Roach Information And Facts.
Scientific Name: Rutilus Rutilus
Maximum Weight: 4.5lb (2kg)
Maximum Length: 14in (36cm)
Average Weight Caught: 6oz (170g)
Life Span: 15 years
During spawning the male displays white lumps on the top of its head. As a bottom feeder the upper lip protrudes slightly. It has red eyes and reddy orange fins. The front of the dorsal fin lines up with the base of the ventral fin. The lateral line has between 41 and 46 scales.
British Record: 4lb 3oz (1990)
Scottish Record: 4lb (2007)
Irish Lake:
Irish River:
Welsh Record: 4lb 5oz (2007)
Tring Resevoir Bucks
Roach over 3lb
Stanford Reservoir Northants
Roach over 2lb
Loch Ken Scotland
Roach over 1lb
River Nar Norfolk
Roach over 1lb
Grafham Water Cambs
Roach over 3lb
With dead Roach over 4lb found
River Trent Nottinghamshire
Roach over 2lb
River Wensum Norfolk
Roach over 3lb
With it tolerance of low oxygen levels and its tolerance of moderately polluted waters the roach has thrived and in Englands lowland areas is one of the most abundant fish to be found.
THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE ROACH.
Roach are widespread in England but less so in Wales, Scotland and Ireland. They prefer slow moving waters and because of their tolerance to pollution they are often without predetors and therefore suffer overcrowding resulting in large numbers of small roach around the 4oz mark. Where there are pike and perch to prey on the roach there is less of them but they are bigger in weight. They reach their maximum weight at about the age of 10 years. They spawn in the shallows between April and June laying their yellowish eggs on plants and stones. The femles can lay 20000 eggs per pound of fish. When the spring is mild spawning takes place earlier which means more fry survive.
ROACH FEEDING.
The fry and young Roach feed on mainly plankton but as they grow they add algae, snails bloodworm and other insect larvae to their diet. Large specimens may become cannibals feeding mainly on fry.
Roach do most of their feeding on the bottom but now and then feed midwater and sometimes come to the surface of the water to take fallen insects.
Big Roach can be very timid and be difficult to approach. Where the water has high levels of natural food supplies then the roachwill not feed openly insetead preferring to feed heavily at dusk and at night.
The Roach Vital Statistics.
Knowing Your Roach.
Roach Records.
Top Roach Waters.