Pre-baiting

[Ed Matysiak]

In the summer me and a friend will be spending 2 days fishing and a night camping. On day one we are going to surface fish for carp and on day two we want to fish for big tench. As we are sleeping on site i thought we could pre-bait a swim in the evening and fish it in the morning for the tench.

 

Would this increase our chances of big tench? What do you pre-bait with? Can you use groundbait?

Cheers

[Chris Plumb]

Koi Carp:

What do you pre-bait with?

A rake! I'd rake the swim - scares off the carp and attracts in the tench. And don't think you've got to wait hours for the tench to turn up - I've OFTEN had them within minutes of raking - in fact will often throw the rake out 'mid-session' if things have gone a bit quiet!!!

 

 

Chris

[Ed Matysiak]

Im sorry did you say a rake?! You mean stick a garden rake in the water?? This is new to me. How does it work?

[Chris Plumb]

Yes a RAKE - more specifically a rake head tied to a long piece of rope. Raking a swim is THE traditional/classic way of preparing a tench swim. It stirs up the bottom, exposes tha natural food and attracts the fish in - natures own groundbait. I might also add some free offering into the raked area such as casters/maggots/cockles - whatever I intend to use as a hook bait (cockle/maggot cocktail is often first choice).

Some people weld two rake heads together so that it doesn't matter which way it lands on the bottom - I actually use a 3 pronged heavy bill-hook for the same reason. Make sure that you anchor the end of your rope on the bank in case your chuck is over enthusiastic.

It does take a bit of belief at first. I often think that all the commotion will scare every fish in the lake - but within minutes the tinca's will be routing around to see what's been stirred up. ( A friend of mine once had a near 3lb crucian 1st cast after casting into a just raked area). In a Passion for Angling Bob James get a good tench from Frensham within yards of where kids are bathing in the lake. No raking needed then!!!

 

Chris

[Ed Matysiak]

Sounds interesting. Will have to give this a go!

Any other hints for catching big tench guy? (and gals)

[Dunk Fairley]

I love raking a swim, especially when you see the looks on other angler's faces when you do it!

[chris mc]

Hered of "Rakeing" of alot a Anglers been to scared to try it out me self though.Might give it a try one day soon.

[FishinMad2003]

I find sweetcorn is the best method of pre-baiting for tench, its cheap 2! Raking the swim is important, and tench love the disturbance.

[Bradford Angler]

Koi,

what Chris says is correct . . raking is the best way to bring in the tench . .

 

however . . it depends on where you are fishing . . I mean if you are on a day ticket water . . no barbed hooks, no keepnets, no groundbait . . then maybe you should have a word with the fishery owner first . . . might just be worth it

[Ed Matysiak]

Good idea Bradford. I will talk it over with him. I have also found sweetcorn good for tench. They love sweet smells. Im going to buy some Van Den Eynde liquid green lipped mussles. I will add it to my groundbait and particles for extra stink!