My Opening Gambit.

 

 Well, it wasn't the opening day/s that I had planned, to cut a long story short during the winter the rat or rats that I had in my shed had gnawed a whole in my boat the size of a credit card, I was fuming considering I didn't notice until I had reached my launch site 93 miles from home, having set off at 3am and inviting my mate Chris to join me for a mission across the Fens in search of monster Rudd. SS Rudd was no longer.

 Chris and I both did what we could on the bank to get her afloat but there was to be no salvaging that. Around 9am we decided bank work was our go to alternative and did so for a few hours and I managed one decent Rudd of 1.13 along with a load of fish around one pound, but there was an overriding sense of complete disappointment, I was super pissed off at it all and no doubt Chris was happy just being there but for me it wasn't enough and really wanted to captain us to some brilliant fishing which I know can be had.

 We got to around midday/1pm and decided it was best if we tried somewhere different where we stood a chance of better fishing so we packed away but unfortunately Chris didn't make it to the new venue as his car was giving him trouble and had to head off home / garage to get the issue resolved. With that I carried on went about my business but the fishing in the high sun was tough going and a lot of the Rudd were tucked away in the eel grass, I knew the latter hours would be best but I packed up at 8pm, to be honest the disappointment of the eaten boat had killed the enthusiasm so buggered off home. 

 Less said about that trip the better.

Tench Campaign Part 4.

 

 Well as the river season draws ever closer and the thought of stalking monster river Rudd and feeling the tug of the bronze torpedos as I get my 40 Rivers Challenge back underway it would seem my time after Tench has come to a close (still 4 weeks to run on my ticket), it has been a super start on a venue I'd never seen before and knew little of, I came away after 6 visits with 23 Tench with 19 over 7lbs and 3x new personal bests weighing at 8lb 5oz, 8lb 14oz and 8lb 15ozs. 

 Part of me wants to get back on there before July 15th as there are certainly doubles in there fully spawned out, my only reason for not going back is the time spent there is possibly taking an opportunity away from catching a big Barbel from a river within my challenge, its a quandary I must overcome, those big tench that I was catching across late April and May are truly special creatures.

 Tench number 22 & 23 came on a short overnight session last week when I decided to have one last go for a real fatty before they got down to business, little did I know they had already been at it and considering the condition of the two Tench I had they were going hard at it, with that knowledge I packed up and went home, two 6lb plus fish to round off my short Spring campaign wasn't a bad return.

 There may yet be a part 5.....watch this space.

 Anyway, it's June 16th tomorrow, Rudd fishing wherever the wind takes me and hopefully get some great content for a film for the Drennan Specialist platform. Good Luck to you all.