The Tinca Trail

I am a great one for lists so I set about writing a list of fishy based targets for the coming year , and one of them is a fixture which has remained unresolved for many years : a 7lb Tench.
So following on from Jeff's success last year  and Tenchfisher Club members advice I made my way with Jeff  to the local pits armed with maggots and feeders .

Using a short hooklink and a 2 oz semi fixed Drennan maggot feeder I managed to get a lot of runs but few successful hook ups. The above two weigh in at 5lbs . Its strange they look huge on the unhooking mat but pick them up and they don't ! I suppose when you are a great big oaf like me at 6ft 4 and with hands like shovels they don't stand much chance ! Jeff fished the same tactics in the next door swim and managed this lovely example .

A second trip coincided with some of the windiest weather I think I have ever fished in ! luckily the swim was very  sheltered by a hedge and trees , but I did check the trees a few times as one of them landing on you would not be a good thing !
Same tactics as before and loads of runs but again a few lost to hook pulls or non hook ups was frustrating . But the weights are going up , and the best topped the scales at 6lb12oz.

The next trip takes me to a hopefully sunny and calm North Devon coast for a spot of fishing for the elusive Porbeagle shark.