Tares
Tares are brown in colour, the size of a pea and used along with hemp are a great bait for catching big roach. Other fish take tares but predominantly they are a roach bait. Tares are classed as a summer bait but can be used from summer right through the winter.
Preparing tares for fishing.
Preparing tares for fishing is similar to preparing hemp. Soak in water overnight then put into a pan with 1 teaspoon of bi-carbonate of soda per half pound of tares. Bring to the boil then simmer for 20 to 30 minutes and keep testing them to see when they soften. You don’t want tares to split or get too soft or you end up with tares like mushy peas. The bi-carbonate of soda is used to turn the tares black. After simmering leave to cool then put into handy pint sized bags. Any not going to be used immediately for fishing can be put in the freezer and used another time.
Tackle and method.
As with hemp fishing, light tackle is best when roach fishing with tares. Main line around 2lb to 2.5lb with hook lengths around 1lb to 1.5lb. and a size 16 wide gape hook. The float will depend on the water you are fishing but the shotting should be strung out shirt button style. Hook the tare through the skin.
Start by fishing hemp on the hook and feeding hemp with one or two tares to get the fish feeding. The roach should start feeding within half an hour or so but I have known it take 4 hours. When you get the fish feeding the bites can be pretty fast and positive. If you find you are missing bites the fish could be mistaking your shot on your line for hemp and going for that instead, if this happens try doubling up the shot on your line.
When the fish start taking the hemp positively, try putting a tare on the hook. If no bites go back to hemp. Don’t spend too long fishing tares on the hook if your not getting bites. Keep trying a tare now and again until you start to catch. Fishing with tares will also sort out the better stamp of fish.
After a fishing session any leftover tares and hemp can be frozen and used another time. Tares that have been frozen seem to be easier to hook.
