Stunning monster roach catch from reservoir

I’ve fished Beckerings reservoir for three years. This jewel of a reservoir which is a Luton Angling Club members only water, is a superb venue and holds some quality fish. I’ve caught my biggest carp at 26lb 8oz and all my biggest bream from this water in what is a very short time. So today came as no surprise that I have now smashed my biggest U.K. caught roach, not once but 4 times in only an afternoon! 

I started the session at midday. My target was roach and bream so a simple bait table which included red maggots, casters and worms, plus groundbait to be fished through the feeder. 

An hour in and my first bite. Fish on! It felt very different to the usual bream which are upwards of 6lb on here. As it got closer in the very clear, deep water I could see it was an enormous roach! My first thoughts were, ‘don’t lose it’ as I slipped the net under a fish of a lifetime. My friend who was fishing next door to me weighed it at 3lb 1oz! I simply couldn’t believe it. I joked that there was no chance of topping that! 

Little did I know – it was going to get even better… 

Next cast another gentle pull round on the quiver tip. Another big roach came to the waiting net. This time it was only 2lb 10oz! 🤣. Further fish of 1lb 8oz and a big bream made a show before I latched onto another massive roach which weighed 3lb 4oz! What was happening? I just felt numb at the sheer size of these beautiful rare sized fish.  So 3 roach for just under 9lb was simply unbelievable. 

In all the years of fishing which spans 40 years now, my first ever fish caught being a roach, today was without doubt the most memorable day out of those 40 years. Goes to show in fishing, you just never stop making memories.