water I had the biggest roach I have ever seen come up and take a pluck at my bait.
I quickly switched to lighter gear and smaller hook with a pinch of floating flake. Managed a couple around the pound mark but never saw the big one again.
I expect I will use these tactics again but would like to know what works for you.

 

[Simon R]

Floating casters work - and if you ask nicely in your tackle shop they'll probably give you some for nowt[]

Only problem is they ain't very selective, size wise and the bites can be lightning fast.

Simon

 

[nrayner]

I fish very shallow in a particular manner all the time in my club's matches on their silvers lakes, for bigger roach and rudd.

I fish the pole at between 5 and 9 metres with a white Hydrolastic. Attached to the stonfo is a foot or so of No 6 latex at the end of which is attached a small swivel To the swivel I attach a hooklength of around 6 to 9 inches with a 16 or 18 hook. Where the hooklength attaches to the swivel I put a swan shot. Using single or double red maggot hookbait I put the pole between my legs and rest it on a spray bar or rod rest so that the swan shot rests just under the water surface film. Fire maggots out frequently and very large silvers (including bream) will come right up in the water. You'll see your elastic fly out when those stonkers hit the hookbait -it's a form of bolt rig really and very exciting to fish with when they are "on".

 

[davebike]

I fish very shallow mainly for rudd but also get roach and skimmers using a very small Dibbler style float (no 1 Tyson) takes 0.03 g ! just on shot down the line single or double maggot on a 18 12"/18" below and 3' of line above the float ship out lay rig on the surface of flick it away from you loose feed often! Great fun! But watch out for crusing carp an 18 to 0.10 makes them difficult !

 

[natty]

Ive fished for rudd on the surface using small floating pellets and also small pieces of bread crust, while fishing for the rudd I also caught a couple of decent roach just over 1lb, so it is probably worth a go. [:T]

 

[fish finder]

try freeling for them, you just watch your line and when it shoots away strike.
its very effective.

 

[GOZZER]

I always free line for the Roach/Rudd off the top.
I feed some expander pellets first to get then up in the water and on the feed,the pellets are not soaked before hand so they float for ages on the surface then when i am sure the fish are feeding well i put my hook bait right in the middle of the feed.
Just let the feed run off the top so only a few remain then is the time to put your hook bait in,it can be anything that is small and light and i guarantee you will get a hit every time as the fish will be waiting for the next free offering to come along.
Word of warning as already mentioned there will be Carp interested as well and with light gear it is one fish you DON'T want to hook up on,one way of having a idea if Carp are moving in is if the swim goes dead for a wile it is a sign the carp are there or Predators like Perch/pike.
Tight lines [:W]

 

[rushyefc]

used the floating pole a few times catching them just a foot of line on the pole no float

 

[Red Spike]

years ago a local park lake was chocca with big roach up to nearly 3lb and we used to catch them last thing just before dark on a good sized lump of crust no probs, brilliant fishing!![]