Ok maybe I'm a bit late with getting my first tench having paid the price for some early half hearted forays for the tincas late March and early April, add to that my penchant for getting easily distracted by the other species my excuses were in early. However a tench is a tench and any fish at any time would do even if I felt one was overdue.
So it was I arrived at the little tench pond which looked so different to last time in early spring, which was more late winter in comparison to today, all the lillies were now up, weed was touching the surface and little rudd were dancing among the greenery as two coots seemed to getting amorous just for the sake of it, working on a second brood perhaps and who could blame them.
I picked a spot by some yellow flags, fed some bread as it is working everywhere else for me and didn't wait long for the first rudd to drag my float across the surface, resulting in a nice 6oz fish. I knew they would keep me busy but rudd wouldn't do today
A few more rudd followed as expected as I could see my bread twitching below the surface in the clear water but I was picking out decent ones as the small nuisance rudd were unable to dip my undershotted float. I waited for that solid bite and it didn't take long as my quarry took the offering and ripped the float under. A fine tench strongly battled it's way to the net, one I should have weighed as it could have beaten my pb for this little pond but I slipped the beautifully coloured fish back delighted.
A few more rudd followed as well as a tiny bream, It's amazing what can take a piece of bread on a size 12, emphasized by the second tench of the day which was one for the future. Note the blurry photo where it's paddle tail must have splashed the lens, well I did need a close up with one this size.
