Tackling large, open expanses of water for specimen bream and tench can be a daunting business – but by following a few simple guidelines, the rewards are there to be had.
These venues often have no islands to cast to, while underwater bars and ledges are tricky to locate. This can leave you scratching your head with regard to where you should focus your attack, but there will always be a few clues to help.
But location is only part of the equation, and knowing how much bait to add, when to top up and the correct rigs to use are equally vital if you want to catch big fish. Join Darren Starkey as he explains how to catch these fish.
IF YOU WANT TO CATCH BIG FISH, CHECK OUT THE BEST SPECIMEN RODS TO USE.
Work the feeders
Bream are renowned for living well away from the bank, so a decent cast between 40-60m is usually a good starting point. I prefer to use two rods where I can, fished in roughly the same area, sitting just a few feet apart. One is rigged up with a maggot feeder and the other with an open-end feeder packed with groundbait, with a worm kebab as hookbait.
This enables me to present two very different rigs over the bed of bait that I’m planning to build up gradually, the goal being to try to concentrate the bream in one area. As a pattern emerges with bites, I can switch both rods to the one that is proving to be most effective on the day. Regular casting is important in these early stages, to lay down a bed of bait.
Big bream and tench are greedy fish, and the feeders won’t stay in place for any longer than 15 minutes before I will reel in and recast them.
HEAD TO ONE OF THESE SUPERB WATERS TO CATCH YOURSELF SOME BIG BREAM.
Switch to the winning formula
If one rig turns out to be doing more bites, don't hesitate to switch both rods over to it. In terms of what groundbait I fill my feeders with, I like to use a 50/50 mix of Dynamite Marine Halibut and Frenzied Hemp Big Feed and Frenzied Hemp with added Worm Meal. This has a dark brown colour, and the attraction is enhanced with the addition of XL Liquid Worm to the mixing water. Some 3mm Dynamite Baits Swim Stim Red Krill pellets also go in.
Packed into a feeder, this pungent mix of small items delivers plenty of food content to keep the fish occupied, as the various scent leak off.
ADD THE BEST LIQUIDS AND ADDITIVES TO YOUR GROUNDBAIT TO GIVE IT A BOOST!
Topping up is key
The commotion caused by a few fish being caught can push the shoal away but a few Spombs of bait can encourage them back in.
Using distance sticks, I clip the Spomb rod up at the same distance as the feeders. When topping up I find 3-5 payloads of a pungent loosefeed mix made up of hempseed, pellets, Dynamite Spod and Bag Mix and red maggots.
This is the most efficient way of delivering plenty of bait accurately. You might think this would be a recipe for a very long spell of inactivity, but you’ll be amazed just how quickly fish will settle once they realise there’s a buffet of food to enjoy.
MAKE SURE YOU TAKE THESE BAITS WITH YOU WHEN TARGETING BIG TENCH!
Tweak your hookbaits
As with all things, fish can become wary of what you have on your hook so it is worth taking a few different options, it is amazing how a change can bring an instant result. Baits like worms, maggots, pellets are often great for tench and bream but it is definitely worth taking some small 10-12mm bright pop ups as they can often trigger a response. Colours like pink, white, yellow and orange are really good!
NEED MORE TIPS TO HELP YOU CATCH TENCH? HERE IS SOME AWESOME ADVICE...
Explore the swim
If you start to get liners it can be worth dropping short of the feed, conversely if bites dry up, casting a rod length tor two past the baited area can bring bites.
This ploy has worked countless times for me in the past during the final stages of a session and it can often catch you the bigger fish that are present too as they tend to hang just off the main bulk of feed.
IF YOU SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THE BANK, THE BEST FISHING BIVVIES ARE ESSENTIAL!
