caught my first ever tench today (hurray!!)

[Sion]

Finally, caught my first ever Tench today.

Me and my lad spent the day at Beavers Farm Fisheries, near East Grinstead.

There is a one particular lake on there (Eden Pond), which the chap in the office describes as 'our tench lake'. After fishing there for a couple of hours in the morning (Crucian, Rudd, Silver Bream and little Perch) moved onto Moat Farm Pond, which according to the leaflet also has tench ... another Silver Bream.

For the last 45 minutes of the day, I thought we'd give Eden Pond just one last try, lots of activity on the lake ... another Rudd, however still no Tench.

Starting packing up all the equipment leaving the rod in the water for the very last moment and then uttered the phrase "last chance Mr Tench!!" .... fish on the line, as it got closer to the bank we realised it was a 1.5lb Tench .... made my day :D



Small technicality that omitted from the post above ... I actually let my 7-year old lad land the fish, as it was the last of the day ..... still waiting for MY first ever Tench then!!!

[Mark]

Lovely story Sion, I like it. :thumb:

Ok so your 7 year old lad has caught a tench, your time will come. :chuckle:

[MGs]

Congratulations :hat:

[Tench Dreamer]

A day to remember, for you both. Tench....The finest of fish,( in my personal opinion.)

:hat: Well done

[Beresford]

Well done, I felt similarly elated when I caught my first even though I was carp fishing at the time.

[Gary Bills]

Very well done and a lovely-looking fish. :hat:

[GazTheAngler]

Nice one Sion,

My joint favorite species, Crucians are the other.

My target for the summer is to try and get one over my PB (5lbs) from one of the Epping forest ponds. Dont mind at all if i dont beat it just want to catch Tench. Also want to get my lad who's nearly 7 his first Tench.

Gaz

[Tench Dreamer]

Nice one Sion,

My joint favorite species, Crucians are the other.

My target for the summer is to try and get one over my PB (5lbs) from one of the Epping forest ponds. Dont mind at all if i dont beat it just want to catch Tench. Also want to get my lad who's nearly 7 his first Tench.

Gaz

You sound like a man of my own heart Gaz.As said before I have fished Cannaught water in the forest....But which pond do you think would be best for Tench?

My eldest son caught his first Tinca last year. About 1lb on sweetcorn. I was more excited than he was. But it was a moment for us both. So good luck with your Lad.

A few Tench caught in a nice pond in Epping forest is essentially something like my Angling dream.I jst havent found anywhere just yet.

[GazTheAngler]

Hi John,

Connaught is a funny old place.

I first started fishing it back in about 1978 with my mates from school i fished it regularly for years and hardly saw a tench caught, it was all small perch, roach and bream, I saw a couple of people land tench in the swims by the first island near the car park back then but never got one myself.

According to the Corporation of London it has been restocked with Tench but I fished it two years ago and blanked!! Earls Path Pond in Loughton is full of small Tench but I've not had one much over half a pound. Baldwins pond look nice and Tenchy and I know that a guy on the CEMEX forum had a 4lber out of there last July. I'm starting the season on there. Mostv of the forest ponds that you can fish are supposedto hold tench and it is one of the species hat has been recently stocked.

Again start back many years ago I used to fish Highams Park for Tench my biggest from there was aboout 3 and a half but a mate caught a near 6lber in 1979 which caused quite a stir amongst us.

I fished that last year and blanked as well! Still I was only using jelly pellets so my bait choice was limited.

Still From the 16th i'll be concentrating on Tench and Crucains from the forest ponds and will write up my trips.

[Tench Dreamer]

Thanks Gaz I had a look on Google maps and found Baldwins pond...Ive been driving nearlly past there for years ! Is there any proper parking?

Gaz have you ever fished Warren pond over at the top of Chingford? Ive seen locals proper fishing...Small stuff coming out. Nice place to sit and relax as well as fish though.