Angling

PRESENT TENCH

THE LAST 15 MONTHS HAVE BEEN SOMEWHAT CHALLENGING AND I AM SURE THAT WE ARE ALL HOPING THAT THE WORST IS BEHIND US

By Clive Kenyon

June is a lovely time of year for anglers with just about every species being in season. The obvious exception being the American Black Bass. But for most of us old timers June meant tench fishing and a midnight start as the church bells chimed on June 16th. In Yorkshire we had what was called the Stolen Fortnight in that the coarse fish season ended two weeks earlier than the rest of the country and also commenced earlier on June 1st. For some anglers tench fishing was the highlight of the year and it would be nice to find an old fashioned estate lake full of green tench to be able to put the clock back to those halcyon days. As it is tench are in short supply out here and perhaps the best place to find them is in the area of the Marais Poitevin west of this region where tench and carrasin, the French crucian carp, abound in great numbers. Tench are stocky fish, olive green through to dark gold in colour with rounded fins and a small reddish eye. They were used as stock fish by the Normans and were stocked by them as far afield as Sicily during their voyages in the Middle Ages. Their roe is a seasonal delicacy in some parts of Spain. Historically tench were also called ‘The Doctor Fish’ as it was believed that their slime had medicinal properties and was sought out by injured fish who would rub their wounds along the tench’s body. Typically tench favour still or slow moving water and can often be located by looking for their tell-tale small bubbles which are emitted from the soft mud they disturb whilst feeding on bloodworm and other buried insects. They like weedy areas especially near to lily pads. Traditional baits include lob worms, bread, maggots and casters. In recent years small boilies have proved successful particularly in strawberry flavour. Another good bait is sweetcorn, natural or that has been strained and flavoured with strawberry syrup obtained from the baking products aisle of a supermarket. Tench feed on the bottom and that is where your bait should be presented. Ledgering has gained popularity in recent years using small boilies of maggot feeders with some grubs on the hook. Float fishing is another good method of fishing for tench. The float should be set slightly over depth and a medium sized lead shot pinched a few inches from the hook. The float will dance and tremble before sliding under and only then should the strike be made. In my personal experience you can often catch tench right under your rod top. They come almost to the water’s edge when feeding. Not just the small ones either!

Just the Ticket

I know from speaking to my clients that many of you will be eagerly looking forward to your friends and family once again being able to visit. And many of these visitors will be hoping to fish in France and possibly land a few of the 60lb carp and 100lb catfish that can be found in every river and lake over here. If only! At this time of year, in normal circumstances, I receive requests for information about access to fishing waters for holiday anglers so I thought that I would get in early and pass on the information.

more open to night fishing, but in this region night fishing is restricted to locations that can be found on the fisheries department website. Also be aware that when night fishing you can only use baits suitable for carp. Boilies and pellets are fine. But no dead baiting is allowed. Another major divergence from UK regulations is that in France you can lawfully access river banks via fields. Legally farmers should leave a 3 metre margin alongside the river for anglers to use. In practice that is rarely adhered to or enforced, but you can still access the river bank via a field as long as you cause no damage or disturb livestock. There is an old saying that in France you can fish where you want. You can’t always rely on that as sometimes people buy riverside In order to legally fish any river or public access and make it private (privée). Or in lake in France you need a Carte de Pêche. the case of some trout rivers the commune This is the equivalent of an English Rod or a club have fishing rights and a permit Licence. You can buy is needed. But these a CdP for a day for €16, a week for €33, Once armed with the permit to instances are rare compared to the or a year for €100, the fish it is possible to fish any thousands of annual licence river or public lake that does kilometres of bank running from 1st January to 31st December. They are available from fishing not have any signs displayed stating Pêche Interdite, Privée or similar available. However, when faced with accessing a lovely looking swim over a tackle shops, most field full of tabacs, some supermarket reception desks Limousin heifers with calves, the saying and all Tourist Information Offices. The that “In France you can fish where you latter is also a good source of local want” should be followed by “...but you information that is often given in English. might not want to fish where you can!” You can also buy a CdP online by typing in As well as fishing tackle shops some gun the word “Pêche” followed by your dealers also stock fishing tackle and bait department number into a Google search. and you can buy maggots and worms from Once you have been directed to the local supermarkets. The cost however is fisheries office website just follow the prohibitive if you want the sort of quantity links to the Carte de Pêche page. For that British anglers are used to. private lakes you may not need a CdP, but Sweetcorn will catch most species and is check with the owner first. cheaper and more convenient – and it Once armed with the permit to fish it is possible to fish any river or public lake won’t escape and result in house flies that will be annoying you all winter. that does not have any signs displayed Carp addicts can find all sorts of seeds and stating Pêche Interdite, Privée or similar. grains to use as bait in garden centres As in any country it is your responsibility such as Gamm Vert or in many Bricos. to ensure that you fish within the Sometimes the type of seeds or grains regulations and these can be found on the required are not on open display but kept departmental fisheries website and often in a warehouse so it pays to ask. Whole on notice boards along the banks. The and crushed maize grains are readily main differences from the UK is that once available in supermarkets. Luncheon meat you have a CdP you do not need a separate is sometimes found in some supermarkets day ticket or club membership on rivers or and also in British Food Shops, and the public lakes and that night fishing is only Hope Charity Shop in Confolens often has allowed in certain locations that are some. If all else fails there are always the usually marked with ‘Carpe de Nuit’ signs. large retailers such as Pacific Pêche Some departments such as the Lot (41) are and Decathlon.