Spring tench'ing

As the temperatures on the rise and the water temperatures with it, it's time to start targeting them tench! To me there's nothing more special than to be sat behind a float or a watching a tip or even waiting for that Bobin to crack the blank! There's something special about tench, a species which I've loved fishing for since I was a youngster with my grandfather. Nothing's really changed over the years with my angling for the tench apart from now I seek the larger species when targeting my quarry so I do more digging and information finding before fishing a lake. What I look for is 100% proof that big specimens live in the lake I'm going to target as you can waste valuable angling time fishing for ghosts. So I trawl the Internet for photos and read the mags to. Word of mouth is also good as there's a bit more mystery by it. This spring I started on a water which I've had previous luck on catching tench to 6lb+but seen much bigger landed! Here's a lovely specimen from last summer. 

This year they'd brought in a close season and the lake was due to close mid April. I booked a few days off of work and planned my 48 hour session. I knew it was still early but there were the odd days which were warm but the temperature was still dropping through the night. Not phased by this I still looked forward to my first session. The time had come and I'd finally arrived at the lake. On this trip I'd also be targeting the big crucians so both my rods were set up the same as both the tench and crucians loved my chosen set up. My chosen set up consisted of two 12ft Drennan Avon 1 1/2 test curve rods coupled with two little daiwa ss1600 reels loaded with 6lb mono. Rig wise I use a Drennan inline 25g flat method feeder and four inches of 7lb Drennan micro braid with a size 16 Drennan super Specailist hook. For the hook bait I use a single white buoyant caster which sits proud over the feed and will shoot into the fishes mouth with ease increasing your bites! I've used this set up time and time again and caught lots of tench and lots of big crucians to 4.2lb it's always good to have confidence in what you use as personally I feel confidence plays a big factor in your angling. On this particular lake I like to attack the swim with plenty of bite via spombing regularly. I use the smallest spomb as I don't like to over do it. For my spomb mix I use a mixture of hemp, sticky baits krill active mix and sticky baits micro krill pellets and some casters added for good measure! I want the fish to stay feeding on my spot for as long as possible so these food items will hold the fish in your swim. For bait around the feeder I simply just use a krill ground bait as when the fish find your feeder the only food item they encounter is your critically balanced hook bait again increasing the chances of a bite.

I always spend time leading my swim trying to find firmer spots within the silt or gravel spots if there is so. I found a lovely spot at around 30 yards I clipped both rods up and both went out lovely and introduced 10 spombs to start the session off. I ended up fishing a swim with not a lot of depth as I thought with increasing temperature the fish might move around the area I was fishing. Sadly I didn't have a bite that day so as the sun moved behind the tree line i to moved swims into an area with a bit of depth. I got into the swim at around 9pm and calmly went about sorting the rods and finding a spot! It didn't take long and the rods were both out fishing. And it didn't take long for the tench to insterupt the silence of the night sending my little micron m bite alarms into melt down! The culprit was a 4lb male tench! Promising and goes to show how moving swims can be valuable after blanking all day! I went on to land thirteen more tench through the night to 8.1lb! It was a very restless night indeed but a enjoyable one!

First light I topped the swim up with ten or so spombs and the action began right from the off! I ended up landing two crucians to 2.8lb and a total of twenty seven tench to 8.1lb! What a 48 hour session that was!

