June 17th the show goes on and on!

Previous years saw me fishing the river on the 16th, but last year I missed out on some huge tench that came out, fish of over 11lbs, it wasn’t going to happen this year.

The previous day had seen me catch some beautiful tench and two over 9lbs as well.

The night had been cold and clear, with a full moon. I was up at 3.40am and spombed out about 1.5pints of hemp and more dead maggots.

There was a gentle breeze and this just prevented the mist rising off the lakes surface. My digits were cold from the hemp water  and the spomb work but I managed to cast out.

I climbed back into the bag to warm up……what happened to flaming June.

I had continued with the new rigs on both rods and was rewarded with a 4lb tench at 4.40am and then at 5.10 I lost a fish that came off because it crossed over the other line.

Steve gave me a call to say that he had one, it was a nice looking old mirror with a couple of large scales on it’s flank that went 23lbs. At least he didn’t blank.

At 5.55am I saw a tench roll over the baited area which in the past usually produced a fish shortly after. True to the form the left hand rod was off at 6.05am and I was playing a large tench again. Steve came for a look and we wondered at the size. Well 9lbs 12oz was the score and I was well pleased.

Thanks Steve for the photo’s again.

In the next hour I had a 6lbs 13oz and 5lb 9oz  females. Then I had to wait an hour for another tench which came off at the net.

8.45am I had another good take that I missed.

9.15am a tench of 8lbs 12oz graced the net.

Then I missed two takes and decided 4 runs and lost fish was not so good so I changed back to my originals rigs.

Once I changed back I had a tench of 4lbs 9oz within 5 minutes.

Steve had packed up because heavy rain was forecast for the morning and he also had a long drive back up north to make. We said our goodbyes and wished each other good luck on the rivers.

Things went quite again for an hour, so I changed one rod back to the new rig.

Off they went again, and within 10 minutes had two tench on the same rig 6lbs and 6lbs 14oz.

The weather had threatened to be rain, rain and more rain. The wind was blowing straight in my face so no bow in the line which I liked.

I put out the last of the hemp and I had no dead maggots left.

The next fish was a bit special. 12.10 the  left  hand rod went off and the fish went right and into some weed, but again some light pressure took it out. the fight was something else and knew it was a special fish. When she went into the net I was so happy as she looked so deep and wide.

On the scales she went 10lbs 7oz. I showed the fish to the bailiff and he thought it looked magnificent. A passing carper who I had talked to earlier took the photo’s for me.

 

The next 5 hrs passed in a blur, I’m not going to write much more but just give the notes written in my note book.

12.10 tench 10lbs 7oz

1.00pm tench 2lbs 3oz

1.15pm tench 5lbs 9oz

1.45pm tench 5lbs 7oz

2.05pm tench 7lbs 11oz

3.00pm tench 6lbs 9oz

3.10pm tench 8lbs 5oz

3.15pm tench 3lbs 10oz

3,45pm missed a screamer

It had threatened to rain and it was in the air as a carper and his Lady friend came along for a chat. He was unsure which swim to fish, I told him that I was low on maggots and would pack up  soon. It then started to pour with rain. He thought about it for a while then said that he would take up the offer of fishing the swim. With that the rod was off again and I landed a pb male of 8lbs 4oz.

I could tell his lady friend thought I was an excellent angler especially when I landed another female tench of 8lbs 14oz. She was so excited she went and sat in the car!!!!!!!!!!.

4.30pm missed a screamer

4,45pm 5lbs 7oz.

Maggots getting low.

I had said to the carper to bring his gear into the swim ready for when I left. A couple of other carper came to see what was happening including ones from the far side of the lake and one who took the photo of the 10lb 7oz.

4.55pm Tench 4lbs 5oz

It was almost the end of the session and at 5.38pm I landed the last tench of 8lbs 2oz. No more maggots left, and I had one more rod out, which roared off and I missed this one. I’m sure I could have cast out with the feeder empty and with plastic on the hook I would have caught…..but I was worn out and very wet by now.

42 tench, 273lbs 5oz and two 4 oz perch what a session.

12x 5lb, 9x6lb, 3x7lb, 7x8lb, 3x9lb, and one of 10lbs 7oz.