Change of tactics results in PB tench - Ben Cook

“THE day before my session I prebaited a few marginal spots on my syndicate lake for carp, but arrived to find the boilies still in plain view. I needed to change tactics, so I set up in a swim with a lot of open water and a large clear patch at 50 yards.
“The venue has form for big tench, so I decided to scale everything down to medium-sized PVA bags filled with micro pellets, bolt rigs with 4ins hooklinks and corn aligners on the hook.
“Following a wet and bleepless night, I was woken at 5.45am by a jittery bite on the right-hand rod and, after picking up the blank, I was greeted by that satisfying jagjag resistance that we all know and love.
“After a dogged fight a light-coloured fish appeared in my headtorch which I first thought was a common carp, but turned out to be a tench! It showed no signs of giving up and made a bolt for a reedbed to my left, but with some side strain I guided her away and over my net cord.
“My old tench best was a modest sevenpounder, but this one was longer, deeper and fuller than any I’d seen before. I weighed her three times to be sure and the needle stuck on 11lb 5oz each time.”