stevetheangler

Friday 8th July and I head out of the house at 0730 towards my destination – one of my clubs’s tench lake (DBP). I left later than my usual 0600 for the reason that rain that was falling was forecast to end at 0800 according to the BBC Weather web site – and as they are usually spot on I would be arriving as the rain was ending…. and again the BBC didn’t let me down :)

So I wandered down from the car park – two other cars already there – to the lake but it seemed only one other was fishing and he was on the opposite bank, so I assume the other(s) were on one of the carp pools that are on-site.

Anyway, although rain had stopped it was quite blustery at times and the skies switched between overcast and grey and blue with white clouds seemingly every few minutes.

So… prepped my ‘station’, set up my 2 ledger rods … 8lb mainline, 15g frame feeders loaded with my usual groundbait/particle mix, straight through to size 6 and size 10 hooks with worm and bread as baits respectively … and first casts were made at 0900…

First fish was hooked at 1045 on the bread rod – but it was a shortlived connection as it did the ‘tenchy hook transfer’ in the abundant weed that exists in the pool currently – chub are noted for doing the hook transfer but in my view tench are even better at it!. Anyway, fish gone, hook solid in the weed and I was forced to pull for a break….

1100 and another take, this time on the worm rod, and a nice tench of 4lb 0oz was landed….

1210 another bread rod fish hooked and lost….

1230 and another fish on the bread rod but this time I land it successfully – 4lb 1oz.

1315 – another take on the worm rod – another hook dump in the weed – another pull for break.

At this time I decided to pack in – the other angler had left at 1200 or thereabouts too and only had one fish as I saw – head not really into fishing and I’d been clock-watching – probably due to tiredness as I’d not slept too well overnight waking at 15 minute intervals it seems…

Back on the car park there were still two cars besides mine – presumably one had left (the guy opposite) and one arrived who had gone to the carp pools…

Anyway – tench taking the pee? Well, I’m having trouble catching a tench over my current PB of 4lb 1oz. Over the past 3 seasons I’ve have uncountable numbers of 4lb 0ozs and into double figures of 4lb 1oz’ers even… but I’m having trouble breaking that barrier … and with those 2 fish (4-00 and 4-01) today it seems like…. ;) ARRRGGGHHHHHH!

Anyway, if I’m to break that barrier before mid-September this year then it will be at a different venue. This one is part of a National Trust property and come school holidays it seems that some (many, actually) parents actually believe that the kids will be interested in touring ‘stately properties’… WHY!!!!? They’d be better giving their kids rods and tackle and setting them off on the bus or their bikes somewhere as happened in my day… kids would enjoy it 1000% more I reckon… Anyway, given that the day’s experience of touring a pile of old bricks isn’t going to be the most exhilarating kid experience they release it by running the grounds screaming and yelling and playing tag or whatever … and, as even ramblers and dog walkers passing by annoy me, then its not where I want to be… :)