Sadly the fishing had come to an end on that water due to the close and I doubt I'll be returning until late August early September to have a proper go for crucians! A bit lost as where to fish for the tench I began doing some more research when a savour came to call my call! A good mate of mine txt me inviting me to have a go for the tench on his syndicate! After a few texts I was buzzing as it seemed the low numbered syndicate held some cracking tench and are never targeting by the carp anglers only caught by mistake whilst targeting the carp! And some lumps have been caught to! The session was a few weeks away and time seemed like it stopped! But gave me plenty of time to ask as many questions about the water as possible so I could make a mental map of the place and have a plan! I always have to have a plan in my head or I go to bits on the bank and make mistake after mistake so I like to think my angling as methodical ha ha! A bit Ocd if you like? But every one has there ways and methods! Gathering that the lake was very very weedy gravel pit I decided to pack inline maggot feeders and block other feeders so on the day I could lead about and take course of action from there. Slowly but surely the day arrived and I was buzzing! Better than any Christmas! What a lucky git I am I thought! We arrived at the lake and I was taken back! What a epic epic lake! Heaven! Was i in it? After a quick walk and some observations we decided to drop at one of the lake which had some depth as the temp had dropped a bit and the wind had picked up. But I'd seen a few tinca so I was happy! I went about leading trying to find a clear spot. After a while I found a lovely hard spot behind a weed bed! I clipped up and introduced ten big spombs of hemp mixed with sticky baits krill active mix, sticky baits krill pellets and some red maggot! 

Next I set up the rods! As I knew the lake was weedy and snaggy I didn't want to take any risks and loose fish or worse case scenario get cut off by snags I used light 2lb test curve carp rods, rods which had enough back bone to keep control of the fish and hopefully land them! Reels I used my trusty ss1600 this time coupled with a 10lb mono! Again to withstand the casting of the 2oz maggot feeders I was going to use and of course to withstand the tench possibly carp and the weed! Rig wise I used the 2oz inline maggot feeder with a four inch 10lb Drennan supplex hook link with a size 8 super Specailist barbel hook, hook bait again I used three plastic casters. Again for confidence knowing I could leave the rig out there until I get a bite and to stay in the rig to evade the other smaller species of fish. 

With both the rods set up and a genurous bed of bait out there it was time to cast out! Both rods went out sweet! I was fishing! Finally! It was time to sit back take it all in and have some teas with my mate! And it wasn't long before my left rod went into melt down and I was into a fish! After a hairy fight I landed a very weeded up 4.8lb male tench! A great start! 

I was more than happy that I caught my intended target! I re did both the rods. I like to cast every hour when tench fishing just to keep the swim topped up! You don't want them feeding and moving off! Sadly the wind picked up and the temperature dropped with it! And so did the signs of activity! I knew the odds were against me now! Time went on and I finally got my head down to be awoken by liner after liner at 3.30am! I woke up and just sat drinking tea awaiting for one of the rods to rip off but it didn't happen! I waited for first light to re clip up the rods and refil the feeders with Maggots as I was sure there were fish out there! Tench to! So I re did both rods and got them both out with no drama! I sat down with a tea feeling much more confident! The Bobin on the left rod cracked the blank and the line pinged out of the clip! Here we go! Again the fish weeded me up and luckily I got the fish out and half way in it must or shrugged the weed off its head and started really going for it! I knew this was a decent tench so I hung on for dear life and prayed I landed it! The tench rolled over the net and she was a big girl! I composed myself and got out my Mat and other weighing bits and bobs! Awoke my mate and weighed the beautiful tench! 

The needle rolled over to 9.8lb a new personal best for me! I was overwhelmed by the big framed beauty! Such a epic epic tinca! My mate took a few shots for me and I released her back to her home with a big grin on my face! 

 

Sadly We had to pack up, and every one hates packing up! But I didn't that morning! Buzzed by what I caught I was in love with the place! I knew I probably wouldn't get a ticket for the special syndicate so I didn't even think about! But whilst at work I received a call from my mate offering me a ticket!?! You can all guess what my answer was! My fishing won't start on there until June 16th which is when the new members can fish but I'm allowed to squeez in another guest session before hand! So I'm eager to get back! Thanks again for taking the time to read my blog I hope you enjoyed it and didn't get to bored.

Be lucky out there 

A lovely encounter with a special lady before the close..

