Tench fishing

[Yeomans]

Hi All,

 

Normally a carp fisherman but i herd there was tench up to 9lb out on my local water, so i think its time i gave them a go! i think i know where they are, when carp fishing i was getting lots of small bubbles and really finiky bites, nothing worth striking, just a few beeps on the alarm, then 30 secs later a few more and my line constantly pulling. when i do get a run worth a strike, im striking into nothing il sit there a whole day not moving swims cause im thinking a tench would be nice, but its frustrating not getting one!

any usuful tips, rigs, baits etc wuld be much appreiciated.

 

Regards,

Dan

[DavyR]

Try float fishing cockles for them in the margins. No guarantee that'll keep the carp away, though...

[Andrew Boyd]

Float tend to be best if your fishing within range. The are tackle shy, so don't fish the lift method, best fished with shot up the line and carfully using a plummet to fish over depth by say 4 inches. Dependant upon the bottom, weed, snags use 5 or 6lb line, reducing to 4 if the area is clear. That being said, Tench love weed beds / pads and tend to be found within or close to. Baits, most normal baits do well, but each lake is different. Try meat, maggot, castors, flake, cockles, prawns or if they are switched onto bolies try the mini sizes. Hooks, size 8 or 10 for flake, I use 10's with prawns & cockles, or size 12 with maggots or castors. Mini boiles best matched with a 10. You'll already know but dawn and dusk are the best times. My local lakes see the Tench most active just after dusk ( about 9.45pm onwards ).

 

Good luck

[Steve Walker]

I've had a few tench sessions this season:

 

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/index.p...mp;showentry=98

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/index.p...mp;showentry=99

My usual setup is:

 

12' 1.5lb TC Avon, 6lb mainline, 6lb DoubleStrength hooklength, size 8 eyed hook. Even though I'm not casting far I use a 2 1/2 swan Crystal insert waggler because of the relatively stiff rod, heavy line and heavy bait. Depending which lake I'm fishing I either put most of the shot round the float plus a couple of No4s and a No6 down the line (shallow lakes) or else I fish a slider with the bulk of the shot about four feet from the hook and again a couple of No4 and a No6 down the line (deep lakes). I've been mostly using worm on the hook and loose feeding hemp, pellets and red maggot.

Edited July 4, 2006 by Steve Walker

[jevs]

Always worth taking a tin of sweetcorn with you too....Tench love corn.

 

Good luck

 

Andy

[Anderoo]

If it gets carp fished a lot and you're after the bigger fish, it's worth having one rod on a small method feeder and a couple of small fruity boilies (tutti fruity, esterberry, pineapple). For the groundbait use loads of hemp, a few crushed boilies, dead maggot/caster, sweetcorn, and whever binder you choose (crumb and green swim stim seems to work). 10lb mainline and 8lb braided hooklength to be safe. Leave that to fish itself and on the other rod fish the lightest float you can get away with on the lightest line you can get away with, fished a few inches overdepth, and try maggot, worm or corn (depending on what it's like there for nuisance fish).

 

That way you're covered for pretty much anything that swims, and both methods work very well for tench.

[pete2]

If it gets carp fished a lot and you're after the bigger fish, it's worth having one rod on a small method feeder and a couple of small fruity boilies (tutti fruity, esterberry, pineapple). For the groundbait use loads of hemp, a few crushed boilies, dead maggot/caster, sweetcorn, and whever binder you choose (crumb and green swim stim seems to work). 10lb mainline and 8lb braided hooklength to be safe. Leave that to fish itself and on the other rod fish the lightest float you can get away with on the lightest line you can get away with, fished a few inches overdepth, and try maggot, worm or corn (depending on what it's like there for nuisance fish).

 

That way you're covered for pretty much anything that swims, and both methods work very well for tench.

id tend to open a tin of corn add two teaspoons of suger and a little hemp oil and leave it in the fridge over night it will turn the corn juice into a kind of sweet jelly slime that tench seem to go wild for.then fish a very small insert and fed only small amounts of the corn too much and the carp will be on to it.also try for shady deep holes hope you have some tench regards pete

[Yeomans]

Cheers for help all!, Landed a 7lb 2oz tench this morning! :D

[Kappa]

Cheers for help all!, Landed a 7lb 2oz tench this morning! :D

 

Congratulations! Are you converted? Time to put the bivvy away?

 

Only teasing well done mate!

 

Rich

[Anderoo]

Excellent

 

What was the successful method and bait?