Tench Season 2020

[Jason Skilton]

Well lets be abit positive and hope that we do not get locked in for the spring.

I'll hopefully be out over the weekend for the first tench session.......

Target is a plus 9lb+ tench :-)

[Mike J]

Okay Jason please give the lowdown of the tackle you'll be using and the method you hope will bring success.

From an angler whos every tench has been caught by accident

[Jason Skilton]

It will be bolt rigs on three rods.

First rod inline maggot feeder with maggot on hook
Second rod inline method feeder, fish meal groundbait with either worm or caster on hook
Third rod will be small cell boilies with a pva bag of pellets and crushed boilies

Rods are 12ft 1.34lbtc Chimeras, 5010GT reels with 10lb mainline and 8lb braided hooklinks.

[Duncan Holmes]

Okay Jason please give the lowdown of the tackle you'll be using and the method you hope will bring success.

From an angler whos every tench has been caught by accident

My go to tench tactics that have worked on every water I have fished for tench and big tench.

Very short nylon/fluro hook link, fished fixed paternoster just above a 2oz cage feeder.
2/3 rubber caster/maggots on short hair
Sweat, fishy groundbait with dead maggots, hemp and caster, mixed as dry as will hold so explodes and creates a carpet rather than little piles.
You can go quite coarse with this, I use a size 12, 0.28 hooklink and mainline, generally on my DL Z1's which will punch a feeder a long way in to a big head wind.
A 10 grm bobbin with a short drop will see every "bite" pulling the rod in the rests and you simply lift in to them.
Fish into a new wind, and cast to the bottom and along side of an "edge", the edge could be margin slope, gravel bar, weedbed, doesn't matter as long as its an edge.
Classic repeated casting works well if its a well stocked water, and don't be shy of putting some bait in. I can easily go through a gallon of bait on a day session if they are having it.

Alternatively if you want a more traditional approach, a lobby, float ledgered at the bottom of the margin shelf and trickle casters and hemp over the top.

Here's one from a few years ago to wet your tinca appetite for the new season

8.11 KF 2806.jpg

[Mike J]

Thank you Jason and Duncan (especially Dunc with all you've got going on at the mo.)

I have a couple of sweet jars full of old boilies, pellets etc, how do I make those into a groundbait mix? And could I freeze what I dont use?
I have aprox a bucketful of casters in the freezer, the same of liquidized bread, so that could be added to the above I presume?
I also have a frozen bag of IKEA meatballs would they be of any use?

Best of all I have a wormery chock full of 3" dendras!

How would you suggest I proceed?

Thanks again

[dannytaylor]

Thank you Jason and Duncan (especially Dunc with all you've got going on at the mo.)

I have a couple of sweet jars full of old boilies, pellets etc, how do I make those into a groundbait mix? And could I freeze what I dont use?
I have aprox a bucketful of casters in the freezer, the same of liquidized bread, so that could be added to the above I presume?
I also have a frozen bag of IKEA meatballs would they be of any use?

Best of all I have a wormery chock full of 3" dendras!

How would you suggest I proceed?

Thanks again

Mike looking at what you've got I'd use the casters and chop the worms for loose feed, if you can add some hemp to that even better. Spomb/spod/bait cone some out and then fish fake casters over the top Nick on a small pva bag of casters to aid presentation/stop tangles and I would be confident that would catch tench from anywhere

(I'd eat the ikea meat balls at the moment )

[Mike J]

Thank you Jason and Duncan (especially Dunc with all you've got going on at the mo.)

I have a couple of sweet jars full of old boilies, pellets etc, how do I make those into a groundbait mix? And could I freeze what I dont use?
I have aprox a bucketful of casters in the freezer, the same of liquidized bread, so that could be added to the above I presume?
I also have a frozen bag of IKEA meatballs would they be of any use?

Best of all I have a wormery chock full of 3" dendras!

How would you suggest I proceed?

Thanks again

Mike looking at what you've got I'd use the casters and chop the worms for loose feed, if you can add some hemp to that even better. Spomb/spod/bait cone some out and then fish fake casters over the top Nick on a small pva bag of casters to aid presentation/stop tangles and I would be confident that would catch tench from anywhere

(I'd eat the ikea meat balls at the moment )

Thanks Danny.
Yes I have a bag of chopped hemp and also a 2kg bag of the seed, all purchased for roach but never used.
I also some unused PVA tubing which I can make into bags, as the swim I will be fishing is 15-20yds out I should manage okay without a spod.

