The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Splendid post SS, wonderful catch, most envious

What a superb post and a beautiful looking Tench SS...inspirational and encouraging.

Thanks guys, thinking about it makes me feel tired. My next mission is to catch a monster carp on cane. I've cleaned the rods and oiled the reels. The weather forecast for the 10 days looks good, overcast and showers :-)

Cracking days sport SS and the perfect a good ending with a glass or more of 'red'

Tight lines Dave

SofaSurfer wrote:Julian,

My previous best catch was 24 Tench to 6lb and I didn't think I would ever beat that. I packed up about 6:00pm because I had run out of bait and I was completely exhausted. With a bit more bait and something to drink I could have stayed until dusk. The lake was stocked with 200 female tench many years ago and the original stock now average over 3lb. Good planning and excellent fishery management have produced these results, it could be done anywhere :-)

I understand why the tench fishing there is currently of such outstanding quality.
I used to do a lot of tench fishing in the period 1979 to 1986 at one particular water, and at that time there was a real tench boom throughout the south of the country. The boom appeared to be caused by one exceptional spawning year for tench in many waters -1976 - the really long dry and exceptionally hot summer.
However back then there were many waters that were ideally suited to tench, but even then good tench spawning years were few. The problem now is of course that waters dominated by carp will never be good for tench as they are always out-competed for food - and also so many waters have had the vital types of weed removed that are essential for successful tench spawning. So difficult to reverse damage done to old pools and lakes.

I'm currently reading Tinca Tinca by the Tenchfishers - a superbly informative book on tench and highly recommended for any tench enthusiasts. It really is a mine of information on tench.

Julian,

The farmer emptied the lake, spread several tons of manure and planted suitable weeds. The lake was left to mature for several years. Hand selected female tench were introduced and the lake was not fished for 2 years. A lot of hard work and money has resulted in a first class fishery. A long term plan, not a muddy hole full of carp for a quick buck.

SofaSurfer wrote:Julian,

The farmer emptied the lake, spread several tons of manure and planted suitable weeds. The lake was left to mature for several years. Hand selected female tench were introduced and the lake was not fished for 2 years. A lot of hard work and money has resulted in a first class fishery. A long term plan, not a muddy hole full of carp for a quick buck.

Definitely worth the effort - but that probably makes it almost unique in terms of a tench fishery today.
I wish there were a few more like that .

Julian,
The Tench fishing was much the same around my way in that 79-86 period. I fished Higham's Park lake in Epping Forest which at the time was full of Tench from about 1lb - 6lb, Wanstead Ornamentals was another lake with lots of Tench then and that had the lovely addition of have a lkot of nice Crucians in it two.

Sadly both lakes are now shadows of there former selves. The small farm pond i found a few weeks back is reputed to have quite a few Tench so we'll see in a week or so.

Lots of very small Tench in my other favorite Epping waters but not a lot of larger ones.

I am lucky enough to fish a real traditional tench lake here in N Yorks. Lost down a farm track in empty countryside (OK- the A1 is only a mile or so away but you don't notice it )it's an old and deep brick pit , tree lined and with lots of weed . And lots of tench . They do the stuff that tench should - bubble like buggery and pull like carthorses . I am really a river fisherman at heart but there is something deeply satisfying about easing back in my chair and waiting for the float to disappear or - far better- to spear up and lie flat. They run to over 8lb the odd carper tells me but I take that with a pinch of salt as too many carpers I meet wouldn't know a bream from a bleak and affect studied disdain for anything apart from carp.

On a good day I will get a dozen between 3 and 5 lbs which on the float is wonderful sport . So good that I have this minute decided to go tomorrow - sod the garden.

37 is one heck of an accumulated amount of tench SofaSurfer. I thought I was doing well After landing my 4th of the season last week.

I'm glad to hear that you are back on the banks and good on your wife for getting the wine out on your return. Quick check her ebay account.