Reading West MP Martin Salter who is Labour’s Parliamentary Spokesman for Angling and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Angling Group has landed his first 2lb plus roach of the season.

Taking advantage in the rise in water levels which usually trigger the roach to feed Martin visited the Bristol Avon near Chippenham and caught three specimens over 1½lbs topped by this 2lb 3oz beauty.

Successful tactics were waggler and red maggots offered on an 18 hook to a 0.10mm hooklink fished tight across to the far bank.

Martin Salter MP said:

“I always try and land a couple of big roach each winter but I don’t usually get a two pounder until well after Christmas and some years not at all. So I was well pleased to land this beautiful specimen whilst there were still a few leaves left on the trees.”

Martin has taken over fifty 2lb roach plus roach from seven different rivers with a personal best fish of 2lb 14½oz.