Short sessions

In the last week I've had two short sessions, the first being a frogging/surface lure session and the second was an evening tench session on the same water.

The lure session was very short as I only had around an hour or so, but that is usually enough time for a fish on this water. Unfortunately the pike weren't that interested in hitting any of the lures I was using. I did have a couple of follows, all the way to the bank but the pike seemed more interested in sun bathing than striking at a lure.

Spro 'Bronzeye' frog in action

I usually enjoy a couple of early season 'frogging' session when the rivers open, however my
catch rate is fairly poor, I get plenty of strikes but usually struggle to hit them. I have a couple of
stretches in mind that I plan to spend a couple of mornings/evenings on as soon as the rivers open, usually the pike are only a few pound or so, but it is a very enjoyable method.

Whilst on the lure session I noticed a fairly large golden orfe cruising around the surface, this is probably the only orfe in the water and it has probably outgrown someone's garden pond.

Golden orfe of around 4lb

The evening tench session was on the same water, which has a fairly low stock of tench that go to

around 6lb or so. The tench on this water are renowned for being difficult to catch and numerous
blanks are to be expected when targeting them.

I decided on a two rod approach, the first was hair rigged sweetcorn ledgered over a small bed of corn and hemp near a small lily patch in the margins. The second rod was a simple waggler set up fishing red maggot on the bottom also close to a lily patch.

Spot the float ?

I was expecting the water in this area to be around 5 or 6 feet however it was more like 11ft, which 

proved challenging when plumbing up with a 12ft rod. I fed a small amount of hemp and maggots hoping to gradually build the swim. Surprisingly the float went straight under on the first cast however this turn out to be a very small perch. The next dozen or so casts I was either catching small roach on the drop or missing the bite.

Plenty of these small greedy roach willing to take a bait on the drop

I decided to up the feed, fish corn on the hook and wait it out for a better fish. After an hour or so I 

had to change the float tip for a starlight, there were plenty of fish rising but I hadn't had a touch on sweet corn on either of the rods. At around half ten I had a bite on the float rod, immediately I knew it was a better fish but after a few seconds it was obvious that it wasn't a tench but a better roach.

Better roach 8oz+

After I returned the roach I noticed that the rig was tangled so I decided to call it a day(or night) and
head home.

I was expecting a blank so I wasn't too disappointed with what I caught, if I fish that swim area again I will probably use a pole as it will be a lot easier.

I was hoping to get out this week but haven't felt like sitting under a brolly all day, it looks like weather will improve as the week progresses so I might fit a session in tomorrow, possibly on the same water or on a club water that I am yet to fish.