The Common Roach – A Fisherman’s Favourite

The Common Roach Rutilus rutilus – A Fisherman’s Favourite

by

Rob Read

The Common Roach is a widespread shoaling freshwater species which is at home in all sorts of freshwater habits from small streams to large gravel pits and reservoirs. It is a species of exquisite beauty, those silver flanks beautifully decorated with bright orange-red fins that really pop out at you when you see it in the flesh. I rather think it has the ideal body shape for a fish, perfectly balanced in every way with a rather delicate appearance – one of the crown jewels of the freshwater fish world, and a species prized by many anglers.

The Common Roach is another member of the carp family, or Cyprinidae to give it its scientific title. But the Roach doesn’t approach the Carp’s great size, being 10 – 40cm in length and weighting up to 3lbs. But most are under 1lb in weight and a fish of 2lbs is a fish of a lifetime for many fishermen. Sadly, the species doesn’t seem to exist in the numbers and sizes that it used to when I was growing up, particularly in our river systems, no doubt a victim of deteriorating water quality and water extraction.

There are a few species with which the Roach can be confused including the likes of young Common Bream, Rudd, Dace, and Bleak. Identification is particularly tricky for the inexperienced with small specimens, but you soon get the hang of it and the features become obvious. To help confuse matters though, the Common Roach is prone to hybridisation, particularly with Rudd and Bream.

The Common Roach is one of the first species I caught as a young child and had a big part to play in my development as an angler in my earlier years. The ‘Common’ part of its name I find rather insulting, as this fish is an icon of British freshwater and loved by all who are lucky enough to catch and gaze at it briefly before returning it to its watery home.

Rob Read. November 2021.

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