Lymmvale - May 15th - A new PB Tench

What a frustrating day, but a successful outing in the end!

I keep focusing on Lymmvale because of the head of fish that is in it, with my target this spring being to catch some larger Tench, the few fish I have had so far keep me striving to be more successful.

I set off at about 7.00 am in a light drizzle, which got worse as I neared Lymmvale. I was the only person there so I had the choice of any swim, I chose the peg in front of the Hut as I know this swim has produced plenty of fish this season.

I had prepared a scalded pellet mix the night before to use on the method feeder and this was fished on my RHS rod just past the overhanging tree, on the other rod I used a maggot feeder with a heli rig and a corn and maggot cocktail bait, per the latest edition of IYCF, this was fished about 15m out.

Fake corn mounted on a S16 hook

Maggots added to hook

I set up two rods, I am starting to like the Gamma co polymer main line, seems to be very smooth!
1.25 T/C, 8lb main, Heli rig & 2oz maggot feeder, 10lb braid hooklink, S12 super specialist
1.50 T/C, 8lb main, inline stonz, 10lb braid hooklink, S14 Specialist Barbel Hook

Even the ducks were looking for shelter!!

Mother and her 5 cygnets

When I was setting up the lake was flat calm but the wind picked up and the showers and squalls started to pass through. I was really struggling to get any action on either rod. I swapped bits around with no luck.

John Stubbs turned up at about 11.00am, I baited up both swims, using the mini spomb for the first time, and headed up to the hut for a cup of tea and a chat with John.

After settling back in the weather deteriorated further with a thunderstorm, lightening and a hailstorm all passing through before the wind shifted round to be in my face.

At around 13.30 I had a take on the maggots feeder which I unfortunately pulled out of!, I decided to switch over to an inline rig rather than the helicopter rig. I had two further takes on the maggot feeder which I somehow managed to pull out of.....very frustrating!!!

I re rigged the method feeder rod with an inline large 2.75oz maggot feeder and corn/maggot cocktail and cast into the same area as the other rod.

Just as I was packing up I had another take on the second maggot feeder rod, this time after a good scrap and managing to get my landing net out of my rod bag, I landed a lovely 5-12 female tench...a new PB!

A new PB - 5lb 12oz

After weighing and a photo I packed up and headed for home, in more rain, contemplating how I managed to pull out of three fish!

The rig that caused the pull outs was using a Drennan Super Specialist S12 hook with hair rigged corn/maggot, the other rig used a similar rig but with a Drennan Barbel Specialist S14 hook. My feeling is that the super specialist hooks have too narrow a gape for use with a hair. Next time out I will use the barbel hooks and try out some Korum S3's and maybe some QM1's.