As a keen angler, no doubt like many readers, I’m always looking to go fishing at whatever opportunity I can possibly get.
It would be hard to disagree, some may add, but there will always be one factor that would stop many from venturing out – the weather.
Today, as some may be under an illusion that spring may be in the air by viewing the seasonal daffodils that are now in bloom and with birds clearly beginning to nest, there is still a feeling, given the freezing temperatures, that we are still very much in the clutch of winter.
It’s a thought that comes to mind this week, as discussion again covered ‘winter tactics’ that are still the only way to be successful at catching fish on many a venue throughout the country.
Not ending there, our debate, as I was reminded it was, soon put reason to argument that also described the many different elements within our climate throughout the year, that always affect our fishing.
Conditions that can also suit and be beneficial towards making some really interesting captures.
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Far removed from the present environment that controls us today and taking a moment to reflect on past ‘red-letter’ days, for me I’ll never forget the wise words that underlined my first encounter of not only a certain species, but one that was particularly indifferent given the extreme weather conditions one special evening.
Conditions that still to this day were understood to be responsible for an incredible catch of fish that we together were targeting.
That fish was the tench. A beautiful fish and one that is still without doubt a favourite of every angler who fishes upon a still water and one for me that was already one of my most favoured, especially as it was my first ever ‘two-pounder’.
A fish that I caught at just 12 years of age and vividly remembered on the canal at Shop Lane, Maghull, it was one that will certainly never be forgotten.
Twenty years later, I was to experience a catch of a lifetime of tench and the weather, well I was informed by my fellow rods that evening, was the reason why.
On a ‘secret’ water, that particular evening began with an early fish that even on its own saw the trip already worthwhile. As that lovely quiet summer sky fell slowly in before our session began, doing battle with the first that evening, there was admittedly already a weird sense of mystic magic on the estate that night, especially as I slipped my net proudly under the fish.
Not a big one by any means, but being the first it was special. Then as the inclinations began to hint that a thunderstorm was about to brew, there was a strange and odd feeling coming my way from within the company aside me that the tench will begin feed now.
As predicted, they did and in such a decisive fashion. It was a prediction that underlined everything within the authoritative convincing forecast that had been put before me by my friends.
That evening we took more than 80 tench between us, fish that although were not record breakers, they were still noted as specimens of up to eight pounds that we proudly all lost count of.
As my good friends heard that afternoon, on us reminiscing, perhaps fishing on another warm June summer evening together one day, maybe this one could also possibly end in another violent thunderstorm.
It could also be one that could also see the memories flooding back with another amazing catch of red eyed ‘tincas’.
Tight Lines.
