"Absolutely incredible tench fishing is the best I've ever had" - James Champkin

“Over the course of two recent sessions on a large southern gravel pit I’ve enjoyed what’s probably the best tench fishing I’ve ever had.

“I managed to catch fish of 9lb 6oz, 9lb 7oz, 9lb 15oz and a brace of doubles weighing 10lb 6oz apiece – in addition to a number of other tench over 8lb.

“On my most prolific morning’s fishing I landed eight, and I even had the 9lb 15oz and one of the 10lb 6oz tench in the net at the same time!

“It was absolutely incredible considering this water has a very low stock and can be tricky at times.

“All my fish were caught on worm kebab rigs fished on top of a gravel bar over a large bed of mixed particles – hemp, corn, maggots, casters and Dynamite Marine Halibut & Hemp Big Fish groundbait.

“After losing a few fish when my feeder got caught in an unseen snag while I was playing them in, I switched to a lead clip set-up and improved my hooked-to-landed ratio dramatically.”

James Champkin with one of his 10lb 6oz tench