April turns to May ...time for a catch up

Lately I've not been out fishing as much as I usually would, due to other influences mainly ( work,  family, the dreaded DIY) but also the weather has played a big part. I just haven't been in the mood to sit enduring blanks in this cold spring we are experiencing. At this time of year I would now be in full tench mode but for one reason or another it's taking me a while to get started and in the swing of it. My usual tench water takes a good while to wake up even in a warm srping, generally two weeks after most other waters , so I havent felt like punishing myself there as yet. Reports had been a bit hit and miss so far this year so I didn't think I'd missed out too much.

A protruding vent - spawned out already ?

 I went canal zeding for a couple of hours about a two weeks ago but only managed just one small zedlet of no more than two pounds. It did take a strip of trout that I was trying out as bait for the first time though, proving it'll be a rare occurrence if nothing is either learned or confirmed on every session out on the bank.

Finally I got out after my first spring tench this morning for a short 4 hour visit to a local pool where I knew I could rely on a few runs (hopefully).  The usual peg I would fish was taken on my late-ish arrival at around 8am so I headed to a swim I've never tried before and set about preparing the rods in earnest. With only 4 or 5 fishable spots on the whole pool it was shit or bust, so out went several cage feeders full of ground vitalin and hemp with a sprinkle of dead reds for good measure (silty bottom on this pool). Both rods were out and fishing within the hour and that included setting them up from scratch hook lengths and all (quite fast for me ).

I'd expect some kind of indication after about 40 mins on here but after an hour here was none.  Doubts about the swim choice started to creep in.  Soon a bit of online scrabble on the smart phone with the wife had her accusing me of being bored with the fishing! not a bit of it.  She should know by now I could happily sit there biteless all day and still think I had a chance till the last second of the session, boredom just wouldn't get a look in.  Shortly after my carefully worded reply, not admitting any kind of defeat being on the cards, the left hand rod was off with a strange stuttering take, the line falling slack then picking up again but without registering anything on the alarm the second time ?  A fish was on though and after a slow steady fight the years first tench was in the net. Quite pleasing to have caught on my first attempt this year, something that doesn't always happen for me. Nothing massive at 4lb but its a start.

So that brings me bang up to date, I will be back at my usual tench water next session as I hear on the grapevine this evening that the fish have started to come onto the feed big style today, so I'm hoping to get in on the action pretty soon... watch this space.