Me and Si Hartop have been arranging a roach session on the itchen for a while now and with the close drawing in we finally pencilled in a day in the diary! After counting down the days and exchanging texts about tactics and swim choices the day was finally upon us! With the rivers due to close for the season it was make or break for that magical 2lb river roach! The forecast couldn't of been any worse bright conditions and not a cloud in the sky.. Not ideal for the roach! But we set out at first light anyway! We started off my favourite roach spot. I put si on a likely spot and I started above a snag. I baited gingerly as I knew the roach have been fished for and have been very finicky so I kept the bait going in at a minimum. After half hour or so of baiting with a pinch fulls of maggot I decided to have my first trot through. Again I was using my 13ft acolyte plus coupled with my JW YOUNGS pin loaded with 3lb Drennan float fish, I used a 3bb wire steam Drennan float and a size 18 super specialist hook with a single red maggot as the hook bait. After a few few fruitless trots I decided to move up stream and rest the swim. Neither si or I had any bites.. With the sun rising and the mist burning away rapidly I moved back to the snags.. First trot down I was into what felt like a roach and it wasn't long and I had my first Redfin in the net! Quickly followed by another about the same size! Confident I'd found the shoal I concentrated on that area. Si asked if I ever get plagued with trout.. I wish I didn't answer as I well and truly jinxed myself as a super charged browny turned up and ruined the party.. Quickly followed by one of his mates.. That was it! The icing on the cake! No more bites fell to me in that swim so we decided to move down stream. We started off at the bottom of the stretch. I carried on trotting and Si carried on with his bread flake feeder tactic. I had several grayling to the pound mark but sadly no roach.. We both started working back on our selves but the majority of the swims proved to be fruitless. With the sun high in the sky by this point we knew the odds were against us! I decided to try and target the grayling in one of my favrioute swims. This swim was deep wide and the river flowed very fast through it an area you wouldn't expect the grayling to hold but.. There's a lovely slack that ran off of the bend and I loved using the maggot feeder in this slack! My tip rod set up for the river is a Drennan match pro feeder and a 2oz tip, tip depending on the flow, 4lb mono on a small daiwa ss1600 reel, a small maggot feeder and a 2lb hook link with a size 18 hook with a single red to tip it off.. I never bait when using the maggot feeder I just count on the maggot to do there job in the feeder and not over feed the feeding fish for there were any. I lowered the feeder into the slack and the finicky bites began.. Usually with the set up I use the grayling hang them selves on the rig but today the bites were extra finicky.. It wasn't long before the tip hooped around and I was into a hard fighting grayling! 

Securely in the net I put the feeder back out and again it wasn't long before another grayling was in the net falling to the deadly maggot feeder method! 

The bites soon dried up so I decided to try trotting through the faster water as I thought the grayling could of dropped back due to spooking from the disturbance from the previous landed grayling landed. First trot through and the float dipped.. Striking instantly I was into a fish.. At first I thought it was a trout by the fight! But I saw a glimpse of a big sail from a big grayling! I knew this was a big fish! I clamped down on my pin and gained what line I could guiding the grayling out of the flow back into the slack.. It wasn't long and the special fish was in the net!! After weighing the grayling and getting a quick snap I rested the fish in the net and waited for si to do photos.

With a new personal best in the net I couldn't wait to do the photos! Si was just as happy as I was and he took some epic shots for me!!! 

After a few snaps I released the grayling back to the chalk stream watching with a big smile on my face! What a way to end the river season.. Until June 16th.. 

Thanks for reading! Be lucky out there 

After work Redfin session..

