Martin Bowler on big tench tactics

02 June 2008 11:08

It would appear that the Garden of England is the place to be for tench enthusiasts at the moment – apples and pears are not the only fruit to be found in the county of Kent.

With the vast majority of waters available on an open ticket, it’s not surprising that Angling Times has been full of success stories.

Mid Kent Fisheries is the market leader in this area, with a plethora of venues to satisfy even the most ardent specimen-hunter. Although perhaps most famous for the record carp, Two Tone, its lakes and pits are currently the place to visit for a double-figure tench. It’s a point not lost on the big-fish world with, in all probability, the guy in the next-door swim likely to be a household name.

Now, Kent is a three-hour-plus journey for me, but after a chat with fishery manager Chris Logdson I couldn’t resist the temptation. Chris kindly offered to pair me with local expert Owen Jones, a man who has plundered stocks for 14 years with an incredible tally of 11 doubles.

After the predicted long journey full of motorway hold-ups, it was good to see a friendly face. Owen greeted me with a handshake, and immediately we began to natter about all things tench.

First, I asked him to explain why there had been an explosion in weights over recent years. Owen felt that with a climate change of warmer winters, the fish had a longer feeding period. Combine this with vast amounts of pellets and boilies fed by carp anglers and you have a recipe to explain the present boom.

We walked along the bank and he pointed out the scenes of his successes. It was all mouth-watering stuff, and I believe Owen sensed my eagerness to wet a line.

He kindly offered me his favourite swim and, as if this gesture wasn’t enough, from inside his coat pocket he brought out an old note pad detailing the contours of the lake.

“Not many people get to look in here,” were his words.

With the help of Owen's invaluable underwater map I was able to locate exactly where to swim's features were.

Instinctively I huddled closer and began to whisper, even though there was no-one within 200yds. The wellthumbed pages showed each swim in the tiniest of detail, with a large ‘X’ marking each tench feeding spot.

Four pages in and we came to my swim. In hushed tones Owen told me what to do: “Cast to the bloodworm bed 42yds out behind the gravel bar,” he said. “Fish here and I guarantee you a big tench.”

With a nod and a wink I acknowledged the information. Quickly I began to ready the tackle. Three 2lb tc rods were combined with Okuma reels loaded with 12lb mono.

My rigs were typical of the ones that had served me so well in Oxfordshire this season – Method feeders combined with short hooklengths, small hooks and fake casters.

Now it was time to find the magic spot. Out went the marker float and I felt it down, slowly pulling it back across silt. The tapping sensation down the braid gave the indication I was looking for, as the bottom gave way to gravel and the beginning of a bar. All I needed to do was cast 5yds past here, hold the lead back as it fell, and I would be in the perfect spot.

With two rods marked for this area I set about finding another bar shown by the map for the third rod. This, too, would have the correct distance indicated by pole elastic.

I would need to fish through the night to reach first light and the prime time, so for now I left the casters and maggots out of my spod mix – they would only end up as eel fodder, so I saved them until dawn. Unlike with carp, I like to create a disturbance with my feeding, as it seems to trigger the tench into action.

So an initial sloppy mix of Silver X Fishmeal Bream and 3mm halibut pellets went in around each spot. Before casting out I decided to visit Owen in the adjacent swim. I can honestly say I have never seen one angler stuff so much tackle into two bivvies.

His groundbait mix was also of Biblical proportions, with a recipe that even Gordon Ramsay would struggle with – the finishing touch being a good dollop of maple syrup. Thirty orange-sized balls were then catapulted to a bloodworm bed some 35yds out.

Each was mixed to break up on impact, creating a cloud during its descent. This Kent boy certainly didn’t mess about, and with big shoals of specimen tench present, who could blame him?

The night passed uneventfully and, as I rose at 4am, mist hung across the lake.

Out went three squeezes of Method mix made up of XL Trout Pellet Powder and Hinders Blitz mix. Each one landed like a house brick on the calm surface. Six spodfuls of grubs followed for each rod, setting coots squawking in dismay. The gong had well and truly been rung.

Calm restored, I could make out the odd cluster of frothy bubbles popping to the surface. A rolling black back revealed that the tench were on the move.

A single bleep drew my attention, and I watched as the bobbin pulled tight against the alarm. Before it had time to sound again I was out of the bivvy and into action. The rod folded as contact was made, and it was with great care that I edged the tench over the bar and maintained contact as it savagely kited to my left. I couldn’t think of a better start to the day.

With its lunges under the rod-tip subdued, I got to sample my own piece of Kent success. At 9lb 9oz it was a fine way to open the account.

Three more fish headed in my direction that day, the largest 9lb 7oz, and each one scrapped like a tiger. Owen was adamant that there was better to come, but how could that be?

Another dawn was soon upon us, and once again I embarked on a spodding frenzy. Before the sun had a chance to cast a shadow I was into action. Doggedly I gained line as a large paintbrush tail propelled line off my spool.

Five minutes later, and with Lady Luck smiling on me I rolled her on to her olive green flank. With a single scoop I had my prize. It was obvious this was a big fish, but as the scales spun around to double figures a broad grin spread across my face.

Kent tenching is certainly something else.

» For details of tench fishing in Kent call Paul Harrison at Ashford Tackle on 01233 630914. For information on Mid Kent Fisheries contact 01227 730668 or visit www.midkentfisheries.co.uk

Big tench require a lot of bait. That's the theory Owen works to anyway. He likes to put out a big bed in each swim.		Owen's base mix is Silver X Fishmeal Bream and Silver X Specimen Red. Then he adds corn, groats and hemp.
Tench love pellets, and Owen adds Hinders Elips to the concoction. Hinders Wet and Dry mix gives extra attraction.		Owen has two rigs for tench. Both the maggot feeder set-up and the Method feeder work at various times.