Roach · Rutilus rutilus

Roach in England's Rivers

The largest recorded measurement is 125.2 cm (49.3 in), from Kirkstall (400m d/s weir) in River Aire on 29 August 2001.

Median length: 10 cm (3.9 in)
Fish measured: 2,558,777
Named waterways: 1,154
Latest observation: 23 Jul 2026

Direct individual measurements

Largest roach by waterway

Ranked by the largest individual measured in EA surveys. The sample size shows how many valid length measurements underpin each waterway's figures.

Rank	River or waterway	Largest	Median	Measured	Measured at
1	River AireYorkshire and North East	125.2 cm (49.3 in)	5 cm (2 in)	3,345	29 Aug 2001Kirkstall (400m d/s weir)
2	Chess StreamSouth East	121.1 cm (47.7 in)	10.3 cm (4.1 in)	452	24 Jul 1997Park Farm
3	River Steeping FMUAnglian	120.8 cm (47.6 in)	9.5 cm (3.7 in)	43,987	29 Apr 2002Firsby
4	River OuseYorkshire and North East	99.9 cm (39.3 in)	6.7 cm (2.6 in)	19,217	27 Jul 1998Naburn Weir (boom boat site)
5	River TeesYorkshire and North East	54.4 cm (21.4 in)	8.2 cm (3.2 in)	10,065	7 Oct 2004Temporal Coarse, Egglescliffe - Leven Mouth
6	River ArrowMidlands	52.6 cm (20.7 in)	15.1 cm (5.9 in)	2,660	18 Jul 1995Wixford
7	River WithamAnglian	49.1 cm (19.3 in)	10.4 cm (4.1 in)	112,333	11 Jul 1985Thorpe Tilney Road (Witham)
8	Fossdyke Navigation CanalAnglian	49 cm (19.3 in)	8.7 cm (3.4 in)	35,258	26 Jun 1985Fertilizer Factory
9	Sincil DykeAnglian	48.1 cm (18.9 in)	9.8 cm (3.9 in)	17,875	24 Apr 1985Five Mile House
10	River Warwickshire AvonMidlands	47.8 cm (18.8 in)	12 cm (4.7 in)	6,018	22 Jul 1993Barton, Pilgrim Lock (weir pool only)

Equal maximum lengths are ordered by sample size. Measurements are shown as recorded and are not converted into estimated weights.

2,558,777 fish measured

Measured roach lengths

The median divides the measured sample in half. This distribution describes surveyed fish, not every roach living in England.

0–19 mm

1743

20–39 mm

59858

40–59 mm

186152

60–79 mm

518220

80–99 mm

501983

100–119 mm

419541

120–139 mm

330621

140–159 mm

221302

160–179 mm

136494

180–199 mm

80932

200–219 mm

47474

220–239 mm

26739

240–259 mm

14206

260–279 mm

7328

280–299 mm

3643

300–319 mm

1583

320–339 mm

599

340–359 mm

201

360–379 mm

380–399 mm

400–419 mm

420–439 mm

440–459 mm

460–479 mm

480–499 mm

520–539 mm

540–559 mm

980–999 mm

1200–1219 mm

1240–1259 mm

Only positive individual lengths that pass RiverFish's general measurement checks are included. Each bar covers a 20 mm range.

Latest EA evidence

Latest roach observations

The ten most recent survey visits that recorded roach in named waterways.

Date	River or waterway	Survey location	Fish recorded
23 Jul 2026	River Weaver	Wewe25	2
23 Jul 2026	River Lee	Amwell Loop	1
22 Jul 2026	River Darent	Twitton Brook	63
21 Jul 2026	River Medway	Sovereign Way Tonbridge	150
16 Jul 2026	River Medway	Golden Green	743
16 Jul 2026	River Colne	Watford M1 link road	28
15 Jul 2026	Saredon Brook	DS Canal Feeder	1
15 Jul 2026	Saredon Brook	US Canal Feeder	3
15 Jul 2026	River Medway	Teston	96
15 Jul 2026	River Medway	Tovil	34

A survey record confirms roach at that place and time. It does not show present-day abundance or fishing access.

22,613 positive survey visits

Survey distribution

EA surveys recorded roach at 5,620 locations across 1,154 named waterways represented on RiverFish.

Region	Waterways	Locations	Survey visits	Latest record
Anglian	338	2,106	9,721	14 Jul 2026
South East	288	1,365	6,013	23 Jul 2026
Midlands	201	993	3,087	15 Jul 2026
South West	143	413	1,078	17 Jun 2026
North West	101	336	781	23 Jul 2026
Yorkshire and North East	83	407	1,933	2 Jul 2026

657 detailed pages

Roach by river

Open any river-specific page for its measured lengths, largest surveyed individuals, locations and observation history.

Anglian 228 pages

Midlands 96 pages

North West 39 pages

South East 188 pages

South West 59 pages

Yorkshire and North East 47 pages

How to read this page

Survey measurements, not angling records

Environment Agency surveys are designed to monitor fish populations. Their largest measurement is not equivalent to a verified rod-and-line record, and the survey sample does not include every river or every roach.

Waterway groups with administrative or mixed-river labels are excluded from the headline national totals and rankings. Their eligible river-specific pages remain available in the directory so no published destination is hidden.

The fish records use the Environment Agency source snapshot dated 10 August 2026.

How RiverFish handles the data →