Incredible week for specimen fish topped by 12lb 14oz tinca

It’s been a brilliant week for tench anglers across the UK, with five double-figure specimens reported... topped by the biggest so far this season at 12lb 14oz.

The year’s best fell to Bolton-based rod Mark Rogers, who was targeting a North West stillwater for tench and carp when his bait fished close to the pads was picked up. 

Forty-year-old Mark said: “I knew there were good tench present so always fish for them. I didn’t realise they went this big though. The way it tore off I thought it was a carp and then when I saw its head I knew it was a pretty special tench. 

“The fish smashed my personal best and is the result of time and effort. I would advise others to keep putting in the work on these neglected waters that are just full of natural life.”

Mark caught the cracking specimen on two grains of corn fished on a size 6 hook on a running rig with a Kryston hook link and 2oz lead. 

Daniel Woolcott continued his incredible big fish form this week too, taking a remarkable 20lb-plus brace of tench weighing 10lb 12oz and 11lb 11oz. The pair came from a 28-acre water with only handful of tench present. 

Daniel said: “I must have the fishing gods watching over me. To bag a pair of tench this size is beyond anything I ever expected.”

Both tench were caught at 30yds on red maggots presented on a size 12 Super Specialist hook tied to an 8lb fluoro hooklink with a 50g groundbait feeder. Daniel’s successful bait consisted of dead maggots, Dynamite Baits Grubby Groundbait and Frenzied hemp.

Nutrabaits-backed Brett Longthorne is another specimen-hunter getting among the tench, this week taking a personal best of 10lb 6oz during a quick overnight session. Brett braced the big tinca with an equally impressive bream of 15lb 8oz. Both species fell to white Nutrabaits Trigga pop-ups, fished over Trigga carpet feed, pellets, corn and 12mm boilies. 

To round off a great week for one of Britain’s favourite species, Tenchfishers member of 15 years, Colin McMahon, smashed his PB twice in the same session with fish of 9lb 15oz and 10lb 4oz. 

The fish were caught from a tricky Southern gravel pit and were caught on maggots over a baited area. This tactic also accounted for five other tench.