I give up

[terry t shirt]

I gave in last weekend aswell had 3 tench between 3lb and 5lb ish didnt weigh them but thats average weight for the venue.

[Vagabond]

...after years of sticking to tradition and choosing to not coarse fish in the old closed season, I finally give in

 

The so-called "tradition" of a close season is a recent one - ie since the notorious "Mundella Act" of 1878. So the "close season" on still waters lasted for little over 100 years.

 

The real tradition, in all the hundreds of years that people went fishing before 1878 was to fish for tench in spring and early summer.

[gozzer]

Well, what can I say...after years of sticking to tradition and choosing to not coarse fish in the old closed season, I finally give in.

Charges of hypocrisy will, of course, be taken in good grace

 

Is there only me left then?

 

The so-called "tradition" of a close season is a recent one - ie since the notorious "Mundella Act" of 1878. So the "close season" on still waters lasted for little over 100 years.

 

But some of us weren't around then, to remember it.

 

John.

Edited April 28, 2007 by gozzer

[rarepleasures]

I could my first Tench today !.

 

 

To begin with I thought I'd got snagged trying to hook a skimmer, the float went then nothing. But it was like having a brick on the line. I assumed I'd struck to early and got tangled in the lily pads roots just off where I was fishing.

 

This thing didn't move. I tried to slowly drag my line clear and got a shock when the mouth surfaced.

[Steve Walker]

I had a go on one of the club pits last night and this morning. Not good. I spoke to two other anglers who'd fished earlier in the week. Neither had caught anything or had so much as a bite, but one had caught 100lbs of tench a couple of days ago and one had bagged up for a couple of nights running earlier in the week. Seem they've just switched off.

 

I had one bite last night, resulting in a four inch perch. This morning, I had one bite which connected to a good tench for about 10 seconds. At half seven this morning, after two hours of squinting into a surprisingly cold wind, I called it a day and went to check out some of the other waters. The big lake at Wick was crowded with carp-campers, there was a match on the carp puddle and as a result almost every peg on the small coarse pond was taken by disappointed puddle-fishers. So I fished Ham Pool, which was pleasantly warm and sheltered but resulted in nothing but a succession of four inch roach on maggot. I hit one better fish, felt like a decent roach or perch, but it came off.

[Anderoo]

I blanked! The big tench are being caught by carpers who would rather they didn't ruin their carpy chances and are mostly coming out at night - 5.30 was too late and the margins are seemingly devoid of tench. Richard Capper's been doing well though, so it's probably a skill issue!

 

I intend to get my revenge on the carpers by accidentally catching a 35lber and slip it back scowling muttering about being 'pestered'.

 

I did manage to catch a wild brownie on a dry sedge after the failed tench mission, which was very nice. I tried again yesterday and missed 4 superb takes and had numerous refusals. You need serious reflexes for these little trout! It was good to be back by running water though.

[Kappa]

Richard Capper's been doing well though, so it's probably a skill issue!

 

Hmmm I don't think so Anderoo! I think its just because I'm lazy and having thing having the bait out in plenty of time before dawn i.e. the night before! Still not had one over 6lbs though! They fed a little later on Sunday over my heavily baited spot! I'm starting to doubt the weights bounced around by the carpers! When I get a chance I'll post a few picks of those rudd!

 

Antyne got any tips? The campers (sorry I mean carpers though they never actually seem to catch carp) claim to be catching tench to over double figures but I've yet to see a tench out of this lake bigger than 6lbs including ones others have caught! I've tried maggots feeders / method feeders / the margins / further out / on top of bars / over the back of bars / in deep water / lots of bait and just whats in the feeder! I wonder if its just a matter of getting through the smaller tench or perhaps the larger tench prefer to live a range or perhaps are far more rig savvy?

 

Rich

Edited April 30, 2007 by Richard Capper

[Steve Walker]

Maybe it's just a function of time spent fishing? The campers may catch the doubles, but how many average size tench do they also catch? If you could get the numbers it might give you a clue as to how many days of catching average tench you will need to put in before a monster turns up. You might not want to know the answer, though

 

(Speaking of camping, the other day I saw someone with, I swear, a satellite dish on a pole outside his bivvy)

[Steve Burke]

(Speaking of camping, the other day I saw someone with, I swear, a satellite dish on a pole outside his bivvy)

 

I didn't know you fished the same waters as Elton!

[Kappa]

Maybe it's just a function of time spent fishing? The campers may catch the doubles, but how many average size tench do they also catch? If you could get the numbers it might give you a clue as to how many days of catching average tench you will need to put in before a monster turns up. You might not want to know the answer, though

 

(Speaking of camping, the other day I saw someone with, I swear, a satellite dish on a pole outside his bivvy)

 

Thats the thing, they seem to catch mostly larger tench (so they say)! I don't think its a times issue though! I've put quite a bit of time in plus though they are just camping they rarely stay more than a few nights! They are a nice bunch really but they seem to spend the entire weekend drinking! Maybe I should try larger baits, if the tench are moving in small groups perhaps the smaller fish are beating the more cautious larger tench to the bait. I was also thinking if it was a hooklength or length of hair issue!

 

Rich