East Midlands Tench Waters

[Guest pholt_uk]

Anyone know of any lakes holding big tench in the east midlands?

[nathan]

willow lakes (foston) have tench to 7lb on popular lake.

smeatons lakes (newark,next to sugar beat factory) have quite a lot of tench but i don't know what size

[Pete Elleray]

Hi Paul. What do you include in the East Midlands?

 

You should consider Sywell in Northamptonshire. Sywell is a star amongst tench waters.

 

Yours, Pete

[andy_moule]

I'd agree with that, Sywell is the place to go if you want big Tench. I've been there a couple of times this season and managed only four fish, but all over 5lb and the best nearly 8lb. If you manage to hit a shoal, you can have an amazing day's sport! On a trip a few seasons back, a friend and I shared 20 fish in an afternoon, between 5lb and 8lb 5oz (although there was a penalty, we got back to the car park to find my friend's van had been stolen)!

 

It can be weedy and there are some rules like max size 8 hooks, barbless only, and max 1oz leads, and you have to book in advance through Tek-Neek on 01904 479797. It's been very quiet this season, and if you can get down during the week, you might the only person on the lake.

 

A lot of people fish the feeder but I tend to do better with scaled-down carp tactics, baiting lightly and fishing mini-boilies or corn. I've found I lose a lot fo fish on feeder when it gets stuck in the weed, so I try to make my rigs as streamlined as possible. Float can produce but it can be awkward to fish due to the weed and ever-present wind!

 

By the way, Sywell had also produced big Roach and Pike in the past.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Andy.

[Guest pholt_uk]

Thanks for the info Andy. I've just been looking at some reviews for Sywell and it sounds good. Some unusual rules though:

 

The site http://www.tenchfishers.net/sywell.htm says:

 

"Banned: Barbed hooks, fixed (bolt rig) swimfeeders, method feeders and leger weights above 1oz. No fixed lead systems to be used. No bivvies or tents may be erected , no keepnets for tench. No hooks below size 8. Strictly no night fishing.

Bite Alarms, are permitted if volume set low."

 

Why does the fishery have restrictions on the type of rig you use? This site: http://www.tackleup.com/new_page_22.htm says only float fishing is allowed?!

 

In any case it sounds good and I'm going to try it next week. Apart from bollies and corn what are the favourite baits? Any particularly good pegs there?

 

Cheers again

Paul

[davidP]

The water changed hands this season and it's no longer float only. Problems started a few years ago when people started using extremely heavy tackle and leads to try and drag tench through the extemely thick canadian pondweed. As a result a lot of fish got badly damaged. The water owners (local council) got upset and so in order to stop fishing being banned the club that controlled the water brought in a float only rule. It upset a lot of people but it saved the fishing. Tek-Neek have taken over the water this season and have relaxed some of the rules but they're still subject to the fact that the Council have a lot of say in what goes on, hence some of the other rules.

 

As for fishing it, there's a 4 page Andy Little feature on it in this weeks Anglers Mail (Sept 7th). He found it to be extremely weedy - canadian pondweed at 20 yards going out another 50 yards, and silkweed closer in. He used PVA bags containing boilies on the bottom, micro-halibut pellets in the middle and dead red maggots on the top. The hook was nicked into the top of the bag. The theory is that when the bag melts the bait is left sitting on top of the pile of freebies and this should keep the bait out of the silkweed. He fished 3 rods out using 6lb line, 3/4oz running lead, size 14 barbless hook and a single 10mm hair-rigged boilie (unknown variety but orange if picture is correct). He landed 3 of 5 runs - a five, a six & biggest @ 7lb 2oz.

 

Day tickets cost £8 & must be booked through Sarah Johnson at the Tek-Neek sales office on 01904 479797, 9-5 Monday to Friday.

 

[ 08. September 2002, 11:35 PM: Message edited by: davidP ]