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Marsh Farm Crucian and Tench

Daniel Earl

Daniel Earl

Senior Member & Supporter
Going in a couple of weeks to Marsh Farm if anyone out there has some knowledge they would be willing to share.

Any advise welcome line breaking strain's baits etc

Will be taking a quiver rod and a float rod.
 
I did very well when it first opened for a couple of years by creating my own marginal shade back then because it was bare. These days its more established so try to fish a swim with marginal cover for crucians. Fish Harris lake if you want to target the crucians. I used to do very well about half way down the railway bank. Do not be afraid to fish very very close in , when they dug the lakes the margins were too shallow for keepnets so they dug a digger scoop out from every swim. Its possibly filled in these days but still worth targeting the area, obviously be as quiet as possible fishing so close in. If you go too far out over the marginal area you will get Tenched out. Fish casters under a small pole float with number 8 shot bulked 2/3 depth with a dropper or two full depth, the finer you fish the more you will catch. Back in the day I used to pole fish it with an 010 hooklength but with the Tench getting bigger now maybe start on 012 hooklength and set your drag well. Do not muck about with tiny hooks a 16 and double caster makes a great hookbait. Try to separate your Crucians from your Tench because the crucians get pushed out /bullied by the Tench. For the Tench feed a small bed of Hemp like 100 grains fed every 20 minutes over the marginal edge say 15ft out and feed 10 casters every couple of minutes over the top. If you start bagging up feed accordingly. Plumb the depth to find exactly where it drops away. For the Crucian area drip feed 6 casters in the margins every time you feed the Tench area. Start fishing the Tench area but every 10 minutes drop short onto the closer area. If the crucians are there you will get a bite within a minute or two. 2 pints of casters and 2 of hemp should do you for a whole day. Your bites can be very very tiny with a fine tip just dimpling or sailaways, Strike every movement you sense. Crucians seem to hold onto casters a bit longer than other baits. I never had time to fish a feeder because I was working the pole and catching plenty but if you check on Youtube there are advise videos. If you have an empty swim next to you if they race off when you hook them, net them and return them in the next swim down rather than over your feed. I did wonder if I was still fishing there would I take a normal rake just to rake the close in margin, think I would.
 
Also give appollo angling the on-site tackle shop a call and I'm sure they'll update you with the latest news.

Very helpful bunch in there.
 
Mark Swaby said:
I did very well when it first opened for a couple of years by creating my own marginal shade back then because it was bare. These days its more established so try to fish a swim with marginal cover for crucians. Fish Harris lake if you want to target the crucians. I used to do very well about half way down the railway bank. Do not be afraid to fish very very close in , when they dug the lakes the margins were too shallow for keepnets so they dug a digger scoop out from every swim. Its possibly filled in these days but still worth targeting the area, obviously be as quiet as possible fishing so close in. If you go too far out over the marginal area you will get Tenched out. Fish casters under a small pole float with number 8 shot bulked 2/3 depth with a dropper or two full depth, the finer you fish the more you will catch. Back in the day I used to pole fish it with an 010 hooklength but with the Tench getting bigger now maybe start on 012 hooklength and set your drag well. Do not muck about with tiny hooks a 16 and double caster makes a great hookbait. Try to separate your Crucians from your Tench because the crucians get pushed out /bullied by the Tench. For the Tench feed a small bed of Hemp like 100 grains fed every 20 minutes over the marginal edge say 15ft out and feed 10 casters every couple of minutes over the top. If you start bagging up feed accordingly. Plumb the depth to find exactly where it drops away. For the Crucian area drip feed 6 casters in the margins every time you feed the Tench area. Start fishing the Tench area but every 10 minutes drop short onto the closer area. If the crucians are there you will get a bite within a minute or two. 2 pints of casters and 2 of hemp should do you for a whole day. Your bites can be very very tiny with a fine tip just dimpling or sailaways, Strike every movement you sense. Crucians seem to hold onto casters a bit longer than other baits. I never had time to fish a feeder because I was working the pole and catching plenty but if you check on Youtube there are advise videos. If you have an empty swim next to you if they race off when you hook them, net them and return them in the next swim down rather than over your feed. I did wonder if I was still fishing there would I take a normal rake just to rake the close in margin, think I would.
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Lovely water with fabulous crucians, rudd and tench. However, I was disappointed to find on my recent visit that there appears to have been a rule change and non-members, fishing on a day ticket, have to be off the water by 5pm.🙁

Neil
 
Neil Kirk said:
Lovely water with fabulous crucians, rudd and tench. However, I was disappointed to find on my recent visit that there appears to have been a rule change and non-members, fishing on a day ticket, have to be off the water by 5pm.🙁

Neil
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I’m a member so if you ever want to stay later I can guest you and let you out I try and go twice a month on Monday or Sunday goes for anyone happy to help. Means you stay later if I let you out with a key.
 
