Failing to catch Tench!

[Catfish.017]

No not an old post, just an account of the latest debacle. I realised as I wrote the title that I'm at one with Arthur Ransome who also failed to catch Tench and used these very words as a chapter heading in his book Rod and Line. His problem was his inability to drag himself away from the Trout Fishing until it was too late to hope for Tench.
No such quandary for me despite heavily spotted, buttery flanked wild Browns being a very attractive fish and freely available to me in my native Wales, I never became obsessed with them. Now, firmly relocated in Coarse Fishing country they are but a distant memory. My problem, well I don't really know what the problem is?
Last night I went again to the 'New' Washery pool where last time I fished six hours from crack of dawn without seeing a sign of a fish, Tench or nuisance Carp. This visit was meant to reaffirm the old order and put things right. How wrong can one be? On arrival a slight breeze ruffled the main body of the pool but the shady corner I usually fish was dark and tranquil. For the first time in ages I didn't have my rod set up ready. On a whim (usually my way) I have a new favourite rod, my early Record Breaker with the brass handle furniture. I don't like to carry my more cherished cane rods around set up in case of accidents. I fed some mash , hemp and maggots then concentrated on tackling up. After a few minutes I looked out at the swim to see a mass of bubbles! Good God I thought; then a duck surfaced to be seen off with a well aimed stick!
I topped up the feed and began fishing. Well not really fishing just repeatedly casting in an increasingly mechanical robotic fashion for two hours up to darkness with, again, not a sign. Not a bubble nor flicker of the float and again a complete absence of those previously rampant Carp. I just can't figure it out it's like a dead water?

[Moley]

Are there any tench in the water?

How big is the water?

Maggots will usually bring in any small fish to begin with so why no bites at all?

Maybe early mornings are best?


Answers:

One of the most obvious questions .......is the target fish present in the water, if so they are catchable. If not.......

The size of venue is not as facile a question as it seems because back in the day Fatty fished extremely large gravel pits where you could be half a mile away from the fish and put simply it really was a case of leg work,walking round the water watching for any signs of fish.

Maggots are a good opening bait choice as all fish like 'em. You got no interest from small fish either which begs the question first asked.

Without doubt some waters are morning ones and are largely a waste of time if fished outside there parameters.

Space prevents further enquiry but I would stick with the first question ....are the fish you desire present in the water?

Apologies if this is too basic a reply but sometimes it pays to ask the obvious before getting bogged down with technicalities.

As ever .....

Moley

[Catfish.017]

Are there any tench in the water?

How big is the water?

Maggots will usually bring in any small fish to begin with so why no bites at all?

Maybe early mornings are best?


Answers:

One of the most obvious questions .......is the target fish present in the water, if so they are catchable. If not.......

The size of venue is not as facile a question as it seems because back in the day Fatty fished extremely large gravel pits where you could be half a mile away from the fish and put simply it really was a case of leg work,walking round the water watching for any signs of fish.

Maggots are a good opening bait choice as all fish like 'em. You got no interest from small fish either which begs the question first asked.

Without doubt some waters are morning ones and are largely a waste of time if fished outside there parameters.

Space prevents further enquiry but I would stick with the first question ....are the fish you desire present in the water?

Apologies if this is too basic a reply but sometimes it pays to ask the obvious before getting bogged down with technicalities.

As ever .....

Moley

The Tench are most definitely present, I have caught up to three nice sized fish in previous sessions. However I have only fished here a handful of times mainly early or late, catching at both times. The pool is between one and a half and two acres with extensive marginal reed beds (Norfolk) limiting access. The bank I fish from is the only fish able one. Other than the Tench and Carp I have only caught one tiny Perch though, allegedly, there are Pike present?
This is the pool I've posted about recently where a local angling club is set to take it over and have already stocked a hundred Carp to seven pounds, these fish being very much "in my face" on my earlier visits but now have become, along with the Tench, invisible? I know just two visits is not really an accurate guide to go on but honestly if these had been my first visits I would have come to the conclusion that there was little if anything in there. Very puzzling?

