A FIVE year pursuit in search of a double-figure tench finally came to an end for James Champkin in the form of this superb 10lb 11oz specimen.

The Angling Trust Campaigns Officer slipped the net under 18 tench during his trip to a southern gravel pit – which also produced other specimens of 9lb 2oz, 9lb 9oz, 9lb 10oz and 9lb 14oz.

James said: “The tench were caught on two main tactics: either two grains of artificial corn tipped with red maggots, or inline maggot feeders with artificial maggot hookbaits.
“I fished to a plateau over a mixture of hemp, Dynamite Baits marine halibut pellets of varying sizes, Hemp and Halibut groundbait plus red maggots and casters.”
James returned for a single overnight session a few days later and caught another six fish, including another double of 10lb 2oz!