Tangling with Tench.

 Tench are a species I really do wish to target more, their appearance coupled with the fact, pound for pound they fight harder than carp and dare I say it, barbel, as a target they are very attractive, for me the tench are a great adversary. Having recently headed out on an overnighter for tench and returning unsuccessful another trip in search of the "red eyed monsters" was on the cards, the sooner the better. The other day the opportunity came about for such a trip.

OH YEAH!

 A small estate lake was the venue and weights of tench again are unknown to me. Having probed the internet for any snippets of info a friend of mine slipped me a little nugget, just enough to go on, but not too much to give away the lakes real potential, tactics for tench can vary enormously, for me, keeping it simple and preferably on the float was my desired approach. Little did I know I would experience a fantastic day.

 Having set up my 15ft Greys Toreon float rod in conjunction with a fixed spool reel loaded with 5lb mainline. On the business end I fished a fine 4.8lb hook-length, dotted down to a pin pick, a size 16 hook and baits ranging from corn, meat, bread and broken bits of prawn. Having walked the lake I decided on a pinch point where deep water surrounded me, the plan was to intercept fish making their ways between the two distinct deeper areas. A quick plumbing of the depth and I was fishing.

 With the sun struggling to burn off the morning fog the surface of the lake was still shrouded in mist, but through the mist I could see patches of bubbles everywhere! the tench were feeding their heads off, all I had to do was be patient. That patience told a little before 8am as my float lifted gently and slipped away, a strong pull on the rod suggested there was no need to strike as the tench had already done the hard work! This however wasn't before I somehow managed to miss three fantastic bites. I put it down to rustiness.

 Putting paid to that early lapse of concentration I was in full swing, the tench were too. A good strong fight which was going to be a theme for the day ensued and I've said it before, tench do not get a fair crack of the whip from me and I really should do more to address that!. The first tench to slip in the net was a good fish, 6lb 8oz, a great way to start.

What A Start!

 But that start was the sign of things to come, within half an hour I would land another two, these weighing 5lb 15oz and a 6lb 15oz chunk, the big six I thought was an easy "seven pounder", alas the scales don't lie.

5lb 15oz

Best of the day, 6lb 15oz

 That initial glut was followed by a quiet spell where I only caught one between 0830 and midday when I called it quits on the tench front as the feeding had clearly ceased and felt my time be spent better elsewhere, the fourth tench weighed 5lb 4oz.

 After vacating the lake for five hours I came back for another go for them on their evening feeding spell, glad I did! It would turn out to be a great decision, within 57 minutes I would land another six tench to bring my days total to 10 fish, the smallest weighing 5lb 1oz. For me that's the best haul of tench I have ever managed in my slap dash efforts at the species. I can not wait to get back for another go to see what else is present.

 Here is the timings and weights:

 6lb 8oz - 0752
 5lb 15oz-0808
 6lb 15oz-0826
 5lb 4oz - 0952
 5lb 9oz - 1754
 5lb 12oz-1758
 5lb 11oz-1805
 5lb 1oz - 1822
 5lb 14oz-1838
 5lb 13oz-1851

LOVE IT!