First tench of 2014 new personal best at 10lb 14oz

Mark Simmonds’ first tench of 2014 proved to be a fish-to-remember as it tipped the scales at 10lb 14oz.

The fish broke his previous best for the species by 11oz and came during his debut session on a stillwater in Cambridgeshire.

After finding a shelf at 35 metres he introduced a bed of hemp, casters, dead maggots and corn, and fished maggot feeders with hair-rigged casters on a size 14 hook.

These tactics also saw him beat his personal best for a male tench with a fish of 8lb 9oz.

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