Roach  one of the all time anglers favourite they are such a prolific fish and can be found in so many of our still waters, the chances are it was one of the very first species of fish that most anglers  caught, they were widely introduced for angling, there colour is greyish blue along the back with bright silver scales reaching down the flanks to a white creamy underside, the fins are a medium red, (not as bright as the Rudd) which is the fish that they are often confused with, other distinguishable differences apart from the more vibrant  red fins of the Rudd are the protruding lower jaw that the Rudd has, also from the dorsal fin to the lateral line the Rudd has only seven scales whereas the Roach has eight.
There are other characteristics to help identify the roach they have between 42 to 45 large scales in the Lateral line, the iris of the eye is red, and the foreward edge of the Dorsal fin and the Pelvic fin are in line, the Dorsal fin is quite high and has 9 to 10 branched rays, while the Anal fin is moderate and also has 9 to 11 of these rays, the Tail fin is darker in colour.

As said they are one of the most popular of fish with anglers who find them in waters ranging from the clear chalk streams to reservoirs, gravel pits, rivers, dark murky ponds and lakes, they are able to tolerate being in some really poor quality waters, they often swim in large shoals searching for their natural food usually consisting of fish fry, water snails, bloodworm, larvae and insect life.

Roach spawn from early April – May. They have a lifespan reaching up to eighteen years. Using either rod or pole large bags of roach are often caught by the ardent roach angler, some regularly producing fish of over two pound in weight, a 2lb roach would be classed as a specimen.

Anglers Baits can vary depending on the water conditions but they generally consist of, Hemp, maggot, casters, worms, sweetcorn, bread flake, and of course those `secret recipe paste mixes`.

The Roach Record: 4lb 4oz (2006)
Caught by:  Keith Berry, Irish Lake.  

Family: Cyprinidae

Rutilus rutilus

Native to

Northern Europe.

I hope that you found something helpful or of an interest in this Fish Fact Section.

Contact:mail@watersidediary.co.uk