The fake casters I have are huge in comparison to the real thing, probably 100% larger, that is why Ive never used them.
Can you tell me how to I put them on the hook please?

Im more than a little ignorant about all these modern fishing techniques, it all seemed to take off when I was living in another country.



IIKEA meatballs are horrible

[dannytaylor]

Thank you Jason and Duncan (especially Dunc with all you've got going on at the mo.)

I have a couple of sweet jars full of old boilies, pellets etc, how do I make those into a groundbait mix? And could I freeze what I dont use?
I have aprox a bucketful of casters in the freezer, the same of liquidized bread, so that could be added to the above I presume?
I also have a frozen bag of IKEA meatballs would they be of any use?

Best of all I have a wormery chock full of 3" dendras!

How would you suggest I proceed?

Thanks again

Mike looking at what you've got I'd use the casters and chop the worms for loose feed, if you can add some hemp to that even better. Spomb/spod/bait cone some out and then fish fake casters over the top Nick on a small pva bag of casters to aid presentation/stop tangles and I would be confident that would catch tench from anywhere

(I'd eat the ikea meat balls at the moment )

Thanks Danny.
Yes I have a bag of chopped hemp and also a 2kg bag of the seed, all purchased for roach but never used.
I also some unused PVA tubing which I can make into bags, as the swim I will be fishing is 15-20yds out I should manage okay without a spod.

The fake casters I have are huge in comparison to the real thing, probably 100% larger, that is why Ive never used them.
Can you tell me how to I put them on the hook please?

Im more than a little ignorant about all these modern fishing techniques, it all seemed to take off when I was living in another country.



IIKEA meatballs are horrible

Try the drennan fake casters, hair rig a couple and fish them off a korda mixa size 12 hook. A very short 4in hook length of braid is what I favour have a look at the esp anchor braid in 15lb (it's the lightest they do but don't let that put you off) they do a lighter braid called gravel braid but I've never been happy with how this sits. I favour the anchor braid as opposed to FC as when you tie a hair rig off the back of FC it "kicks" the hook up off the bottom, the braid on the other hand lies nice and flush with the lakebed, it probably doesn't make much difference but in my mind little % all add up.

Hope this makes sense, love me ikea meat balls with mash, gravy and cranberry source followed of course by a big slab of daim cake

[davelumb]

This was my maggot feeder rig in 2007 - http://blog.lumbland.co.uk/2007/06/magg ... r-rig.html



I later switched to in-line feeders using the same sort of hook length.

[Bob Watson]

You could also opt for a helicopter style rig.

Helicopter-rig-for-roach.jpg

My faith in plastic alone on the hook is yet to be discovered, I always put one or two real baits on with a plastic bait!

Incidentally, the first time I used a plastic maggot was back in 1974, bought from a tackle (amongst other things) shop in Horning on a Broads holiday.

[Bob Watson]

This was my maggot feeder rig in 2007 - http://blog.lumbland.co.uk/2007/06/magg ... r-rig.html



I later switched to in-line feeders using the same sort of hook length.

Dave, do you not use your powergum helicopter rig for Tench?

[davelumb]

This was my maggot feeder rig in 2007 - http://blog.lumbland.co.uk/2007/06/magg ... r-rig.html



I later switched to in-line feeders using the same sort of hook length.

Dave, do you not use your powergum helicopter rig for Tench?

I found it offered no advantage with heavier hook links when I upped my hook sizes, and I switched mostly to in-line rigs which I prefer for some reason. (Probably because they caught me most of my best tench and bags of tench!) Also in weedy waters there was more to get fouled up and unless the hooklink was light the whole rig would be lost if snagged up. For helicopter tench rigs I use float stops so the hooklink can pull off if the feeer/lead snags and I have to pull for a break. Not that it has happened yet.

Still use the powergum rig for roach with light hook links.

[Bob Watson]

This was my maggot feeder rig in 2007 - http://blog.lumbland.co.uk/2007/06/magg ... r-rig.html



I later switched to in-line feeders using the same sort of hook length.

Dave, do you not use your powergum helicopter rig for Tench?

