02/10/2024 - A Late September Tench Fishing Session
One of my tench
With the weather forecast for gale-force winds with heavy rain on Monday, I had a twelve hour window of opportunity. Monday would certainly be a wash out, I decided I would try to catch some tench before the rough weather arrived. I was up long before dawn to discover winds were forecast from the north east of 30mph, looking out of the window seeing how the trees were getting blown about, I thought “Did I want to visit a windswept pool, to spend hours, hoping to catch a tench or two in these conditions” I answered the question myself by saying “I want catch sitting in doors” Arriving at the venue I had a walk around trying to decide where to fish, I decided on a spot facing the wind, on my last trip the swim had been good for tench.
Tackle and Bait
First job was to take the water temperature as this would give me an idea how much ground bait to introduce, I got a reading of 58 degrees F I was happy with that. I now had an idea how much ground bait to introduce, I’d got two bags of brown crumb, fifty lobworms, two tins of corn, also two pints of hemp. After collecting some water in the mixing bowl, I added what I thought was enough crumb, then left it to soak for about fifteen minutes, while I waited I chopped about twenty lobworms, which would be added to the mix along with a good helping of corn and hemp.
I chose to use my Edgar Sealey Rover I purchased from Dave Burr many years ago, its proved an excellent purchase even handling carp to 16lb accidently hooked when rudd fishing. I matched the rod with a Richard Carter Classic Avon, this has proved an excellent product over the years, I have even used it for trotting when fishing the Dubai creek in the city centre, I’d put fifty yards of 5lb bs line yesterday evening. As I was fishing very deep water I chose to use one of Sussex Micky’s sliding floats, after adding a small float stop on the line, I then threaded the line through the eyes of the sliding float, ending by tying on a size 8 barbless hook. Before adding any shot I plumbed the depth, the first five feet out from the bank I got a reading around three feet, then a drop off with a sloping bank, at the bottom it was around twelve feet. I spent some time casting around this deeper area of water, finding it was roughly the same depth. From past experience I added 2SSG shot midway between float stop and hook, then between SSG shot and Hook I added an AA shot, then another AA shot twelve inches from the hook, so the last twelve inches of line would be on the bottom. This set up would be adjusted as needed.
I was now ready to add the chopped worms, with corn and hemp to the mix, having given it a good mix with my hands, I felt it was right, It stayed firm until about two feet down, I could then see it braking up into quite a big cloud. I then chopped up another ten lobworm, which were catapulted around the swim. Having laid the table, hopefully the fish would come to dine, with everything within sitting distance, I then rested the swim while I had a fresh brew.
After casting out a hook baited lobworm, I sat watching the float for some indication that some fish were around, after an hour, with nothing, I thought what should I do, but thought there is nothing I can do to improve the situation, I just had to sit it out. After nearly another hour had past, I spotted some patches of bubbles about five feet from my float, I consider moving the float into the area, but chose to leave all alone.
Slowly the area of bubbles increased, soon larger patches of pin head bubbles appeared around the float, suddenly the float slowly moved submerging as it did so, as it disappeared I made a strike, nothing, winding in the hook was bare except for the plastic gentle on the hook that was there to stop the worm wriggling off the hook. Rebaiting I cast out again, the float settling in a mass of bubbles, the swim was like the preferable jacuzzi.
At Last A Hook Up
Ten minutes of casting out, the float moved fast across the surface, I set the hook in what felt like a good fish, after giving and taking line I had the fish coming in closer, I soon spotted the outline of a tench as it come closer to the surface I said “That’s a nice fish” then it was mine. After a picture, it was released further along the bank. In the next hour I had three more fish all of similar size, I was a happy angler. This was followed by an hour break, no sign of a bit or fish, all the bubbling had stopped. Before making a fresh brew with a bacon sandwich I topped up the swim, including more chopped worms. Sitting back I looked over the morning sport, more than happy with my four fish, but being greedy I wanted some more of the action.
Three Tench In Three Casts
Resuming after a long lunch break which entailed walking around the water, it must have been forty minutes before I was back in my swim, to see lots of activity, there were more and bigger patches of pin head bubbles, along with bit of rubbish coming to the surface. Rebaiting with a fresh lobworm I made a cast allowing the float to settle in the mist of a big patch of bubbles, withing a couple of minutes the float was on the move, I had another nice fish, after a few minutes I netted a tench, just like the other tench in the morning session. They were like “peas in a pod”. In two more cast I had two more similar size fish, this was turning out to be my lucky day. Fifteen minutes later another tench was netted. Half an hour later another similar size fish was netted each time I moved well along the bank to release the fish.
The wind really had increased, lots of leaves were coming off the trees, dropping on the water, feeling the cold, I shivered, time to put on my heavy coat, also my snood and mittens, the air temperature must have had dropped a few degrees. For the next three plus hours I didn’t get a sign of any fish in my swim, all I done was sit on my chair, making mugs of tea or OXO. I as due to be picked up at 1800 hrs, the time was now 1715 hrs I decided to pack up, after washing my ground bait bowl, also the smaller bowl I used to clean my hands after putting in ground bait. I was also keeping an eye on my float. Five minutes or so later, the float moved then set off fast across the surface disappearing at the same time line was pulled from the reel, before I grabbed the rod, no need to strike, the fish had hooked itself. After a five six minute fight I had another tench coming towards the landing net, soon it was mine. Once again the swim was alive with masses of bubbles. How I wished I could have stopped for another couple of hours. That was certainly a very good session. All the pictures were taken during the day, it was a surprise to see the butterfly.

A late butterfly

Wild flowers in late September

Tench swim

I had plenty of lobworms
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