Tench Fishing
- Thread starter robbieb
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treecutter
Well-known member
Try method feeder with either sweetcorn or Fruit Berry boillie like Esterberry
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Sent from my SM-S901B using Tapatalk
Keith M
Well-known member
In my view It depends on the water you are fishing and whether or not it’s shallow with lots of water lilies or weedbeds and/or has reachable islands with overgrown vegetation etc. or whether it’s a deeper water especially with underwater bars and gulleys.
My favourite method especially on shallow-ish lilly strewn lakes would be to fish either a waggler close up to lilly beds or fish the classic lift method in more open water fairly close to these features for them; and on deeper waters I like to Leger fairly close to any features such as large weedbeds or close to overgrowing banks/islands or branches; or on top of; or beside underwater bars,
I would also keep my eyes peeled for any any clouds of ‘pin’ bubbles that are moving and cast close to or in front of them; although this can often mean that the Tench have got their heads deep into silt looking for bloodworm and other food items and therefore could miss a bait fished on the surface of the silt; however it’s still well worth casting to them.
Of course each water and it’s tench can be totally different depending on lots of different things such as depths, stocking levels and bankside disturbance and also the availability of food items (bait or natural) but the above is how I would normally set my stall out for them anyway.
Best of luck and tight lines.
Keith
My favourite method especially on shallow-ish lilly strewn lakes would be to fish either a waggler close up to lilly beds or fish the classic lift method in more open water fairly close to these features for them; and on deeper waters I like to Leger fairly close to any features such as large weedbeds or close to overgrowing banks/islands or branches; or on top of; or beside underwater bars,
I would also keep my eyes peeled for any any clouds of ‘pin’ bubbles that are moving and cast close to or in front of them; although this can often mean that the Tench have got their heads deep into silt looking for bloodworm and other food items and therefore could miss a bait fished on the surface of the silt; however it’s still well worth casting to them.
Of course each water and it’s tench can be totally different depending on lots of different things such as depths, stocking levels and bankside disturbance and also the availability of food items (bait or natural) but the above is how I would normally set my stall out for them anyway.
Best of luck and tight lines.
Keith
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Alan Whitty
Well-known member
No offence to Treecutter,but to me tenching means float fishing,so waggler,either layed on,or lift method style,with prawns,mussel or cockles as bait,maggots,casters and corn work well too...
I've not long finished watching a carpology video on YouTube,where the angler fed a spot for carp with boilies and hemp,he had tench pick up his boilie and spit it out several times,if I heard correctly he had a 5 oz lead on,which I would have thought would have self hooked the tench no problem,but it didn't...
I've not long finished watching a carpology video on YouTube,where the angler fed a spot for carp with boilies and hemp,he had tench pick up his boilie and spit it out several times,if I heard correctly he had a 5 oz lead on,which I would have thought would have self hooked the tench no problem,but it didn't...
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I'm with Alan and Keith on this one. If I ever resort to method feeder for tench I might as well be catching commercial carp. Surely tench are a fish to catch on a float and played without a feeder flapping about 4" from their noses? If they're not so big as to be unmanageable and come within range, the pole is equally a great way to catch them. Float rod and pin or margin pole with black Hydro for me.
treecutter
Well-known member
Keith M
Well-known member
Others may approach it differently however; this is how I usually approach my swim when I’m after Tench on the float.
For normal presentation I usually use a straight or bodied waggler that is set around 4 inches overdepth; although I also find that just touching the bottom is often fine if I’m fishing on top of deep silt.
Lift Method:
Basically when I use the lift method for Tench I use a short length of peacock quill attached to the line bottom only with a bit of rubber tubing. Fished around 7 to 10 inches overdepth with a single SSG or AAA shot (depending on the buoyancy of the float) set around 3 or 4 inches from the hook. I cast then put my rod on rod rests and slowly wind in until the float sets.
