Tench in May

With the weather forecast I'd seen, I had decided to fish local waters for the week rather than the 100 mile plus that is the distance to my normal tench and bream venue. This would help with fuel costs.  As a rule I would only fish three or four days in a full week but being able to complete short sessions I went each day hoping for that big fish.

                                                              Early May tench. 

Monday - Lake 1 – Fished the full day  - Bright, sunny, warm, dry - Blank
Tuesday - Lake 1 -           Ditto           - Overcast, cool,              2 tench
Wednesday-Lake 2  Afternoon/evening - Heavy rain, windy, cold - 4 tench
Thursday - Lake 2          Ditto            - Showers, calm, cool      - 1 tench
Friday - Lake 2              Ditto            - Showers, windy, cool    - 3 tench

None of the nine tench caught went over 5lb although bigger fish are definitely present on both waters.  No bream were caught although that was my main aim with the tench as a back up chance.

I had put out about 3 kilo of mix each day this included Vitalin, sweetcorn, 10mm source boilie, and mixed pellet.

To check the relative merits I fished one rod on maggot feeder, the other on artificial corn and a method feeder.  Nothing conclusive though during daylight the tench were caught on the maggot after dark they fell to corn.
 
Fished the same swim on each of the lakes for the days I was there.
Fairly even split between male and female though they did not show any sign of being plump.
 
Conclusion - It is going to be a while before we see the best of the tench fishing - we need warm and consistent weather urgently.  That said, at least I did catch I’ve been reading of lots of anglers struggling to get a fish at present.  The bream just did not cooperate since they will now be in prime condition and I hope to get them soon.
That big fish is just around the corner waiting for my bait to land in front of him - or better still - her.