Saturday, April 23, 2011

Spring migration

Just as our migrant birds are either heading north or arriving from the south I head in the oppsite direction in search of tench. Despite the recent heatwave I reckon it's still a bit early. The blackthorn blossom is on the turn and the hawthorn yet to burst in to bloom. Once the hawthorn is flowering the tench should be really active. What effect this unseasonably warm weather will have on weed growth remains to be seen.

My first two-nighter was the usual exploratory session. As much to remember what to do and check I have everything sorted as to catch tench. Just as well, because not a tench played the game. I was kept reasonably busy landing perch though.

Fred's not much of a tench bunny if this session is any guide...

I think I was just a bit late to capitalise on the perch. The majority of them appeared to have spawned, and even the few that hadn't managed to weigh less than two pounds by a matter of a couple of ounces. Nonetheless they were nice fish to catch and certainly stopped me becoming bored. What was interesting, to someone who always associates perch with free running rigs and light indicators, was how readily they hooked themselves using my short hooklink helicopter rig. Maybe if I had been using lobworms rather than three red maggots for bait things would have been different.

Essential equipment.

When it came time to pack up and leave I was wishing that I'd taken more food, drink and bait. Another night under the stars would have been most acceptable. With Bank Holiday piled on Bank Holiday for the next couple of weeks it might be May before I get a chance to get back. Fingers crossed the weed doesn't begin to grow rampantly, and that the tench start moving around, in the meantime.