I'm lucky enough to finish work early on a Friday afternoon so it gives me the advantage to get on the bank early and miss the weekend rush. On this paticular afternoon I decided to have some lunch and head down my local stretch of river the itchen. My set up for this occasion was a 3lb mainline straight through, a 2BB Drennan stick float and a size 20 Drennan super specialist hook. The reason why I used a light stick float is the flow is nice and slow and the stretch is nice and deep. So With only my light acolyte rod and centre pin a net and tackle bag I set off down the itchen.so 

I always start off at the bottom of the stretch and work my way up. I fished a few of my favourite spots sadly only producing small grayling and a few trout. With time getting on i decided to get to my main roach spot. There's been a few other anglers targeting the roach at this location so I knew it was going to be tricky. I baited a few areas with maggot and let the roach "if" they were about have a few free offerings and gain there confidence. After baiting for an hour I decided to have a trot on my first favoured area. After a few trots the finicky roach began to bite! Glad I'd found them in quite quick time i baited with a pinch of maggot and trotted down with the free offerings. I was getting bites along side a big set of snags.. As the float maruded past the snags the float disappeared and I was Into the first roach of the season! After a spirited fight the first roach was in the back of the net! After baiting and resting the swim shortly I trotted through again and the bites began again.. After a few trots through the swim and a few finicky bites the float disappeared once again and I was into another Redfin! The bites continued and I ended up landing six lovely Redfins to 1.4lb, five where also  over 1lb, sadly I lost two good fish. But I was happy with catching six roach in such a short time! If you fish for roach you'll know how finicky they are. 

After a few photos memories were made and I slipped the beautiful roach back to there chalk stream home. 

The season is drawing in and I'm hoping to have one or two more roach sessions and I'm praying that magical 2lber slips up.. 

Thanks for reading my blog and be lucky on the bank! 

First river session of 2016

With the temperatures plummeting and the majority of the lakes freezing I decided to hang up the perching gear and get out the river gear! With a week of cold weather dropping down to -6 and no rain I knew the river would be prime for a grayling or two! Maybe even a roach or two! Like normal I set my rods up the evening before. My first set up consisted of my 13ft Drennan acolyte plus coupled with a JW YOUNGS BJ centrepin loaded with 3lb Drennan mono. I know the river was a bit pacey and up so I opted to use a 3BB stick float not to heavy and not to light. Perfect for the long trot on the spots I had in mind! I always fish 3lb straight through due to the number of trout in there and snapping up numerous times gets very iterating and expensive. And I don't like the thought of a trout swimming about with a hook in his gob. I use a size 16 Drennan whisker barbed super specialist hook to obtain a good hook hold. For my second rod and set up I use a 12ft Drennan medium match pro feeder rod with a small reel loaded with 4lb Drennan feeder mono. I use a small 1oz maggot feeder tied on a double not system so it acts as a bolt rig system so the grayling in particular don't gut hook. I use a 3lb hooklink with a size 18 spade end hook. With both rods set up and my maggot lightly dusted in some pure liver powder I was ready for the days fishing ahead. It wasn't long before I was on walking the river bank. I stopped off at my first spot where I like to use the feeder fishing in a nice slack In about 6ft of water where the grayling usually like to hold up in this particular swim. The water was higher than normal and slightly coloured so I knew it wasn't going to be easy! After a few casts around the swim I finally started getting a few line bites. And soon enough the tip hooped over and I was into my first grayling of 2016. And it was a lovely one at that!

After a few shots in the mist she was realeased back to her home. The swim went on to produce a few more grayling around the same size. I moved onto the next swim where I knew there were usually some roach about and of course some grayling. This swim was ideal for trotting. I baited the swim for a little while with a pinch of maggot encouraging the fish to feed without any angling pressure. After baiting for half and hour I trotted through the swim and immediately started getting finicky bites which to me looked like roach bites! After every trot I baited and left the swim for five or ten mins getting the fishes confidence up, on the next trot I struck into a finicky bite and I was into a good fish! Yup it was a roach! Which half way in decided to drop off! Classic roach! I left the swim for a while and began baiting again. And it didn't take me long to hook into another fish and loose it! These fish were being very finicky! I went on to catch a few grayling before the swim dried up and the fish moved on or just stopped feeding.