I found it offered no advantage with heavier hook links when I upped my hook sizes, and I switched mostly to in-line rigs which I prefer for some reason. (Probably because they caught me most of my best tench and bags of tench!) Also in weedy waters there was more to get fouled up and unless the hooklink was light the whole rig would be lost if snagged up. For helicopter tench rigs I use float stops so the hooklink can pull off if the feeer/lead snags and I have to pull for a break. Not that it has happened yet.

Still use the powergum rig for roach with light hook links.

[suffolk si]

I p****d about with fake maggots casters chopped worm etc( tactics that have done me well on other waters) on my syndicate but being predominantly a carp water I found small sweet ( particularly pineapple) boilers out fished all else for me last year, not exactly purist but hey ho, caught my longest tench(24 inch) so hopefully I will see her with a little spawn in around June and be my first nine

[Fish on....]

Chopped worm has been my most successful method the last couple of years, in fact was all I caught on at st ives.

Gutted to be missing out on a proper tench campaign this spring, but with how things are I’ll be fishing closer to home this spring and unfortunately my area of the world seems devoid of decent tench. Hopefully get a few days on the float for smaller ones though

[AndyLarkins]

I’ve used in-line maggot feeders for many years, modifying Kamasan Black Cap feeders etc. long before commercial products were available from the likes of Drennan Intl. et al. The only issue with in-lines is that they can very occasionally be prone to tangling on a big chuck. Even with a short 2” drop the hook can find purchase in a feeder hole; unacceptable IMO on low stocked specimen waters where bites are few and far between. For this reason, I now only use them for close range / fishing down the side of the marginal shelf.

Instead, for long rage work, I now exclusively use heli-rigs, with 100% confidence that the rig is “fishing” efficiently. This consist of a Korum Adjustable Heli-Rig (its important that the hook-length can jettison easily in the event of a breakoff) a short 10lb b/s Fluro hook-length, and a strong size 14/12 hook (my preference being ‘The Hook’ from Pallatrax). Having messed around with various presentations, by far the best hooking arrangement I’ve found is 2 hair-rigged buoyant fake maggots (Drennan Bloodworm Red) whipped to the shank with very fine hair braid; this gives greater movement of the “bait” which in turn acts as a sight trigger (IMO) for nearby feeding Tench. The Fluro is then tied direct to the hook eye (my preference being a Grinner) and finished off with a small “kicker”. Easily interchangeable with various feeders/pre-tied hook-lengths for switching to hair-rigged worm kababs or casters by use of a Kwick Link / QC Swivel (sleeved)… Works a treat!

cant wait to get back at'em

heli-mag.jpg

May Magic.jpg

[ken brooks]

I have plenty of 40g feeders, would these be heavy enough for inline or helicopter rigs?
Or would I need heavier, if so what weight would you recommend.
Thank you.

[davelumb]

I have plenty of 40g feeders, would these be heavy enough for inline or helicopter rigs?
Or would I need heavier, if so what weight would you recommend.
Thank you.

40g should do the job just fine.

[ken brooks]

I have plenty of 40g feeders, would these be heavy enough for inline or helicopter rigs?
Or would I need heavier, if so what weight would you recommend.
Thank you.

40g should do the job just fine.

Thank you Dave.

[suffolk si]

Well my tench season is now A couple of sessions in ( with a fun bass trip and unsuccessful mullet trip thrown in too!)and so far so good , had a few fish, nothing massive and im on a new water this year after my syndicate failed to provide me with my longed for nine pounder after a couple of years of trying.on a smaller venue this year and have a new target of a seven on the float , I’ve had bigger than that on feeder and beefed up gear but a seven on as light rod and centrepin would see me a happy man. Good luck to all tinca hunters this spring

[GAVIN H]

Well my tench season is now A couple of sessions in ( with a fun bass trip and unsuccessful mullet trip thrown in too!)and so far so good , had a few fish, nothing massive and im on a new water this year after my syndicate failed to provide me with my longed for nine pounder after a couple of years of trying.on a smaller venue this year and have a new target of a seven on the float , I’ve had bigger than that on feeder and beefed up gear but a seven on as light rod and centrepin would see me a happy man. Good luck to all tinca hunters this spring

Lovely tench Si

[suffolk si]

Cheers gav I may not get any proper biggies this year like other seem too,but consistent sport with nice looking well proportioned fish in the 5-8lb range keeps me happy especially if on the float

[Jason Skilton]

One word.................................................Blanks :-(.......................

[Fish on....]

I’m hugely missing the tench this spring, so keep the pictures coming please