I usually don’t cast more than one or two rod lengths out and I personally like using a centrepin for this however using a fixed spool reel is fine.
When a Tench picks up the bait the weight of the shot is shared by the rising float however most times the float just shoots off instead of rising.
Thats how I set my stall up for Tench on my local waters anyway. Others may do it differently of course; especially on larger less intimate waters.
Tight lines
Keith
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The bad one
Well-known member
The tench in my avarta is 10 01 and caught at 90 yards off a bar on a 52 acre pit. I'd like to meet the man that can fish the float and lift method at that range! BTW, baitwise red maggots and lot of them alive would be my recommendation.
Alan Whitty
Well-known member
Yes Phil,but for me any tench could stay out there and be 20lbs,I wouldn't be fishing for it,lol...everyone to their own,but it just isn't pleasurable for me.
Hats off to anyone catching big tench at 90yds. But where I fish, the bloke fishing at 90 yards has just cast about 87 yards beyond where the tench are feeding.
The lift method is a classic for them. But the OP says he does a lot of pole-fishing, and he'll find the kind of float set up he's familiar with ie plumb up, fish dead depth or just over and dot the float down, will catch plenty of tench. Since they're often catchable just a rod or two out, holding your bait/float still is usually no problem. One or two places I fish, dotting the float and striking at the little dips etc catches lots. I've read that tench don't move much when feeding, whether that's true or not, and sometimes fishing for tiny bites pays off.
The lift method is a classic for them. But the OP says he does a lot of pole-fishing, and he'll find the kind of float set up he's familiar with ie plumb up, fish dead depth or just over and dot the float down, will catch plenty of tench. Since they're often catchable just a rod or two out, holding your bait/float still is usually no problem. One or two places I fish, dotting the float and striking at the little dips etc catches lots. I've read that tench don't move much when feeding, whether that's true or not, and sometimes fishing for tiny bites pays off.
mikench
Well-known member
All of the above but with the following observations. Raking the swim if not essential to remove weed, can be useful to rake the bottom, stirring up the mud and attracting tench. It’s fair to say I have always struggled to catch them in any numbers and apart from a session with Kev only caught one or two, if any, in a day. I always fished the float as with Kev ( I even caught on a pole on that occasion) and as described by KeithM and often used the lift method. Last year however I had over 60 maybe a good few more from one water alone and all on a small method feeder with pellets fired over the top. I was also using a Polaris float so I knew where my hook was. I may have had one or two on the float but no more. Each time I fished with Gordon ( Wetthrough) who only fishes the float and I don’t think he had any which is strange. I apologise Gordon if I’m wrong and not giving credit where credit is due. Normally Gordon beats me hands down but the tench seemed to like my offerings. Nothing big maybe 3.5 lb max but most enjoyable.
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The bad one
Well-known member
The two problems on this particular water are you are having to compete with carp anglers for swims and their use of bait boats, forcing the fish out further and further from the bank, where you would think the fish would be.
The second problem and it’s common to all gravel pits, they are like an eggbox with troughs and bars. Tench liking a depth of water over them of up to 8ft, means they feed on or around the bars. And that was the case with my pb, I’d seen that fish roll at least 3 times on a bar I didn’t know was even there. 90 yards was 20 yards more than I’d fish even on this pit. Having seen it, I spodded half a pint of red maggots to the spot and within 15 minutes I was playing/landing the fish.
So, I guess you can call that a sight caught fish.
Mike mentioned dragging swims, I’d add a note of caution here – don’t clear big areas as the tench get spooked when they come across them. This was made more than apparent to a little syndicate I was in, where my pervious PB 9 08 came from. This mere had no carp in it, so no carpers to contend with, we started dragging swims 2-3 metres squire in 5 to 6 ft of gin clear water, as that depth was 10-15 yards from the bank, where we could see the fish come into the swim and bolt like hell through it.
