Tench!!

[Steve Walker]

Had my first tench session of the season today. When I arrived, I immediately noticed something odd about my favourite swim. Something familiar was missing. Suddenly, it came to me; no bivvies! Thanking the ghost of Izaak I parked up, grabbed the swim and tackled up.

 

It was still late afternoon, a bit early for tench, but there were a few promising bubbles. The water was gin clear, which worried me, but warm. Not much weed growth yet either. The thing I like about the swim is that there's about 8 feet of water under the rod tip, perfect for float fishing the margins. I suspect the thing the carp lads like about it is that it's wide and flat, ideal for camping, and they can park ten feet from the water, because they usually sit there belting leads out into the middle of the lake.

 

Feeding hemp and maggots and fishing two worms on a size 8, I soon started to get puzzing bites. The float would disappear at speed, pulling the line to the rod tip, but each time I struck at nothing. After a few of these, I decided it was probably small perch grabbing the end of the worm, and that perhaps they should be taught a lesson. Out came the match rod, 2lb line, barbless 16 and two maggots. First cast, the float slipped under, I struck, and... Well, you can probably guess. I was taught a lesson by a large tench which charged unstoppably around the swim before shedding the hook.

 

Back to the heavy gear and as the evening came the bubbling became more and more violent. Eventually the float twitched a couple of times and sunk, and the strike met something solid. A 5lb 12oz tench, three quarters of a pound over my best. As I contemplated how a round six would have somehow been more satisfying I hit another. This fought like a demon and pulled the scales round to 6lb 4oz. Two PBs in an evening!

 

Finally tally when fading light stopped play was three tench between 5lb 6oz and 5lb 12oz and two of 6lb 4oz. For the first session of the season, that will do me.

 

I wonder, though, whether there are many 7lbers in there?

[Richard04091979]

Well done mate, congrats good catch!

[Anthony78]

Sounds like a great days fishing, Isnt it great when everything goes to plan

 

Ant

[Steve Walker]

I'm tempted to go back tonight after work. Not sure SWMBO will be impressed, though, I think she might be hoping for a trip to the cinema...

[BoozleBear]

Where were you fishing? Sounds great

[Steve Walker]

Wickwater, on the South Cerney ticket. Main lake, not the carp puddles.

 

http://www.scac.org.uk/Galleries/wickmain.asp

 

[ 27. June 2005, 05:31 PM: Message edited by: Steve Walker ]

[Steve Walker]

Fished it again tonight, very quiet. Hardly any bubbling, though lots of porpoising and rolling. Not many bites. Got one tench of 6lb 8oz just as it was getting too dark to see the float.

 

Funny old game, innit?