A cracking tench session

A near 1 pound rudd

For years I have been trying to find a reliable tench venue. Unfortunately, they are thin on the ground in these parts. You either have to be content with temperamental venues or head for the large Cotswold pits and sit it out. I had been planning a tench trip for a few weeks but as ever the choice of venue was the sticking point. A few inquiries had been made but nothing was definite. I had pretty much decided to travel to Leicestershire in search of tench but I have to be honest, upon waking up I just couldn't summon the motivation for the almost 2 hour drive. Instead I chose a pool a bit closer to home. It's one of several at the venue but it's a pool with very little information and was not one I had fished before. The owner had emailed me to say it was worth a go with tench in mind so I thought I'd go for it.

I arrived just after lunch to find the pool empty but for a father and son. They soon packed up leaving me alone. The pool itself was reed lined but a walk around its perimeter showed no signs of feeding tench. A few rudd broke the surface and by now the sun was beaming down and the day was becoming pretty warm. With no obvious area to target I chose a small bay. It was about 4ft deep just off the rod tip and seemed as likely as anywhere. I set up a light waggler and shotted it so just a dimple was on show. Tench can be finicky biters so I wanted to reduce resistance to a minimum. With the pool's inhabitants unknown, I started cautiously feeding a few maggots regularly to build the

One of the 5 pounders

swim up. It was a quiet start but eventually a bite came and a small rudd was swung to hand. With the bright conditions, sport was slow but punctuated by the rudd to keep things ticking over. Some of these rudd were chunky specimens, the best went 1oz shy of a pound and as always, their colours are stunning. As late afternoon approached the first tench was finally landed. It wasn't huge at approximately 2lb but it was a start. I began to up the feed and it appeared to work as bites became more regular and with it the size of the tench increased to 4lb+.

You cannot beat the anticipation of a traditional tench bite. The float rises. It then returns to its starting position before inching one way then another. This can continue for what seems an age until eventually it slides from view and a tench is hooked. Then that paddle-like tail propels the fish on several powerful runs before it it can be safely netted. Then you are able to admire the olive green flanks and red eyes. They are a great fish to catch and the next two hours of my session was no stop. I ended with ten tench, three of which were over 5lb with the biggest weighing in at 5lb 10oz. It was easily the best tench session I had experienced for a long time and all from a pool that had promised little upon arrival. I am already plotting a return visit.

A 5lb 10oz tench