Coarse Fish
Roach Fishing: Complete UK Guide
The roach is Britain’s most popular coarse fish, with beautiful silver flanks, crimson fins, and found in almost every waterbody in the country. A 2lb roach is the fish of a lifetime for most anglers. Float fishing for roach on a frosty morning is the purest form of angling.
Quick Facts
Average Weight
4oz-1lb
UK Record
4lb 4oz, Keith Berry, 2006 (source: British Record Fish Committee list)
Best Season
October–March (specimen), year-round (general)
Habitat
Rivers, canals, stillwaters, ponds, drains
Difficulty
Beginner
Best Bait
Maggots, casters, bread, hemp
Step-by-Step
How to Catch Roach
A practical guide for weekend anglers: from choosing your method to landing your catch.
- 1
Choose your venue
Rivers, canals, and stillwaters all hold roach. Canal towpaths are the most accessible starting point.
- 2
Set up a float rig
A stick float on rivers or a waggler on stillwaters is the classic approach. Set up light: 3lb mainline, 2lb hooklink, size 18-22 hooks.
- 3
Choose your bait
Maggots are the classic roach bait. Casters, bread, and hemp are all effective. Little and often feeding is the golden rule.
- 4
Feed your swim
Feed a few maggots every cast. Build up a rhythm. Groundbait with casters and hemp for bigger roach.
- 5
Master the bite
Roach are delicate feeders. Watch the float tip carefully; even the slightest dip could be a roach. Strike timing is key.
- 6
Adapt to the venue
On rivers, trot a stick float through at the pace of the flow. On canals and stillwaters, a waggler or pole presents a static bait. Match the float and shotting to the depth and tow.
- 7
Step up for winter specimens
Big roach feed best in cold, clear water. Switch to bread or a single maggot, fish a touch heavier on the feed, and target the slacks and deeper glides where better fish shoal up.
Where to Fish
Best Spots for Roach
Top UK venues and regions for this species.
Know the Rules
Roach Fishing Rules & Regulations
The statutory rules for roach fishing in the UK. Rules change, always confirm against the official source below before you fish.
| Licence | Environment Agency rod licence required from age 13 (England & Wales); Scotland has no national rod licence but you still need the fishery's permission. |
|---|---|
| Close season | Rivers, streams and drains in England and Wales are closed 15 March to 15 June inclusive; most stillwaters and canals stay open, check your fishery. |
| Minimum size | No national figure, see the official regulations for your water. |
| Daily limit | No national figure, see the official regulations for your water. |
| Also note | Coarse fish are returned alive on almost all UK waters; national byelaws tightly restrict taking fish for the table. |
Rules checked 19 August 2026 against Environment Agency, freshwater rod fishing rules (GOV.UK). Guide last reviewed 6 July 2026.
When to Fish
Roach Fishing Season
Month-by-month guide showing the best times to target this species. On rivers in England and Wales the statutory coarse close season runs 15 March to 15 June, ratings in that window apply to stillwaters and canals, which stay open on most fisheries.
Right now (Aug): Good for roach.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Rivers closed*
Apr
Rivers closed*
May
Rivers closed*
Jun
Rivers closed*
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
* Rivers closed 15 Mar–15 Jun (England & Wales); most stillwaters and canals stay open, check your fishery.
Where to catch roach in the UK
222 venues in our directory are confirmed to hold roach. Find roach fishing near you: top regions by venue count below, or open any venue page for details and pricing.
South East England
59 venues- Sutton at Hone LakesSutton-at-Hone, Kent · DA4 9HQ
- Greens FarmNewdigate, Surrey · RH5 5BE
- Alderwood PondsSteyning, West Sussex · BN44 3AB
- Bembridge Angling ClubSt Helens, Isle of Wight · PO33 1YU
- Braybrooke Community Nature and Fishing ClubBracknell, Bracknell Forest · RG42 2LP
South West England
33 venues- Todber Manor FisheriesSturminster Newton, Dorset · DT10 1JB
- Bugley PoolsGillingham, Dorset · SP8 5RB
- Ivy House LakesBrinkworth, Wiltshire · SN15 4JU
- Mendip FisherySt Cuthbert Out, Somerset · BA5 3FE
- Milemead Fisheries Coarse FishingLamerton, Devon · PL19 8NP
East of England
33 venues- Barford LakesNorwich, Norfolk · NR9 4BJ
- Brookhall LakeTolleshunt Knights, Essex · CO5 0RN
- Carpenders Park Angling ClubBatchworth, Hertfordshire · WD18 9QQ
- Catch 22 Fishing CentreNorwich, Norfolk · NR9 5BQ
- Creeting LakesCreeting St. Peter or West Creeting, Suffolk · IP14 5BW
Frequently Asked Questions About Roach Fishing
GilledIt's directory lists 222 venues in the UK confirmed to hold roach. Use the venue finder to enter your postcode or share your location and you will get the closest waters ranked by distance, or browse the region lists on this page.
Maggots are the #1 roach bait. Casters, bread, and hemp are also highly effective. Feed little and often for the best results.
4lb 4oz (certified), caught by Keith Berry in 2006. A pending claim of 4lb 13oz by Graham Wood from Carsington Water exists.
Roach can be caught year-round, but the biggest specimens come in winter (December-February). Match anglers enjoy peak sport in summer.
Over 1lb is a good fish. Over 2lb is a specimen. Over 3lb is exceptional. A 2lb roach is the fish of a lifetime for most anglers.
Yes. Bread flake and liquidised bread are excellent roach baits, especially in winter on rivers.
The Dorset Stour, Hampshire Avon, River Test, and Fenland drains are all famous for big roach.
Size 18-22 hooks suit maggots and casters, with a 16 for bread flake or punch. Match the hook to the bait and scale down further in clear or hard-fished water.
A steady trickle of a few maggots or casters every cast keeps a roach shoal competing in your swim without overfeeding them. It is the single most important habit for consistent roach catches.
Roach have a level mouth, the dorsal fin set directly above the pelvic fins and orange-red eyes. Rudd are brassier, with an upturned mouth and the dorsal fin set further back.
Yes, and the biggest roach often come in December and January. Bread and single maggot on light tackle in the deeper, slower water are the winter tactics.
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