The Buckinghamshire angler has a blistering record with the species, with a PB of 14lb 4oz. These fish taking him to a lifetime total of 47 ‘doubles’. He told us “Everything fell into place perfectly, I managed to find where the fish were grouping up, ready to spawn, but with the weather changing and temperatures cooling, they fed hard instead. The lake was also far less weedy than usual, which concentrated their activity on my spot rather than on naturals. Knowing I’d likely never get an opportunity like this again, I took an extra week’s holiday and ended up staying for 12 nights!”
Such a busy session was the last thing Gary expected, as on the large pit he was targeted last spring, he managed just two tench. “I arrived with an area in mind and, although much of the bottom was clear, I found some silk and blanket weed to fish on top of,” he explained. “I always try to avoid fishing on clear areas, if possible, as the waters I fish don’t see much angling pressure, so there’s no good reason for fish to feed on these clear spots that are devoid of food compared to the weed.”
Gary used a unique tactic, opting for groundbait moulded around an inline lead with a double rubber caster hookbait fished on a size 12 hook and a six-inch braided hooklink.
“The tactic gives me a Method-style presentation, which means my hookbait is still presented well on light weed, but I don’t like Method feeders on clear gravel pits where the fish can be wary. My groundbait is also mixed to blend in with the lakebed as much as possible,” he added. “I was baiting with around a pint of casters, a quarter of a kilo of chopped worm, worm soil, and a small handful of hemp each evening. I did this once every 24 hours and only recast if I got a bite.”
Well done Gary!