We reasoned it was down to the unnaturalness of the bed and missing weed. This water was full of curly pond weed. We changed tact and just dragged tramlines a metre wide through it and fished and baited in them. Thankfully we had boats on the water which made it easier. The tactic worked like a dream and our catch rate went up tremendously.
The second problem and it’s common to all gravel pits, they are like an eggbox with troughs and bars. Tench liking a depth of water over them of up to 8ft, means they feed on or around the bars. And that was the case with my pb, I’d seen that fish roll at least 3 times on a bar I didn’t know was even there. 90 yards was 20 yards more than I’d fish even on this pit. Having seen it, I spodded half a pint of red maggots to the spot and within 15 minutes I was playing/landing the fish.
So, I guess you can call that a sight caught fish.
Mike mentioned dragging swims, I’d add a note of caution here – don’t clear big areas as the tench get spooked when they come across them. This was made more than apparent to a little syndicate I was in, where my pervious PB 9 08 came from. This mere had no carp in it, so no carpers to contend with, we started dragging swims 2-3 metres squire in 5 to 6 ft of gin clear water, as that depth was 10-15 yards from the bank, where we could see the fish come into the swim and bolt like hell through it.
We reasoned it was down to the unnaturalness of the bed and missing weed. This water was full of curly pond weed. We changed tact and just dragged tramlines a metre wide through it and fished and baited in them. Thankfully we had boats on the water which made it easier. The tactic worked like a dream and our catch rate went up tremendously.
Crikey, while float fishing for them is nice, if there was a 20lb Tench I’d have no hesitation sticking on a bolt rig if I thought it offered the best chance !
…I know, I know, I should be banished to the back of the bivvy with all those terrible Carpers
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flightliner
Well-known member
The best plan is just to go with kev if you live near Nottingham
Sorry for being slow to reply Mick. I'm still licking various wounds. Or the ones I can reach. Yes, we'll certainly meet up next month and see if we can catch a couple.The best plan is just to go with kev if you live near Nottingham
Alan Whitty
Well-known member
Crikey, while float fishing for them is nice, if there was a 20lb Tench I’d have no hesitation sticking on a bolt rig if I thought it offered the best chance !
…I know, I know, I should be banished to the back of the bivvy with all those terrible Carpers
No,Philip,you can obviously do what you like,your a big boy now,but I wouldn't fish a method feeder for tench....including sitting in a bivvie....lol.
& more power to your elbow for it Alan & sticking to your principles. ...While I don’t share your aversion to method feeders for Tench my outlook is not so different to you really.
I am about to embark on an attempt at some Bonefish. Still havnt caught one despite a few tries. Now I know the easy option would be to get a guide to paint X marks the spot for me but I just refuse to do it. I would rather not catch the buggers than do that so its got to be off my own back on my own terms. ...so I'll probably be blanking again but so be it.
I am about to embark on an attempt at some Bonefish. Still havnt caught one despite a few tries. Now I know the easy option would be to get a guide to paint X marks the spot for me but I just refuse to do it. I would rather not catch the buggers than do that so its got to be off my own back on my own terms. ...so I'll probably be blanking again but so be it.
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@Clive
Well-known member
So you have got principles after all
If you fancy a go at some European bonefish drop me a line. Like my namesake Clive Gammon; I know a good place
Indeed I do have some principles ! ...unfortunatly it does not extend to buzzers, bivvies and bolt rigs as they all play a part for me if required...but strangely I wont use a bait boat or place rigs by boat either. ...weird but there you go, we all have our own acceptable lines I guess.
Guessing you mean Spanish "bones" Clive ?...if so, they do appeal ! ...I've had other Barbel over there & always fancied a crack at the Cozimo....trouble is the bucket list is getting a bit silly now ..one day !
Guessing you mean Spanish "bones" Clive ?...if so, they do appeal ! ...I've had other Barbel over there & always fancied a crack at the Cozimo....trouble is the bucket list is getting a bit silly now ..one day !
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