I spent the rest of the morning into the afternoon trotting through various swims catching lots and lots of different sized grayling but nothing massive but brilliant fun all the same! I ended up catching some nicer sized grayling whilst trotting which brought the tally to twenty plus grayling landed! 

I ended up in the swim I first feeder fished and started again by using the feeder and wasn't long before I had another nice sized grayling in the net. The bites were longer between and much more finicky. But I stuck at it and caught a further more three grayling. 

Eventually that swim dried up to! And by this time it was getting late into the afternoon.. Time for some roach! I spent a good few hours trotting some swims but no luck. Eventually I found some roach and was lucky enough to catch and land one before calling it a day. 

It was a enjoyable first session on the river with conditions not being the best and the river flowing very high and coloured but I caught some lovely fish and had a lovely days fishing. Thanks for taking the time to read my blog I hope you enjoyed it. 

Commercial perch fishing

Commercials have become very good perch venues due to the neglect to other species and I think specimens such as perch, roach and Rudd get ignored by the day ticket anglers in search of a quick bite from the many carp stocked in the venues. I've fished a particular commercial a couple of times now which is hordle lakes near the forest both Jim and rich the owners are lovely blokes and are always on hand to offer great advice. I've had some good results each time I've visited the venue. Although commercials have become very popular in the perch fishing scene there hard to ignore. my first session was more of a taster but on my second visit I knew the zones where the perch liked to hang about. Swim choice was quite easy really, you just look for any cover or snags or any other features such as monks or aerators which provide cover and good ambush points for the perch. Me and my mate ended up fishing next to each other with snags either side of our swims. On one rod I fished the classic running rig set up on a drennan Avon quiver 1 1/4 test curve rod and a small daiwa SS1600 reel loaded with 6lb mono and the rig itself which consisted of a size 5 ESP barbless raptor hook, a 12" 4lb drennan supplex hook link and a one once lead.

For the Hook bait I started with a king prawn soaked in pure krill extract to give the hook bait that extra pulling power over the free offerings which I scatter around the hook bait. This rod was tucked right under the snag and placed on my alarm. For the second rod I used a waggler set up with my light acolyte float rod coupled with a centrepin reel loaded with 3lb mono. I fished the waggler further out with a nice juicy lob worm.

I sprayed maggot over both rods regularly to attract any small fish which in turn would attract the perch. I also mix up a ground bait consisting of chopped prawn, worm and red maggot mixed with a blood worm mix and ball it up and introduce it to the spots.

It didn't take long for the bobin to hit the blank on the prawn rod! And after a spirited fight the first perch was in the net and weighed 2.8lb! A lovely specimen perch and a good start to the session!

I carried on fishing the waggler but only to get plagued by roach so I moved the float closer towards some snags to my left. And balled in some more ground bait in hope that some more stripeys may come along...

Feeling more confident with my approach with the waggler I was happy! But sure enough it was the prawn rod again which was away! With the bobbin hitting the blank and another spirited fight on the light tackle and  a lovely 2lb perch was again sat in the net!!! And a angry one at that! 

I persisted with the waggler and lob worm approach by roaming it around but no bites fell to the float method. But More bites fell to the King prawn rod! And I ended up landing a further three perch and loosing a couple to! Another good session! 

I returned to the venue after Christmas this timed with more king prawns soaked in pure krill extract and four pints of red maggot and some juicy lob worms. As no bites fell to the waggler on previous sessions I fished two rods on the running rig both mounted with King prawns. I fished one down to the left tight to a snag just off the marginal shelf. The second rod I fished it a little further out as I saw lots of small fry being chased by perch. 

I regularly topped up both spots with red maggot and chopped worm and King prawn soaked in krill extract. 

