There are few more enjoyable ways to spend a day on the bank than targeting these classic warmer-weather species and waiting for your float to go under. Tench and crucians are classic spring/summer species and with the weather warming up, these are some of the best venues to go and catch yourself a netful of these great fish!
The Rosie, Connahs Quay, Flintshire
This Connahs Quay AC-controlled fishery is set within a country park, and the club has gone to extraordinary lengths to make it one of the best crucian fisheries in the land. There are numerous sets of lily pads, and fishing close to them with soft pellet hookbaits and sprinkling in 2mm pellets on the pole will attract fish to over 2lb.
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THE BEST FISHING POLES WILL HELP YOU FISH WITH FINESSE TO FOOL BIG CRUCIANS!
Pickering Park, Hull, East Yorkshire
There are plenty of tench in the 3lb-6lb class within this shallow park lake, and fishing the waggler close to either the marginal or island features will put you in with a chance of fooling a few of them. Corn is a tried and tested hookbait, 4mm hard pellets being a reliable option on the loosefeed front.
Contact: www.liveithull.co.uk
Buscot Park, Farringdon, Oxon
Within the grounds of the National Trust’s idyllic Buscot Park, this tranquil water is home to crucians to 2lb 8oz and tench to 5lb. Pole fishing at 13m will put you into 3ft-5ft of water, where soft pellets, maggots and worms will score. Feed little and often to prevent the venue’s carp from getting wind and bullying your target species away.
Contact: www.buscot-park.com
Harthill Reservoir, Sheffield, S.Yorks
Large and featureless, this venue requires you to introduce plenty of bait to gain the attention of the tench, which run to over 5lb. Pack plenty of worms, casters and dead maggots into balls of groundbait and deposit at least half-a-dozen of them over your target zone at 13m. Anchor your rig over the top, stay patient and bites will eventually come your way.
Contact: www.canalrivertrust.org.uk
Hibaldstow Lakes, Gainsborough, Lincs
This is a venue that has sprung to prominence in the last couple of years, the reason being that there are two lakes with the potential to produce more than a dozen tench every session. The Tench Lake is home to smaller samples, and pole or waggler fishing at short range will get you fish in the 2lb-3lb bracket. Head to the Specimen Lake with the waggler and fish close to any weed or cover for the better fish averaging 4lb-5lb.
Contact: www.hibaldstow-lakes.co.uk
THE BEST SPECIMEN RODS ARE IDEAL FOR CATCHING BOTH TENCH AND CRUCIANS!
Thorney Lakes, Langport, Somerset
With features dotted all over the lake, little bays and quiet corners, this has all the hallmarks of an estate lake. Tench to 5lb and crucians to 2lb are present in healthy numbers, and they love to linger close to cover. Tap in micro pellets and fish corn or a 6mm expander pellet over the top. Don’t go overboard on the loosefeed or they’ll soon tear the silt up and you’ll be plagued with liners.
Contact: www.thorneylakes.co.uk
Mere Lane Fishery, Tarleton, Lancashire
The Canal is home to lots of silverfish, including crucians and tench to 2lb. A lot of anglers fish close to the island, but picking an end peg and fishing in the open water in the bay is a better option, as it helps you to dodge any carp. Soft pellets, maggots and corn are all worth trying on the hook.
Contact: www.merelanefishery.co.uk
Marsh Farm, Godalming, Surrey
Arguably the nation’s jewel in the crown when it comes to tench and crucian fishing, it is Harris Lake that gets most of the attention. Anglers travel from miles around to sample the sport – pole or waggler tactics in the margins or a few metres out account for crucians to well over 3lb and tench to 7lb.
Contact: www.godalminganglingsociety.co.uk
IF YOU WANT TO CATCH MORE CRUCIANS, THESE TIPS ARE INVALUABLE!
Rother Valley Country Park, Rotherham, S. Yorks
The lake furthest away from the entrance to the country park offers day-ticket fishing and some of
the best tench sport in the county. You’ll find 9ft-11ft on the long pole line in the swims closest to the rope that cuts down the middle of the lake. Corn over groundbait is a reliable approach for fish to 7lb.
Contact: www.rvcp.co.uk
Sookholme Ponds, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire
Pole fishing tactics reign supreme here, and rotating between lines at 7m and 13 will help you find tench to 4lb. This is a mixed lake, and you may have to wade through a few bream, carp and ide before you find your target species, but persevere with a 6mm expander pellet over micros loosefeed and you’ll get your rewards eventually.
Billingford Lakes, Dereham, Norfolk
A complex that John Wilson used to visit regularly, it is the Basil Todd Lake that tench anglers should pay attention to. The top end of the lake is the shallowest, and this is often where you’ll find tench to 6lb. Fish either the pole or waggler just 5m out and put a large worm on the hook to single out your target.
Contact: www.billingfordlakes.co.uk
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Dents Farm Fishery, Hilgay, Norfolk
The Farm Shop is a silty, estate lake-style water that is home to a good head of crucians to 2lb. Piling the bait in will prove to be the kiss of death, and little and often is a much more effective attack on the 11m pole line. If the swim starts to fizz, simply plumb up a few metres to the side of it and start a new line to get back on track.
Contact: www.dentsfarmhilgay.co.uk
Wold Farm, Podington, Northamptonshire
Moat Lake is a real mixed gem, and fishing soft pellets or worms in the margins will attract crucians to 1lb 8oz and tench to 3lb. Plumb up so that you are just about touching dead depth when using the pole or waggler, and dot your float down to a pimple so that you spot every indication.
Contact: www.woldfarmfishing.co.uk
Youldon Waters, Holsworthy, Devon
This rural venue seldom gets the credit that it deserves, but it is a solid bet for tench to 5lb and crucians to 2lb. You don’t need to fish any further out than 10m to be in with a shot at success, and both corn and expander pellets are banker baits that will help you locate both species.
Contact: 07717 313294
Greenacres Farm Fishery, Ashford, Kent
Bluebell is a small lake that is home to tench to 5lb, and you’ll never be far away from a chunky specimen. Fishing down the margins close to any cover is the way to get bites. Use corn and pellets to prevent smaller species getting involved.
Contact: www.greenacresfarmfishery.co.uk
KICK BACK AND RELAX ON ONE OF THE BEST FISHING CHAIRS!
