Testing Tench

We're three weeks into our tench fishing now - and it hasn't been easy! The first week produced nothing at all, not even a line bite between us. It was cold for April, very cold and it wasn't too surprising that the tench didn't show. Indeed April has been the wettest on record for many parts of the country and was officially colder than March!

Week two did at least provide some interest, if no fish. I managed to hook three tench but all three of them came unstuck. I'm using heavy gear from the off this year, having lost a few fish from breakages in the dense weed last season so there was little chance of the tench actually snapping the line but I suspect the hook pattern let me down with two just slipping the hook and a third partially opening the hook out. Week three and with bigger, stronger, sharper, wider gape hooks I was brimming with confidence. I caught fish too, four tench and a chub to be precise. What's more I haven't lost any more fish this week despite some real scrappers coming to the net. Denis came unstuck on one, the only fish he's hooked so far and again it was just a case of the hook slipping out.

None of the fish I've had have been very big, the first weighed 7lb 1oz, a tatty fish which I think I subsequently re-caught at 6lb 14oz a couple of days later. I also had a 7lb 4oz tench and one of 5lb 15oz which fought well above it's weight. None of the fish have been carrying spawn and with the current temperatures (frost tonight!) they won't be ready for spawning until July this year I expect. Plenty of time to catch a biggun yet.