Catching Big Tench

[rhornegold]

A few years ago I decided to have a proper go for the Tench at Fishers Green.
With a mate we started pre- baiting in the close season with loads of particules, and continued into the first two months of the season.
We did ok but not wonderfull, by changing to a Maggot and Caster our catch rate improved.
How would you target Tench on a difficult Pit.

Bob Hornegold

[CarponlineEditor]

I had a go for the carp admittedly down on a Kent pit with hemp mini boilies and spicey mini boilies. Didnt catch many carp but had quite a few tench up to eight pounds. Not much help i know but just though it may be of interest.

Andy

[scorpio]

A lot of time observing and fish to wher the fish are... I have had more success with Tench with Casters and brandlings than any other bait... I usually prebait with chopped worm, peat & hemp... you do take a lot of other species as well but when the tench get their heads down red letter day.... I had one at the old Twyford Venue a few years back I caught 13 tench all over 5lb, not massive I know but still excellent sport on light tackle. I also had a good haul from the South lake using the same method.

Mini boilies are a good bait so I have been told but I don't use boilies.

Tony

[rhornegold]

Andy and Tony,
Yes 6&8mm Fruity Boilies take some time to roll but have proved very successful on Abbotts,but there they are use to boilies.
I hope the lads start their carping campaign on the 70, it will educate the Tench into taking boilies.

Bob Hornegold

[rhornegold]

Ian,
Totally agree with all you said, we used Minnor Bird? feed,it was was full of seeds and nuts,mixed with corn/casters/maggots it made a great groundbait.
Funny how you can get a Tench swim really buzzing,you know the whole swim is full of rootings, then as if someone has turned off the light switch it's all over.
Can't wait for the summer now, all that mist and Tench slime , those little red eyes.
I want to go fishing.

Bob Hornegold

[Smarts]

I agree..........ringing the bait changes brings better results throughout a session when the tench are feeding..My best catch is 36 tench to just over 6lb and I had to keep changing bait and hook size to keep them coming! I recommend 3 red maggots on a 16 hook for best results and found that if you're catching small perch.....the tench will follow eventually!
I've caught many tench on boilies including my PB,but for quantity results and action when nothing else is catching....you can't beat maggots and casters. I do not bother with hemp at all for tench but use mini trout pellets instead.
Go easy on them though as the tench will get preoccupied and ignore any hookbait while the water's fizzing like a jaccuzi!!!......well frustrating..........
Tench are strange in that you have to fine down to get a bite.......but sometimes have to step up to big baits,line and hook....weird!
Big baits for morning and night,(dawn and dusk),and small baits through the day.


Smarts

[Rivercarper]

A few years ago i targetted the tench in larkfield two durring the spring.Taking a lead from Dave Harmen I piled the ground bait in loaded with hemp and maggots(couldn't afford castors).The gound bait was layers mash and white crumb to help bind it.25 kilo to start with including several pints of maggots.
This was placed on the tops and sides of the bars.Rigs were paternostered open ended feeders with short hook limks baited with maggots.
Although I never caught the numbers of fish Dave did I still had plenty up to 8lb 14 oz.One thing that was obvious was that if you included sweetcorn in the ground bait the tench would not come anywhere near it.It was the kiss of death.
Watch out for the dates of the first Specimen Group get together because this will be for Tench and Bream.

[drizz666]

hi Bob
on one rmc venue one of the lads one year had loads of success using just an open end feeder.He'd block one end, fill the middle with casters and block the other end.Hook bait was 3 of the darkest casters to be foulnd in the groundbait on a size 14 drennan sweetcorn hook. hooklink was 6lb maxima as was reel line. the feeder was fished semi fixed
to 6lb mainline.
The best tench caught was 7lb 6 oz with bream to 7lb 8 oz.best catch was 24 tench and one bream overnight for 114lb 5oz
This chap just launched his feeders into the lake and left them where they fell.He caught more tench than most that year.
the following year the bait was sweetcorn (banana and strawberry)and the year after strawberry mini boilies did the business.
looking at the way he fished i believe that the tench in that lake were not responsive to large amounts of bait in one spot and were spread around the water. i'd be interested if you have any opinions on this.
regards
Drizz

[scorpio]

That wouldn't have happened to be The south lake was it? Thats the method I use for tench with the dark casters and an open end feeder /images/forum/icons/smile.gif

Tony

[rhornegold]

drizz666,
They can be the most difficult of fish to catch,about 4 years ago, I was fishing the 70 at Fishers Green.
The season had started well with quite a few Tench coming to sweetcorn over a bed of groundbait.
Then they switched off, I tried everything , from bread to casters.
I was lucky too get a fish per session.
Then just to try something different I made up some open inline feeders, mixed up some firm ground bait,put it in one end filled the middle with chopped worms and plugged the other end.
I sprayed the lot with worm extract, the hooklink was fished about 3inches above using air injected worms.
For a few months I would just cast to holes in the weed and had a lot of success.
Just as suddenly it stopped and we had too try something else.




