With more daylight and water temperatures creeping up, the tench in lakes, ponds and canals will be on the feed. Try fishing one of these great venues near you for plenty of bites from this most loved British species of coarse fish.
Linhay Pond, Newton Abbot, Devon
Part of the Rackerhayes complex run by Newton Abbot Fishing Association, this three-acre venue holds a large head of tench and bream. Both the pole and waggler work well, with caster and worm taking some beating for the tincas, that run to 9lb. Day tickets are £9, £3 for juniors. A key costing £2 is needed to access the site, available from the town’s Tackle Trader shop.
More info: www.newtonfishing.co.uk
Ryson Lake, Thrapston, Northamptonshire
Part of the Willowbrook Coarse Fisheries site, this nine-acre water has a classic estate lake look. Lots of tench and bream to 8lb, and big bags are possible when conditions suit. There are 34 wooden platforms, so bait up next to the lily pads and fish a pole, waggler or flatbed feeder over the top.
More info: 07999 589011
Langold Country Park, nr Worksop, Notts
This mature 15-acre lake holds great mixed stocks. Tench can show all over, but try heading to the shallower pegs at the top end, where a Method feeder cast to the middle is a great tactic.
Day tickets cost just £4.50 for adults and £1 for children, obtained on the bank from the bailiff. Fish dawn to dusk.
More info: www.bassetlaw.gov.uk
Hibaldstow Lakes, West Gainsborough, Lincs
Two lakes to go at here – the small Tench Lake, holding lots of fish in the 1lb-3lb bracket, and the Main Lake, which is a mature former limestone quarry. It’s pretty deep off the rod tips, but there are plenty of gravel bars and other features to target, and the fish average 3lb-7lb. A Method feeder approach is a good bet. Day tickets are £10.
More info: 07960 784764
Cottington Lakes, Deal, Kent
Head for Windsor or Heron Lakes, where the tench average 2lb-3lb but run to twice that. Big hits of 20-plus fish are not uncommon, and many other species include roach to over 3lb in Heron. Day tickets are £12 for adults, £8 for youths and £6 for juniors.
More info: www.cottingtonlakes.co.uk,01304 380691
Starcarr Lakes, Brandesburton, E Yorks
While there are lots of smaller tench in the Clay Pool, it’s better to head for the 2.5-acre, reed-fringed Gravel Pit for a better stamp of fish, which run to over 7lb. Golden tench also present. Depths are 8ft-12ft just a rodlength out, so plumb up to find a suitable spot. There are lots of chunky tench to be found in the venue’s Old Trout Lake as well.
More info: 07912 677302
Ulverston Canal, Cumbria
A pretty canal renowned for its early-season tench sport. No shortage of fish between 3lb and 5lb, with individuals to over 7lb possible and bags of 100lb not unknown. Waggler and feeder tactics work, as does fishing the pole just into the boat channel at 9m, with casters on the hook. Day tickets £5 for adults, £2 for juniors.
More info: www.ulverstonangling.org
Butterswood Lodge, Barton on Humber, Lincs
The Tench Pond at this day-ticket fishery holds good tench and some lovely crucians and silvers too. Day tickets are £7, with fishing allowed from 8am to 6pm every day except Tuesdays. There’s an on-site bait shop at the venue.
More info: 01469 532633
Beehive Woodland Lakes, Rosliston, Derbyshire
Tench running to 6lb can be found in Botany Bay (depths of 7ft-13ft) and The Horseshoe (6ft to 8ft). Keep baits and rigs simple. Day tickets are £6 for one rod, £10 for two. Under-11s are £4. Fishing from 7.30am to 7pm in spring.
More info: 01283 763981
Taunton & Bridgwater Canal, Somerset
Run by Taunton AA, this 15-mile ‘cut’ provides electric sport for spring tench to over 7lb. Look for swims with good far-bank cover, but don’t ignore the deeper central track. Great for pole tactics, with worms, casters and maggots. Try the stretch near West Lyng. Day tickets £7 from the club’s website.
More info: www.tauntonanglingassociation.co.uk
Horcott Tench Lake, Fairford, Gloucestershire
There are some stunning, dark tench in this three-acre, 20-peg lake. There’s the chance of a double-figure fish once the weather really warms up, but there are plenty of 4lb-7lb tench too. Good on-site facilities, including a tackle shop. Day tickets are £10.
More info: www.horcottlakes.co.uk
Wyreside Lakes, Dolphinholme, Lancs
The 1.5-acre River Lake has 16 comfortable swims and is stocked for mixed pleasure fishing. It holds tench approaching double figures, and similarly-sized bream too! There are even roach to over 2lb. All tactics will work. Day tickets are £9.50 for one rod, £13 for two.
More info: 01524 792093
Furnace Brook Fishery, Hailsham, East Sussex
A gorgeous tree-lined 5.5-acre lake with well-spaced, woodchipped swims and lots of species present, including good tench. Try scaled-down carp tactics with small Method feeders and small boilies or wafter hookbaits to single out the better fish. Day tickets are £10, concessions £8, juniors £4. They must be booked in advance.
More info: www.furnacebrook.co.uk
Marsh Farm, Milford, Surrey
At 3.5 acres, Harris Lake has 45 swims and is an awesome mixed fishery. Not only does it hold huge ‘true crucians’, but there are tons of tench too, which run to double figures and can be very obliging.
Pole fishing, a waggler in the margins or a small flatbed Method feeder will all produce the goods. Day tickets are £8 for one rod, £12 for two, with concessions available. Tickets must be purchased prior to fishing from the
on-site Apollo Angling Centre.
More info: 01483 428885
Tyram Fisheries, Doncaster, S Yorkshire
Tench in the 40-peg day-ticket Island Lake run to 8lb-plus, but there are lots of smaller ones which will fall to all the usual tactics. Pegs 1 to 20 offer depths of 3ft-12ft, while pegs 21 to 40 are 2ft-8ft.
Fish a feeder tight to the central island or a float close to marginal cover. Day tickets are £7, £6 concessions.
More info: 01302 840886
Walworth Lake, Bishops Bowl Fishery, Warwickshire
This complex has numerous lakes, but you won’t go far wrong on Walworth, which has 20 pegs, plus two disabled swims, and is stocked principally with silverfish and tench. All tactics will work, but targeting the far and nearside margins with pellets and corn is a great bet. Day tickets are £8, concessions £6.
More info: www.bishopsbowlfishery.com
Manor Farm Lakes, Biggleswade, Beds
Seven lakes spread over 100 acres, all of which hold tench, but head to the biggest on-site water, the 16-acre Booneys Lake, for the chance of a big hit of tench, and also a new personal best – the lake has produced them to over 11lb in recent seasons. Fish in the margins or up to the weedbeds with sweetcorn or maggots and you won’t go far wrong. This is a secure site with great facilities, open from 6am to 9pm.
More info: 01767 601138
