Chris Jones
Senior Member
Had a day off from banging my head off the bank of the Swale. Didn't even chase barbel on another river as I'd been toying with. I had an invite to a day out chasing some tench. The water concerned was one that I'd fished as a kid and pretty much given up on. I think this was the place that started my loathing of weedy venues. Recently I've been getting to grips with such situations.
Can't say I was expecting much, it's the kind of place that is really hit and miss, with the emphasis on miss. Heard mutterings that it was fishing well for tench with bags of nine and twelve fish being reported. I'd have settled for a couple.
Shock of the day was having one within ten minutes of setting up. By six I'd had ten. At this point my fishing buddy bailed out, good plan, a thunderstorm arrived within the hour. He'd had a strange day, went for tench but only had one. He made up for it with five old warrior slabs, the biggest went 7lb 14oz and the others weren't far behind!
I toughed the howling wind, driving rain and thunder/lightning in the hope of getting past the twelve tench bag which is the best I'd ever heard of on the venue. Managed one during the worst of the weather and one just before the heavens opened. The rain stopped at about half eight with me still needing another one to beat twelve. Emptied my groundbait bucket and most of my maggot/caster and piled it in, hoping to see them fizz. Luckily they did and I managed another four tench for a total of sixteen fish to around 4lb 4oz. Not the biggest fish in the world but pretty respectable for this neck of the woods. My best ever tench session by a million miles.
Can't say I was expecting much, it's the kind of place that is really hit and miss, with the emphasis on miss. Heard mutterings that it was fishing well for tench with bags of nine and twelve fish being reported. I'd have settled for a couple.
Shock of the day was having one within ten minutes of setting up. By six I'd had ten. At this point my fishing buddy bailed out, good plan, a thunderstorm arrived within the hour. He'd had a strange day, went for tench but only had one. He made up for it with five old warrior slabs, the biggest went 7lb 14oz and the others weren't far behind!
I toughed the howling wind, driving rain and thunder/lightning in the hope of getting past the twelve tench bag which is the best I'd ever heard of on the venue. Managed one during the worst of the weather and one just before the heavens opened. The rain stopped at about half eight with me still needing another one to beat twelve. Emptied my groundbait bucket and most of my maggot/caster and piled it in, hoping to see them fizz. Luckily they did and I managed another four tench for a total of sixteen fish to around 4lb 4oz. Not the biggest fish in the world but pretty respectable for this neck of the woods. My best ever tench session by a million miles.