In recent years I've only fished it a few times with a mixture of results. But 15 years ago I was addicted to the place!

Admin: please delete if this is not allowed.

I recently rediscovered a couple of articles I wrote in 2008 describing my mini campaign on what was then a very local water for me.
 

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Mark Swaby said:
I did very well when it first opened for a couple of years by creating my own marginal shade back then because it was bare. These days its more established so try to fish a swim with marginal cover for crucians. Fish Harris lake if you want to target the crucians. I used to do very well about half way down the railway bank. Do not be afraid to fish very very close in , when they dug the lakes the margins were too shallow for keepnets so they dug a digger scoop out from every swim. Its possibly filled in these days but still worth targeting the area, obviously be as quiet as possible fishing so close in. If you go too far out over the marginal area you will get Tenched out. Fish casters under a small pole float with number 8 shot bulked 2/3 depth with a dropper or two full depth, the finer you fish the more you will catch. Back in the day I used to pole fish it with an 010 hooklength but with the Tench getting bigger now maybe start on 012 hooklength and set your drag well. Do not muck about with tiny hooks a 16 and double caster makes a great hookbait. Try to separate your Crucians from your Tench because the crucians get pushed out /bullied by the Tench. For the Tench feed a small bed of Hemp like 100 grains fed every 20 minutes over the marginal edge say 15ft out and feed 10 casters every couple of minutes over the top. If you start bagging up feed accordingly. Plumb the depth to find exactly where it drops away. For the Crucian area drip feed 6 casters in the margins every time you feed the Tench area. Start fishing the Tench area but every 10 minutes drop short onto the closer area. If the crucians are there you will get a bite within a minute or two. 2 pints of casters and 2 of hemp should do you for a whole day. Your bites can be very very tiny with a fine tip just dimpling or sailaways, Strike every movement you sense. Crucians seem to hold onto casters a bit longer than other baits. I never had time to fish a feeder because I was working the pole and catching plenty but if you check on Youtube there are advise videos. If you have an empty swim next to you if they race off when you hook them, net them and return them in the next swim down rather than over your feed. I did wonder if I was still fishing there would I take a normal rake just to rake the close in margin, think I would.
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Mark, fished it a couple of times. Not done too well TBH. But others on those days all on method feeders.
Being a funny B I have used a float.

I am going to fish at end of month as you describe and try again.

Of course it'll be you I'll blame if it's hopeless 😄
 
When I first fished it Harris had no cover and after seeing a good catch from the outflow swim (which had a little bit of cover ) I realised I had to make up what I called my pontoon to create my own marginal cover. Two 9ft plastic Uptider rod tubes were connected together with 3 sections of 3 dustbin bags which were secured to the tubes with heavy tape. This was then floated out into the margins and secured with rod rests. I had the only cover so all the marginal cruising crucians would come to me and stay under my black pontoon. Every 4 crucians or so they would spook out from under the pontoon but not go far. I would then have to put another section of pole on and search slightly around for my next one. They would then come back under the pontoon again. It was so successful the week after I first did it a couple of the Tenchfishers made up their own pontoons and caught.
 
First night report arrived at 8 last night walked round, decided to chose a swim with no Lilly’s but rush cover. My thinking was it won’t have been fished as much as one with Lilly’s rightly or wrongly.

11 tench up to 5.2lb

1 bar of gold 1.7lb

Tired sitting with a tea watching the sun come up with magic soul on the portable.

Happy Days.

Makes a nice break from big pits.
 
Second Night Report

Slowed right down for me, few more crucians and a few more tench.

Terry I was fishing with it felt like he was pure fishing with pellet at one point he really hit a good few hours and the fish where non stop.

What a fab place it is, had a good walk round loved it. Tackle shop is well stocked and everyone is friendly.

Between a few of us we had around 30 tench 20 crucians a hand full of roach and a few perch.

Biggest tench we had 5.4

Biggest crucian 2.1

Bait was a mix of caster maggot pellet and corn with a sprinkle of ground bait on the feeder.

Fantastic 48 hours
 
I am visiting over the next week of two hopefully . A bit of a trip for me, 75 miles or so but less than when I went to Decoy last month so provided the traffic is kind, a good day can be hoped for. I really appreciate all your comments and advice guys, I had read most before but just out of interest as I thought it too far for a day trip but plan to go for it before nasty weather returns. I will report in due course. It will be nice to get the lighter gear a dust off!
 
thats great Daniel.
My pal Mark who also wants to go is belatedly grown fond of tench. He fishes in France once a year and amongst his usual whales, this year he had a 10+ tench. When I saw the pic and confirmed they are my favorite fish, we decided to have a go when we found the right venue. That's really why I started reading the past stories about Marsh farm. The crucians are a big draw too . I like to flavour my own baits, pellets/meat etc. so hoped also to use my lightest polaris floats and use method feeders ( 1/4 oz ) on my aspire ultra match float rod. I appreciate the advice seems to be maggots but I find them to be a faff. I will also have my favourite little 10' bomb, a browning CC. What do I need to know? Alec
 
Flavours good call, pineapple or something sweet along with something tiny as hook bait I’m talking micro hook baits or 4mm pellet. Size 16 hook.

