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Bayleaf the Gardener

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Well, another day of 40mph+ rains keeping me off the season end rivers for the comparative shelter of the lakes.

The west end of Dobsons this time, hunkering down in the thick trees of the carpark. The water was still choppy enough to deter float fishing and indeed fish. Sensing nothing was going to happen, at midday I moved around to one of my favourite swims where I have confidence that fish lie in the overhanging willow labyrinth, though luring them out can be tricky.

Good move, me. In the next 30 minutes. with a small pop-up in the method feeder the bait runner screamed into action three times. The first I played for a few minutes before the hook pinged out, fish unseen. The second, the 4-inch, 8lb method feeder link snapped in the middle during the fight, fish unseen. The third was on for five seconds then pinged off again. Unseen. And that was the last bite of the day under the willows to my right.

My second rod, similarly baited up and cast two rod lengths out to my left had no such good start. It sat ignored for three hours before the bobbin popped and with no pinged hook or any other major ordeal, the carp I expected to appear at the surface turned out to be a 4lb 7oz tench, sadly with the traditional Dobsons tench mouth damage from past battles. I cast to the same spot and five minutes later, the same bite, a much stronger fight and this one was also a tench, virtually its twin, also in need of cosmetic dentistry, but 3 ounces heavier.

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One of the reasons I let my NAA membership go. The club has some good tench waters but all of the fish I've caught have been in a similar condition, I didn't get any enjoyment out of that.

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Yes, it was sad to see them that way.  I wouldn't fancy snogging one! Any ideas where to find some local, better looking tench, Rusty?

Edited by Bayleaf the Gardener
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RDAA have Wylies Lake behind the bowling alley just outside of Thatcham, day tickets are available from their website at £10. Used to be very good for tench and although I don't think it's quite as prolific now there are still good fish to be had. It gets very weedy, a great place for practicing your raking skills. Other than Wylies I'm not sure of many other local venues with a good head of tench, shame really, one of my favourite species.

Edited by Rusty
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I can vouch for Wylies - my pb tinca (7-10) was from there - but way past its hayday - and a rake used to be a must!

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Thanks, gents. Yes, I took a look at Wylies last year before joining NAA - It looked fab, but I decided to stay local as most of the RDAA waters were a fair distance away, and the chaps I met on the bank were particularly rude. Maybe I'll risk the occasional £10 this summer, take my gardening gear and see how it goes. I've also been looking at the Court Farm (Aldermaston) website - membership is a lot more, but not ridiculous. Do you fine and knowledgeable chaps have any experience if it?

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