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Tench 2024

Had a few lake sessions with some tench success but couple of weekends ago got absolutely slaughtered by mosqitoes whilst sitting in the shade on a sunny day.
Had about 20 -25 mossi bites which came up following day.
What is considered the best repellant these days apart from citronella ,avon skin soft or deet ?
Someone suggested Vics vapour rub ?
Might help a few others
Cheers
I use Jungle Formula with Deet. Probably not good for one's health or the environment but, given the choice, far better than multiple bites and days of itching and scratching! You and I must he in the group that seem to attract them but don't get me going on midges!
 
I use Jungle Formula with Deet. Probably not good for one's health or the environment but, given the choice, far better than multiple bites and days of itching and scratching! You and I must he in the group that seem to attract them but don't get me going on midges!
They drove me mad, every 30 seconds slapping myself, looked like a German folk dancer at a beer festival.
 
My tench campaign hasn't really got going with only 4 or 5 sessions so far, managed to get out today and had a lovely 8.06 first cast, turned out to be the only tench of the day but I did also get two very large eels, both easily over 4lbs, managed to unhook them both in the water thankfully !

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Well caught Cliff👍
 
Just packing up from a 48hour session on SWS Road & Island lake. Hard going for me, hooked five but only landed two but they were both eight pounders. My mate Phil faired better in a swim about forty yards and round the bend slightly. He’s had twelve between 5-02 & 8-13 three being eight pounders. Back next week for another try.
 

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Two days/two night session on SWS Fisheries Road & Island lake again this week. Started well with a take twenty minutes after casting while I wrestled with my new bivvy. Another Tinca followed forty minutes later but then nothing ‘till the late afternoon when the best of the day 7-13 graced my net. I reeled my baits in at midnight finally so as I could get some shuteye in readiness of an early start.
Baits back out at 4.50am and similar pattern to Tuesday with two fish in the first hour and then nothing for the rest of the day, only fished ‘till 9.30pm as the sleeping bag was calling my name VERY loudly. Baits back out at 4.30am and best fish of the trip at 5.55am a female of 8-10. I lost two fish also on this trip due to hook pulls, very annoying!
Mat shot only of the 8-10 as the water in front of the swim was too shallow to allow safe retention while I readied the tripod and “camera”.
I’m visiting my sister in Cornwall next week before it gets too busy with visitors, might take a rod and try for Mullet, but will be back after the Tench early July before my spring ticket expires. When that’s gone I’ll then start thinking about my autumn Barbel trips, more travel involved for them so will be less frequent.

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Two days/two night session on SWS Fisheries Road & Island lake again this week. Started well with a take twenty minutes after casting while I wrestled with my new bivvy. Another Tinca followed forty minutes later but then nothing ‘till the late afternoon when the best of the day 7-13 graced my net. I reeled my baits in at midnight finally so as I could get some shuteye in readiness of an early start.
Baits back out at 4.50am and similar pattern to Tuesday with two fish in the first hour and then nothing for the rest of the day, only fished ‘till 9.30pm as the sleeping bag was calling my name VERY loudly. Baits back out at 4.30am and best fish of the trip at 5.55am a female of 8-10. I lost two fish also on this trip due to hook pulls, very annoying!
Mat shot only of the 8-10 as the water in front of the swim was too shallow to allow safe retention while I readied the tripod and “camera”.
I’m visiting my sister in Cornwall next week before it gets too busy with visitors, might take a rod and try for Mullet, but will be back after the Tench early July before my spring ticket expires. When that’s gone I’ll then start thinking about my autumn Barbel trips, more travel involved for them so will be less frequent.

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Out of interest Bill. Have the tench spawned down your way yet? That nice fish on your mat looks as though it hasn't.
 
Out of interest Bill. Have the tench spawned down your way yet? That nice fish on your mat looks as though it hasn't.
Not had a good go Ady, certainly not on the waters I fish. There’s obviously been a minor effort as I had a male with an extended vent recently. The water is warm and I recon a few days of sun will see them go for it.
 
5 tench to 5lb and a 23lb mirror in a 2 hour session yesterday afternoon.

I’m blanking on the river - so it was just a bit of r&r and a check that the bait works…..
Well caught Tim 👍
 
Now that the rivers are nearly a month old I doubt there is much interest in Tench now by most but as I live so far from “my” rivers and my spring Tench ticket expires soon I’m still after the green fella’s. I’ve had two forty-eight hour trips since my last input both to SWS Larkfield complex and in particular the Road and Island Lake. The first was week before last and it was a tough ‘en. Wind started north westerly and veered south westerly with a bit of every other direction in between I think. One fish for my efforts, a 6-01 male took a 10mm pop up just before I reeled in for the first night. My next trip was earlier this week, again SWS R&I lake, this time my first twenty-four hours were fish less with very little showing, my mate had six from another area in the same period but at 6-15am on my second morning a 4-00 male graced my net, I had four other fish during the day topped by an 8-04 female. Fished on ‘till just before 10pm when I reeled in for the night. Baits were back out at 4:45am Thursday morning, four more tinca’s, three sevens and a five with a 7-09 the pick of the bunch before I packed up late morning.
 
A twenty-four hour session with our youngest son Ian this week. Ian is an occasional angler and needed to use a bit of his holiday entitlement and also wanted some peace and quiet away from the kids. We fished from Wednesday AM thru’ ‘till Thursday on SWS Road and Island Lake, he for carp and me for Tench. We packed up mid morning on Thursday with him unfortunately, but not surprisingly, fishless. R&I doesn’t give up its carp easily. I had four Tench from 4-01 to 8-12 topped by one of the prettiest I’ve had this season.
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A twenty-four hour session with our youngest son Ian this week. Ian is an occasional angler and needed to use a bit of his holiday entitlement and also wanted some peace and quiet away from the kids. We fished from Wednesday AM thru’ ‘till Thursday on SWS Road and Island Lake, he for carp and me for Tench. We packed up mid morning on Thursday with him unfortunately, but not surprisingly, fishless. R&I doesn’t give up its carp easily. I had four Tench from 4-01 to 8-12 topped by one of the prettiest I’ve had this season.
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Absolute stunner Bill, and the Tinca ain't bad either 🤣 Seriously, that's a peach of a tench, well done. 👍
 
Absolute stunner Bill, and the Tinca ain't bad either 🤣 Seriously, that's a peach of a tench, well done. 👍
Thanks Derek, definitely the lucky part of my angling is the fish that have picked up the bait, yes I’ve put in some hours and fish lakes which hold some smashing fish but Lady Luck has shon on me this year. I hope she keeps shining as not quite finished yet 🤞🤣
 
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