Friends had caught some tench on the gravel pit recently. The weather was beautiful today and I had a couple of hours at hand this afternoon. Hopes were high!
I had the gravel pit all to myself when I arrived. I walked along the bank, spotted a small pike and some perch. A huge grass carp passed by, as did a couple of asp. An osprey circled above me, a heron got startled, a king fisher landed right in front of me. If I went home now, I'd already have spent a perfect late summer afternoon.
I noticed a tree that had fallen into the lake a long time ago. And there they were. 3 or 4 beautiful tench!
I tackled up my Hardy Richard Walker Carp paired with a DAM Quick 331 and a reverse swan quill.
As the tench weren't feeding at all, I decided to offer them a bunch of maggots on a #12 hook, suspended a foot above the bottom.
The tench moved away, came back half an hour later only to disappear again. I had the feeling, that they never went far, so I decided to just sit there and wait. The tip of my float hadn't moved for two hours. The sky already showed the mesmerising colours of a late summer's evening. Suddenly there was some movement. The float dipped under, lifted a little, only to lay flat on the surface and then slowly but steadily slipped away.
Tench fight hard, don't they! And they're probably one of the most beautiful species.
The only fish I could catch today - a tench of 4 lb 6 oz
Tench - Late summer perfection!
