seperating big roach from small ones

[shinkicker]

Hi,
I have been fishing a river for roach at the end of the river is a pool this has roach amongst other species in it. I was wondering how you would approach targeting the bigger roach. Maggots brings the usual small roach, skimmers, perch etc. I thought maybe trying casters, but also wondered if mashed bread would help, never really targetted roach and would welcome any tips.

 

[Brute1981]

Feed hemp and fish with tares on the hook.

Breadflake either trotted or fished on the feeder with mashed bread in it.

Big Roach are rarer than rocking horse poo though.

 

[Wayne TuffleyAC]

definately Hemp and tare for me!!

couple of good handfuls of hemp in at the start, it normally takes a little while for roach to come on the feed with hemp n tares about 45mins at the waters i fish then little and often when feeding the hemp. Tares sort out the propper fish [:T]

 

[Wayne TuffleyAC]

hope this is some help to you mate , Bob Nudd on hemp and tares []

http://www.youtube.com/user/TotalCoarseFishing

 

[shinkicker]

Thanks for the replies guys, just a question if you prepare tares your self how do you know when they are cooked and ready for the hook. What i have been doing is soaking them for about a day and half then simmering them for approx half an hour, but unsure that this is the best way of preparing them.

 

[Wayne TuffleyAC]

Tares are prepared a similar way as hemp. Except that when they are soaked you can add some bicarbonate of soda (about 1 teaspoon per half pound of tares), and they need to be cooked for a little longer. Tares are cooked for 10-20 minutes, you have to keep testing them, to see when they soften. Because you do not want tares to split, as they will just go to a mushy pea consistency. So once the tares have softened you need to strain the water off, and put the tares into some cold water so they dont over cook.

so basically just keep a close eye on them when being cooked, or you can buy them prepack (cooked) from a tackle shop

 

[daveyboy]

The best way i have found, is get the oven warm 160 degs c, place some tares in a cassorole bowl, add boiling water from the kettle, add some bi carb,put a lid on cassorole dish, and place in the oven for 45/50 mins, try them after 40 mins if soft enough remove if not try again 5 mins later etc, when soft enough place them in a sieve,rinse with cold water, and leave to cool off,
keep you eye on them when cooking in the oven, just make sure they dont boil over,
i cook enough for 5/6 sessions and freeze what i dont use, on the bank place in bait tub with water

 

[sweetcorn]

I put a few Iron tablets in when cooking them, this makes them rearly black like hemp otherwise they are a brownish colour. It gives me extra confidence anyway.

 

[Neil ofthe nene]

Big lump of breadflake as per Bob Jones in "A Passion For Angling".

Otherwise I'd go down the hemp/tares road. Just boil the tares with the hemp. If you want to keep the tares separate then tie them into a piece of old stocking/tights.

 

[gibby]

If you want big roach (and who doesnt?) a lump of cheese on a size 12 is always worth a try.

 

[shinkicker]

Thanks for the tips on tares guys sou nds like i am preparing them about right, will give them a go this coming weekend. Interesting idea about the cheese not heard that before been a long time sine i have used cheese for bait i know chub like it. Any particular cheese ??

 

[gibby]

I generally use bog standard cheddar the cheap stiff from the supermarket is fine, and it doesnt matter if its a bit mouldy. Just mould a lump the size of a largish pea around a size 12 or 10 and leave the hook point exposed. Alternatively, you can make a stiff paste using a mixture of grated cheese and ready made raw pastry.

 

[fish finder]

defo hemp + tares

 

[shinkicker]

ive used cheese paste before using stilton and pastry just never thought of using it for roach ill give it a go this weekend along with the tares