Bob Hornegold

[CarponlineEditor]

So if you were going to a water that you hadnt tried before how would you go about trying for some big tincas? Would you bait up with groundbait for a while before fishing or try a different way??

Andy

[rhornegold]

Andy,
If I was starting from scratch, the first thing I would do is to walk the new water and see if there were any signs of Tench.
Rootings or rolling over, if there were not I would have a plumb around until I found some features.
If the water was weedy I would go for a traditional approach of dragging out a swim and putting in some groundbait.
On one rod I would use some form of feeder, on the other a float set up.
I like to start with a float because I think you can judge the area you are fishing in finer detail, as a matchman would do, plus I like to see the float lift up , lay flat and shoot away.
This would be my first attempt, but as I got too know the water I expect I would chop and change baits, fish different types of leger/feeder rigs until I found a consistent method of producing fish.
Over the years I have found the regular groundbaiting can and does hold Tench, although you have to change hookbaits regularly.


Bob Hornegold

[CarponlineEditor]

Okay cheers for that. I think i may have a go for a few different fish when i move later in the year. I keep forgetting that even though i am moving i will still be able to chat to everyone on here lol. Daft begger.

Andy

[scorpio]

I would do the same Bob.... I spend a lot of time looking about before choosing my swim.... as you say if there isn't any evidence of feeding fish, clear a swim and bait it up.... I usually use just the one rod for Tench and float fish for them.

Tony

[Swan_Vesta]

Bob

How do you prepare the Mynah bird mix.

Thanks

Brian

[rhornegold]

Swan-Vesta,
Mynah bird mix( I knew I'd spelt it wrong) , but where does a dyslexic start with a word like that.
Go to a good pet food supplier and ask if they can get it for you, mix in some sweet corn, casters,brown crumb and it's ready.
If you have a problem with a getting hold of it send me a private message.

Bob Hornegold

[Swan_Vesta]

Thanks Bob.

Any problems I'll be in touch.

Swan Vesta

[rhornegold]

Swan Vesta,
Not only did it attract Tench, but when fished with method feeders pulled in a lot of Carp at a well known North London Reservoir.

Bob Hornegold

[Swan_Vesta]

Bob

Going to Pet City this morning to see if they stock the mix. Also going to try and get those Black Eyed things that Ian mentions.

Rumour has it that there are 10lb tench in the big lake at chigborough so I'm looking forward to getting some fishing done soon.

regards

Brian

[scorpio]

Ian,

I have always cooked my Black Eyes in the water I have cooked my hemp in.... is this an advantage? I do use hemp as my base feed when fishing for Tench. Good carp bait as well /images/forum/icons/smile.gif

Tony

[Swan_Vesta]

Ian

Would the colouring be just ordinary food dye.?

And how long would you boil/cook them for?

How do you fish with them? i suspect like corn!

Once again thanks all.

Swan Vesta

[drizz666]

no not the south lake keep guessin lol

[Swan_Vesta]

Bob

I don't seem to be able to get specific Mynah bird mix. Could you tell me what it is specifically or maybe you know somewhere that stocks it.

I have been to a specialist and they only have a generic mix.

Thanks for your help.

Brian

[andyd]

My experience wih tench has led me to the conclusion that it doesn't really matter what bait you use, I have found that the prevailing conditions override all else. Sometimes Id turn up and look at the water and know I was going to catch well (generally mild/part cloudy early mornings with very little wind were the best) and other times you know you were p*ssing in the wind. My personal favourite baits were casters and redworms float fished in the margins. Feeding casters on a little and often basis soon had the fish bubbling in the margins.
Those were the days......although saying all that my biggest tench was caught on boilies during a carping session, but definitely not my favourite way of catching them so I tend not to value the capture as highly.

[Sim0n]

Vesta....I think the Mynah bird mix is one and the same as 'Pigeon Conditioner', and is available fom Pets Mart....& is about £10 for a 25 kilo sack....

[Swan_Vesta]

Sim0n

Many thanks

Swan Vesta

[rhornegold]

Please send private for more information

Bob Hornegold