A fish meal ground bait does well so does a green beatin. Method out fishes the float for me but that’s because I’m better feeder angler than float angler 🤣.

Molasses or f1 sweet good calls for liquid.

Feed more ground bait than pellet and your keep the bites coming.

Don’t neglect 3/4 of the way out but keep a margin baited for early evening.

Keep hemp and 6mm pellet going in but very little and every 30 mins or so the bites will come.

I used caster and maggots when I went the first time but this time I only used ground bait hemp and pellet and I caught more. But means nothing lol could just be the day.

Harris peg 35 and 6 I’ve fished so far and done well out of both. When you get there your see them fizzing.

Tackle shop on site is mega take your wallet 🤣

PM me if you want my mobile number happy to support as you’re coming a long way I’ll give you all the info I got for you to make an informed descion if you want it that is.

If it’s slow get your float out and stick quiver on an alarm maxmise your chances.

The tench in there have a habit of giving you a right old tussle.


Excuse the face I’ve had to have quite a bit of face cut out due to the sun and big c make sure you wear a hat 🎩
 

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Alec Hague said:
thats great Daniel.
My pal Mark who also wants to go is belatedly grown fond of tench. He fishes in France once a year and amongst his usual whales, this year he had a 10+ tench. When I saw the pic and confirmed they are my favorite fish, we decided to have a go when we found the right venue. That's really why I started reading the past stories about Marsh farm. The crucians are a big draw too . I like to flavour my own baits, pellets/meat etc. so hoped also to use my lightest polaris floats and use method feeders ( 1/4 oz ) on my aspire ultra match float rod. I appreciate the advice seems to be maggots but I find them to be a faff. I will also have my favourite little 10' bomb, a browning CC. What do I need to know? Alec
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Daniel Earl said:
Flavours good call, pineapple or something sweet along with something tiny as hook bait I’m talking micro hook baits or 4mm pellet. Size 16 hook.

A fish meal ground bait does well so does a green beatin. Method out fishes the float for me but that’s because I’m better feeder angler than float angler 🤣.

Molasses or f1 sweet good calls for liquid.

Feed more ground bait than pellet and your keep the bites coming.

Don’t neglect 3/4 of the way out but keep a margin baited for early evening.

Keep hemp and 6mm pellet going in but very little and every 30 mins or so the bites will come.

I used caster and maggots when I went the first time but this time I only used ground bait hemp and pellet and I caught more. But means nothing lol could just be the day.

Harris peg 35 and 6 I’ve fished so far and done well out of both. When you get there your see them fizzing.

Tackle shop on site is mega take your wallet 🤣

PM me if you want my mobile number happy to support as you’re coming a long way I’ll give you all the info I got for you to make an informed descion if you want it that is.

If it’s slow get your float out and stick quiver on an alarm maxmise your chances.

The tench in there have a habit of giving you a right old tussle.


Excuse the face I’ve had to have quite a bit of face cut out due to the sun and big c make sure you wear a hat 🎩
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Wow, magic. We are in depths of s/ Essex so will pass you enroute. . Had the face bit myself and lost my darling daughter on 15th Nov,to melanoma, so DONT RISK the sun.It kills! When I know when Mark can make it and the weather is kind, will be perfect to bump into you there.
 
Be happy to meet or if you want a full full day I’ll meet you there let you in and out happy to guest :)
 
Daniel Earl said:
Flavours good call, pineapple or something sweet along with something tiny as hook bait I’m talking micro hook baits or 4mm pellet. Size 16 hook.

A fish meal ground bait does well so does a green beatin. Method out fishes the float for me but that’s because I’m better feeder angler than float angler 🤣.

Molasses or f1 sweet good calls for liquid.

Feed more ground bait than pellet and your keep the bites coming.

Don’t neglect 3/4 of the way out but keep a margin baited for early evening.

Keep hemp and 6mm pellet going in but very little and every 30 mins or so the bites will come.

I used caster and maggots when I went the first time but this time I only used ground bait hemp and pellet and I caught more. But means nothing lol could just be the day.

Harris peg 35 and 6 I’ve fished so far and done well out of both. When you get there your see them fizzing.

Tackle shop on site is mega take your wallet 🤣

PM me if you want my mobile number happy to support as you’re coming a long way I’ll give you all the info I got for you to make an informed descion if you want it that is.

If it’s slow get your float out and stick quiver on an alarm maxmise your chances.

The tench in there have a habit of giving you a right old tussle.


Excuse the face I’ve had to have quite a bit of face cut out due to the sun and big c make sure you wear a hat 🎩
Click to expand...
Pretty, the fish that is!
 
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