[Moley]

So technical it is then.

Float fish, feeder, free lining or some other style?

Float fishing is the most aesthetically pleasing of Tenching styles.

Pole floats on a normal rod and reel set up is sensitive to tiny indications and works well for close in or margin work.

Waggler is more versatile in Stillwater and works up to a good distance from the bank. Particularly effective with hard pellet on a banded hook. Messing about with depth and shot can be absorbing. You know when you've got it right on the day.

The lift method of float fishing could be worth a look. Can be good if due consideration given to hook length and float balance.

Not everyone likes the feeder style and the method in particular but it has to be conceded that they work, too well, at times.

In the old days of Tenching, free lining was the style used when fishing got tough, merely using the weight of the bait to cast. Fishing for line twitches is a very intense method but it works. Southill was the place with all the famous tenchers of the time trying to out do each other. The downside is the tremendous headaches due to staring at the line. Best done for short periods.

Fishing the Loc-Slide can be effective, out fishing others when they are all fishing the same way. Fatty wrote about this in the Bulletin, the official organ of the Tenchfishers some two or three years ago.

These are only a rough guide but worthy of consideration as they are tried and tested ways of Tenching, of which I'm sure you know about.

Finally there is one other consideration and that is the way tench just seem to switch off after the heady days of May and June. July and August have always been difficult months with the tench only really coming back on the feed in September until the weather turns cold in October. A generalisation of course but one that seems to hold true.

This is why many Tenchfishers stop at this time of year as it becomes too hard and also because post spawning their weight loss doesn't match their desire to pose, in a pretentious manner with some poor bloated football for the angling comics, whilst declaring what a marvel they are.

Tench are difficult little so and so's at the best of times and why Fatty has spent too many hours in their pursuit. Some would say masochistic but there it is, they are a worthy cause......sometimes!

Hope this helps, even if only a little.

Keep at it until the fish show mercy and give up.....it works for Fatty.

As ever,...

Moley

[Catfish.017]

Thanks Moley. I wonder maybe the Tench have taken up residence on the other side of the Pool? Although my experience suggests that they do tend to favour areas where the feed is going in despite the attendant dangers. When I was catching them in the first few visits there was lots of bubbling, now nothing. What's puzzling me more is the disappearance of those Carp even though I don't particularly want to catch them!

[Moley]

How quiet is the water you are fishing?

The reason asked is do you think someone has netted the place and sold the fish on. It happens, especially if the club announce the stocking to members, some of whom might not be strictly legit.

A club where I used to belong had this happen.

Nobody realised for some time until catches became noticeably down. A consequent club netting showed the sorry truth!

Probably the fish have only travelled to the non fishing bank and all is well... let's hope so.

The truth will out, over time.

As ever,.......


Moley

[Catfish.017]

I was beginning to wonder about that? Although I think it would be difficult to net effectively , apparently there is a lot of hefty debris been thrown in over the decades and with it being an old mining Washery pool there was probably attendant gear left in situ when operations ceased.

[Moley]

Probably as in all things fishing a combination of variables then.

1. Hot weather. Always puts fish off feeding. Carp are always difficult when really hot conditions prevail. Tench, bless 'em are equally fickle.

2. Time of year.Tench traditionally play up in July and August,making their pursuit more difficult than usual. Many stop fishing for them after the May and June bonanza.

3. Post spawning sulks. Many fish go into temporary hibernation after their yearly activities in procreation. You would think they would want to stuff their faces but apparently not, contrary little tincas.

4. They are in hiding in the no fishing zone. Tench in Broadwater lake used to hide in the bird sanctuary as it was a no fishing zone. The carp did too.

A certain well known traditional angler knew this and was caught lurking in this area buy the bailiffs....whoops.

He was/still is a very naughty boy!

5. They are not dead but pining for the Fjords.

As ever,...

Moley

[EricW]

Could just be a weather thing. I noticed an awful lot of carp, tench and bream just mooning around close to but not breaking surface this week. When this happens they all seem to end up in the corner or along the bank that the wind is blowing into.