30/06/2025 - More Tench Fishing Sessions

Sussex pool

Having started off my new coarse fishing season on June 16th, by catching some nice tench in a dawn session, I’ve had more sessions at several different waters. On some occasions the weather has been kind, overcast sky, with a south westerly wind. I did blank twice, with not a sign of a bite, even though the tench could be seen creating areas of pin head bubbles. Even when I quietly dropped the bait into a mass of bubbles, I couldn’t get a bite, just an occasional movement on the float, as a fish moved the line. One evening I sat talking with the owner of one nice Sussex pool, when I had a good take on a grain of corn, as the float slowly moved across the surface picking up the rod, I set the hook into what felt like a good fish, which went off like a steam train. A minute later the line went slack. “It’s broken me” I said to the owner of the pool. Retrieving the tackle, I found the end of the line all curly like a pigs tail. I’d failed to tie on the hook correctly, I was gutted for being so careless. I fished on for another two hours with no more action, as dusk settled over the water, it was time to leave, with no fish, but it had been an enjoyable session with Paul Watts. I had another good session on a new water, catching a six tench, I reckon they were between two and three pounds, all but were all male fish, which as we know fight hard.

Tench and Swallows

On my latest session to Crabtree pool, I chose to fish two rods, an Edgar SealeyRover, and my Andrew Davies Kennet Perfection, both matched with centre pin reels. My bait selection was varied, mussels, corn, bread and prawns. When I went outside I notice it had rained overnight, I was also surprised at the number of snails around, I quickly collected a few. It’s a bait we used back in the 1940’s and early 50’s when pocket money was in short supply, I have used them on and off since, mainly when chub fishing, when no slugs were available. In the garage my gear was ready for the off, dropping my lunch box and tea making gear in my tackle bag it was off to the waterside for a day. Forty minutes later Sharon dropped me off at the top of the lane as I enjoy the exercise, Sharon then went off to work, I was lucky I had the pool to myself.

The sky was overcast with no breeze to ripple the water surface, an odd tench rolled on the surface, I could see three small patches of pin head bubbles in my right hand swim. In the trees surrounding the pool, pigeons were cooing, which I find so restful, at the end of the pool on a bit of marshy ground, a heron stood sentinel like, not moving an inch, more like a guard at Buckingham Palace. Putting my tackle out of sight in some trees, I slowly moved around the pool, some twenty minutes later, I’m back where I started. Today I decided to fish “The Oak tree swim” ten minutes later I’m at my chosen spot, I soon had a bowl of ground bait made up, to which I added two handfuls of corn. Putting in three golf balls size of ground bait in my right hand swim, then added some chopped mussels, the swim to my left, I put in two balls of ground bait, containing chopped prawns, then added scattering of prawns. Prawns come in all sizes and conditions, I find Waitrose King size cooked prawns the best. I then went off to bait a spot between to large patches of Liles, I didn’t use any ground bait, just loose prawns and chopped mussels.

Back in my first swim I put together my two outfits, I used orange tipped sliding floats made by Micky Erends, taking three AA shot with a BB shot a few inches from a size 8 hook the hook. Then Checking the depth I was surprised to find twelve feet of water in my right hand swim, but just five feet in front of some reeds on my left.

I baited the right hand rod with a piece of mussel, then cast out so the float was a foot or so from a small patch of lilies, baiting the left hand rod with a prawn on a size ten hook. I made a light underhand cast putting the bait about ten feet in front of some reeds. Then settled back in my chair feeling relaxed and contented with my two set ups. Twenty minutes later I set up my Jetboiler for a fresh brew, which I enjoyed with a bacon sandwich. Angling certainly makes one feel relaxed, the only noise was the sound of the birds, in the next field there were some horses including a magnificent white stallion. Damsel and dragon flies were now on the wing, occasionally a swallow appeared, flying low to the water sometimes taking a drink while on the wing.

First fish of the session

I suppose an hour had passed when I noticed the float on my left slowly moved across the surface, “That’s a bite” I thought, lifting the rod, as the float submerged I made a strike connecting with what felt like a good fish, line was quickly taken from the reel, the ratchet screamed in protest. Thankfully the fish moved towards the centre of the pool, and not for the reeds or lilies. I was quite happy with the fish using up its energy in the deep water which to the best of my knowledge there were no snags. After several minutes I slowly had the fish coming towards the net. I then got a glimpse of a nice tench, soon it was in the net. Laying the net on my mat, I quickly had the barbless hook out, a minute or so later I got my scales which gave me a reading of 3 lb 10 ounces, after a quick photograph, the fish was released. Its always best to have your scales and weigh bag handy from the start.

Rebaiting with another prawn, I put the bait in the same area, then tightened the line so the float was at an angle about forty five degrees. Within ten minutes the float was away, several minutes later tench number two was in the net, I estimated it around 3lbs, taking out the hook I lowered the net in the water then watched it swim off strongly. Soon another bait was back in the swim. Some forty five minutes later I got a hook up on my right hand rod, another tench around 3lbs which was quickly released. Baiting the hook with a whole mussel this time, the bait and float, were back in the swim.

Swallows take my attention

For the next two hours, there were no signs of feeding fish. But it was a most interesting time, a pair of swallows, were flying up and down the pool, every now and again one would take drop of water, on the branch of a willow tree, I could see two young swallows, the parent birds would often perch on the branch, then offer the younsters some food. About every thirty minutes the young swallows would fly off with the parents on a circuit of the pond, then back to the willow branch. It was fascinating to watch, no doubt the parents were getting these youngsters to use their wings. After sometime probably around two hours, I got a take on the right hand rod. Setting the hook I found myself hooked up to a powerful fish, that powered away towards the lilies close to the opposite bank, twice I turned the fish from the danger but it still tried to reach the sanctuary of those lilies, on its fifth attempt, it was deep in the lilies. I tried hand lining, but the fish wouldn’t move. Eventually it got rid of the hook, leaving me with a limp line. I got the feeling it was a very good tench. Some we win others we lose.

Over the next six hours I ended up with nine more tench averaging around 3lbs, all estimated. Both baits prawn and mussels, worked, no bites on bread or corn. This season is the first time I have used mussels since early 2000, I was looking through my notes during the close season, I was reading about how successful mussels were as a bait in those far off days. I decided I would try them this season. As the late Richard Walker told me “A fish will eat anything unless taught not to” which in my book, relates to being caught often on a particular bait.

One of my tench fishing pools

Heron

A selection of Micky Erends quill floats including slider models

My best fish of the session

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