It was a very slow morning resulting in a few aborted takes and loosing a couple of fish which was really frustrating. By this time it was 3.30pm and the venue shuts at 4.30pm I knew time was running out and I hate blanking! So I upped the amount of chopped bait mix I was feeding into the swim. Anxiously I kept looking at my watch knowing that it'll be soon time to reel in and begin the dreaded pack down! I hate blanking as I rarely get out these days so a blank leads to fustratation but also makes me more eager to up the Anty for the next session. But.... Out of no where my left rod which was placed close to a snag just went into a melt down and line was peeling off the spool at a alarming rate making me think a rogue carp could be the culprit. So I lifted into what I thought was a carp! My mate heard the take and came over into my swim and asked if I knew what was on the end? My reply was if its perch it's a big perch! I knew deep down it was due to the viscous head shaking and sharp lunges! The fish stayed deep! I didn't want to give the fish any slack! Eventually the fish rolled on the surface and the Dorsal gave its identity away! My mate went silent as did I both knowing this was a good specimen! I didn't want this perch to drop off!!! After a few more lunges eventually the perch rose to the surface and My mate swooped the net under her and in the back of the net was a rather festively plump perch! This fish was 3lb easy and a possible new personal best! I was overwhelmed as I didn't blank! We unhooked the perch and let it rest whilst I got the rod back onto the spot and again baited with a generous amount of maggot hoping for another last minute take! We got every thing ready, sling, scales and the camera, my two mates helped with the weighing... The perch spun the needle round to 3.4lb I was overwhelmed and overjoyed! A new personal best! A brilliant late Christmas present! My mate took some beautiful shots for me to! So big up! 

I returned the perch with a big smile on my face!!! and it was a good late Christmas present! I had some really good fun fishing the commercials with some mates who were also lucky enough to catch some lovely perch. I hope you enjoyed the blog and maybe learnt something new on how to target perch. Be lucky out there. Here's a link to the website for hordle lakes. A venue well worth fishing if your after big specimen perch. 

http://m.hordlelakes.co.uk

Commercial perching to be continued....

Red fin chasing part 1

As the colder weather is moving in and the clocks going back its time to get back onto the rivers targeting the roach and grayling. I'm lucky enough to bailiff a stretch of the river itchen, I also grew up living opposite the river itchen when I was a youngster I was either swimming in it or fishing it! So bailiff'ing the Itchen was a honour really! I love it so much and luckily it's not fished a lot. 

My fave time of year on the river has to be January when it's really cold and frosty! But there's always an excuse to get out and try and target those finicky red fins! I've found a few different shoals of roach all as finicky as the other to catch with the smaller fish always being the easiest to catch. I call them the body guards! I've been lucky enough to get a few good hits through the years but none of the real bigguns I've found yet. 

Late summer of 2014 

One session every thing came right and will be a session to remember for some years to come! I was house sitting for my mum who was away on holidays for two weeks and being that she lived opposite the itchen meant I could pre bait every eve and keep an eye on one particular shoal. Right stubborn buggers they were being! I didn't have to much luck I had the odd roach but nothing to shout home about! On the last Sunday I was house sitting I popped out for the old classic "I'll only be an hour" I crept up to the shoal and threw in a few red maggot.. Something was different today? They all started to feed! Rather than the smaller roach feeding whilst the bigger roach held back in the reeds and watched they were all at it! I decided to wait a bit and continued to feed little and often and the roach still fed! My favourite tactic is to bulk the shot under the float so the maggot on the hook slowly drift down with the free offerings I chuck over the top as I found the roach like to snatch and flee. I threw out the free offerings and cast the float out.. I watched my hook bait slowly drift towards the hungry roach and the first body guard slipped up and was sitting in my net so he couldn't return to his mates to tell them about his ordeal! Again out went the free offerings followed by my float. I was working through the shoal and surprisingly the bigguns still weren't spooking but we're holding back in the weed. This cast I was the one and I watched the maggots drift towards one of the bigger roach and he swam out grabbed my hook bait I instantly struck and I was in! But sadly for a few seconds and it was all over shoal spooked! Such intelligent fish are roach! 

 

I continued angling for the roach In 2014 but not catching anything over the magic 2lb mark but still had plenty of lovely red fins! 

