After the reality check of the last two weekends I just wanted to keep things simple, get a few silvers under the rod tip on maggot. I arrived back at the tench pond happy to catch anything this time although a 'bar of soap' tench will do or anything that would wet the landing net. People say it's suicidal fishing maggot here but I wanted a few bites and a few fish regardless of size.
I set up in the most open spot I could find given I was going to fish lighter than last time, far away from the snaggy lillies to give myself a fighting chance should I hook anything willing to test the 3lb bottom I was to use today, going back to basics rather than the heavy stuff. It didn't take long to rack up a good tally of rudd, roach, perch and bream, for some reason (probably cormorants) none of these species grow to any size here but it was fun catching them to 6oz
More impressive was the fact that I actually got through them, well kind of, I got the bait on the deck and picked up fish mostly on the bottom with the odd midwater intercept, it was no longer the pole float dashing away and boils on the surface that I started with. It still was a fish a chuck though but I didn't that mind one bit.
I was getting close to packing up and in the process of drying out my gear that was on the wet grass all morning when a few bubbles turned up, this was the second time this happened so this time I shallowed up a touch and fished closer in dropping the pole float amongst them. Whilst doing this a chap turned up and stood next to me, the first person I had seen all day, the bubbles stopped.
But then....
The float shot under and tore across the pond, the rod bent well. Then I swear the chap asked if it was a roach, maybe I was hearing things but I said "Tench" as It was that unmistakable fight as it edged further and further across the pond. The chap then asked if there was any weed under the water, he was about to find out. I knew it was growing rapidly in this weather and I could feel it's weight as the tench crept further into it. Then it stopped, eventually, like one of those tractor pull events you see in the U.S. although there wasn't much stopping power in my 3lb line, but combined with the weed there was enough. Everything went dead weight, I feared the fish was off given there wasn't the token tail swish or head shake. I ended up dragging a massive clump of weed but there it was like a bar of gold rather than a bar of soap behind it all, lit up in the sun. I knew one kick and it would be goodbye and farewell but everything came ever so slowly to the net. The chap then said it was a carp before saying it wasn't in the net when I went for the scoop, I backed my judgement fully and was rewarded with a paddle tail just visible in the net as I lifted the heavy weight of weed and fish at the spreader.
I joked I'll take 10lb for the fish if I include the weed and remarked that it was like unwrapping a present as I pulled weed out in clumps eager to see the fish. Then a beautiful tench revealed itself in the mottled sun under the trees, a glorious sight if ever there is one. The fish here always seem to be lookers and this was no exception. It was a present all right, a mix of dark green and gold, just perfect.
Here's the weed, the poor person who fishes here next is going to think I've raked the swim.
I packed up not long after and looked at my tally of 17 roach, 14 rudd, 32 perch, 15 bream and 1 tench, a really good 4 hour session with loads of fish with one good one at the end. It beat going all in for big fish and failing although I do know I was fortunate, but that makes it more special. Soon the weed will be far too dense for this approach but for today it was ok and this trip was just what I needed.
