Its nearly time to hurl some rakes!

[Fin the Fish]

Tench fishing, theres nothing quite like it. The start of every close season is bittersweet, I miss the rivers but cannot wait for that first proper touch of spring warmth that heralds the time for tenching. The enormous sploosh of that first dredge of the year thrown through the clinging mists of dawn at some inviting lillies or overhanging trees is joyous. Knowing the great clouds of silt being thrown upwards will arouse the interests of many an olive bellied beast and laying down a carpet of bait to keep them there is so exciting! So too is watching your float bob and twitch as those bloodworm hungry tincas sift the groundbait infused silt, watching and waiting for the final lift or sinking that lets you know getting out of bed at 4am was worth it. Staring intently at that one red dot amongst all the white willow catkin, time almost seems to slow and cease and I can happily sit all day from dawn to dusk, frittering and wasting the hours in an offhand way - the way only an angler entrapped by his angling can.


Lazy days spent by a gravel pit basking in the spring sun are some of the best, and I just cannot wait for that burst of warmth, that first heavy handed splash of the ragtag homemade dredge as it does its duty, the effervescent signature of feeding tincas, and that heart jumping moment as the float finally ceases to float.
Roll on spring!

 

[noknot]

Very nicely put Fin, and a bit of the Pink Floyd thrown in too

 

[rudd enthusiast]

Amen to that.

Beautifully put sir!

 

[no-one in particular]

A good reminder

And thats a lovely reminder of why I fish. One of life's pleasures, not done for any reward as such; just purely because it's enjoyable. And if anyone asks me again why I fish if all I do is put them back; I shall qoute Fin the Fish. That will shut them up!

 

[Fin the Fish]

Thanks guys

That was quite a positive response, thanks! I completely forgot to ask the question that was to be the point of this thread though; what should I fish for/what is everyone else fishing for to distract myself/themselves from tench for the next month until its properly warm enough to warrant going? (I know I could go now but I like to leave it till it feels like 'proper' tenching time )

I get well excitable at this time of year, light in the evening, leaves on hawthorne bushes, greening willows and magnolia flowers make me go all daft haha!
Simple pleasures!

 

[little oik]

When it gets this close to the first greenie of the year the best fishing I find is when I am asleep .The fizzing is just as good and at times you can even feel the heat of the sun on your skin .Just remember you dont need to cover yourself in wharpfactor 10 otherwise you will spend more time changing the sheets. :j:j

 

[Fin the Fish]

Indeed Oik! Next year I should come out of hibernation a bit later perhaps haha

 

[Ray Daywalker Clarke]

Well we might think its not warm enough just yet, but plenty of Tench are being caught.

For me at this time of year i like to watch for any fish movement, i will even put a bit of bait in here and there.

It's not just the warm mornings, i love those hot late summer nights also.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Blimey, is it June 16th already . . . . . . . ,


Must have slept through the Close Season LOL



[insert IRONIC smiley thing > > > > HERE]

 

[little oik]

Weather wise we are about 2 or 3 weeks behind you guys. The leaves on the May trees are just showing and the blossom on the cherries has just started .As soon as the swallows turn up which should be in about 3 weeks ,then I will be wistfully wandering the banks looking. Its the "are they or aren't they" syndrome though, and do you get up at O.God O.clock to see if they are .Its that first fizz around your float though which makes the waiting so worth it in the end.
Its one of the sounds that is synonymous with summer mornings cuckoo and the swallows and the KER SPLASH as the rake hits the water

 

[Wobbly Face (As Per Ed)]

I've already got a sunburnt/wind burnt hooter. Out fluff chucking for spoptties Friday, even had my sleeves rolled up. No suncream in any of the many pockets of the fly vest.
Last time I hurled a rake for tincas I ended up being breamed out.

Nice start to the thread Fin the Fish.

 

[guest61]

Tench fishing, theres nothing quite like it. The start of every close season is bittersweet, I miss the rivers but cannot wait for that first proper touch of spring warmth that heralds the time for tenching. The enormous sploosh of that first dredge of the year thrown through the clinging mists of dawn at some inviting lillies or overhanging trees is joyous. Knowing the great clouds of silt being thrown upwards will arouse the interests of many an olive bellied beast and laying down a carpet of bait to keep them there is so exciting! So too is watching your float bob and twitch as those bloodworm hungry tincas sift the groundbait infused silt, watching and waiting for the final lift or sinking that lets you know getting out of bed at 4am was worth it. Staring intently at that one red dot amongst all the white willow catkin, time almost seems to slow and cease and I can happily sit all day from dawn to dusk, frittering and wasting the hours in an offhand way - the way only an angler entrapped by his angling can.


Lazy days spent by a gravel pit basking in the spring sun are some of the best, and I just cannot wait for that burst of warmth, that first heavy handed splash of the ragtag homemade dredge as it does its duty, the effervescent signature of feeding tincas, and that heart jumping moment as the float finally ceases to float.
Roll on spring!

I like this. It reminds me of a piece written by Chris Dawn in the AT many years ago - sadly, as a 10 year old at the time all I had to go at was a decidedly Tench free stretch of canal.

 

[the indifferent crucian]

Tench fishing in the Summer is what I LIVE for, but I've never had the nerve to risk spoiling it by chucking a rake in.

Now if one could but send out one's manservant out to rake the lake at about 2am, before returning home to cook one's breakfast.....I could go for that!


Bacon, mushroom and eggs and tench at dawn. Heaven! Oh, and a thermos of hot tea, too please.



.

 

[no-one in particular]

Try crucians

Crucian carp can be a good option in March. They can come on early. I have good records for these fish in March and advisethem on my website anglingfor.co.uk in regards to the species/moon phase table on the site. Next month Tench will be a feature but, May is a better month.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

Now if one could but send out one's manservant out to rake the lake at about 2am, before returning home to cook one's breakfast.....I could go for that!

Oh golly gosh, you mean that there are some anglers who actually have to do that themselves?

How perfectly . . . . . . . . quaint, they've obviously never heard of a Bivvy Butler before then . . . . . . .

[insert: U-No-Wot > > > HERE]

Note to Colin only 87 posts to go . . . . . .

 

[spanish pete]

raking for tench

There are times when living in Spain is a severe pain and tench fishing, which is non-existent hereabouts, is my biggest reason for returning home ( plus a staffie ! ) However, to be rather more prosaic, I do fish a weedy silty river that has carp. Question for your accumulated wisdom you lot is, has anyone tried raking for carp ??? When I arrive at the water I run out of courage and stick to the old reliable. I would much value your thoughts on this

 

[little oik]

As far as I am aware it produces .they see a bit of cloudy water and think some one is getting all the grub so thay muscle in

 

[theartist]

Ive never had probs with raking and would rather have my bait lying on a freshly raked bottom than sitting in algae or on weed.

Seems weird that fish can caught straight after the five minutes it takes to rake, bait, then set up. Whereas making alot of disturbance on the bank with mallets for example normally has the opposite effect.