This Autumn/winter I was really up for trying my hardest in beating my personal best and catching my first 2lb+ roach! I spent a lot of time feeding and watching the different shoals through the close season spotting out the bigger fish dreaming of maybe one day catching them! But like always come opening they disappeared! My first roach session was early October on a Sunday bailiff walk. I found one shoal and targeted them for a few hours before a hungry jack pike moved in spooking the shoal but landed fiver roach with three of them being over 1lb+ not bad for a few hours angling!

I look forward to my next session and maybe I'll be lucky enough to catch a 2lb+ red fin! 

Last session of the season whacker

After my previous big crucian haul I thought I'd leave my crucian fishing there for the season and move onto other species. But I just had a feeling to return to the crucian Mecca just one final time for the year! I enjoyed it so much I wanted one last go. After a long week at work I couldn't wait to get down the lake. My partner Amie and daughter River came along for the afternoon/evening again. We arrived at the lake to find it packed with carp anglers. 

This proved to be a problem for me as I wanted to fish as far away from pressure as possible. Luckily I dropped in a swim close to the same zone as I had my previous haul from.

The conditions where almost spot on other than the temperature had dropped a fair amount at night.. Had I pushed my luck? I clipped up my two rods to the same area around 30 yards and had a little lead about before deciding on a nice firm area in the silt. I clipped my spomb rod to just under 30 yards and introduced a few spombs of bait to see how I got on. I then cast out the feeders and sat back and waited for the first bite... 

Unlike my previous sessions no bites came to the rods not even from tench or Rudd or even small carp? By this time my partner and daughter had left and the evening was drawing in! I was beginning to think it was to late in the year and the cold snap of Autumn had finally put a close on my crucian fishing for this year! After a few teas and dinner it was dark and yet still no bites had fallen to my traps.. It was 7.55pm and the bobin on my right rod slowly lifted up and held position.. Once I lifted into the fish I knew what it could be! Being pitch black by this point I didn't want to turn my head torch on and spook the fish and potentially loose it! Was it a small carp or a crucian? The fish was finally in the margins and rolled on the surface.. It was a huge crucian my heart was in my mouth and I played the monster sized crucian very gingerly! After a epic fight the crucian was in the net! I laid the crucian on the mat and I couldn't believe how big it was! A very deep and thick set fish! This could be a new PB! 

I called the carp angler over from the swim next door to help with photos and weighing. The needle bounced between 4.1 and 4.2lb I called it at 4.1lb another PB broken in a matter of weeks! After a few shots I returned the beautiful old crucian. 

After a few calls to my mates to let them

Know of my good fortune I made a few teas and got my head down! Around 3am I was woken by a little mirror around the 5lb mark. I left the rod out and decided to get it out accurately at first light. It wasn't long before the sun was rising lighting up the beautiful lake. 

I had some quick breakfast then I re cast the rods accurately back on the spot and put out a few spombs over the spot. Whilst spombing my right rod melted off and I lifted into what I thought was a tench but to my surprise it was another crucian! Another hairy fight in the margins and it wasn't long before the crucian was safely in the net! Another good sized fish eaily over the 3lb mark! The needle on the scails jumped round to 3.9lb another epic session for me! 

After taken some lovely photos the fish was slipped back and more precious memory's were made! No more bites came that day! Not one! Not from any Rudd tench or small carp! That was to be my final crucian session of the year but I was made up! Forty six  crucians landed in total from my few months crucian angling! Countless 2lb+ crucians! Six over the magic 3lb+ mark and two over 4lb+ what a season! All caught on different methods ranging from float fishing off the tip of the rod using a Centrepin reel to casting feeders at thirty yards using bite alarms. I learnt a lot and most of all caught a lot. With the shorter days approaching and the cold weather creeping it was time to move onto the rivers and still waters targeting other species. Be lucky in your ventures and thanks for reading another addition to my blog