Come and catch it!
Medway Valley Fisheries boss throws down the gauntlet
“I’VE got record tench in my lakes and I want people to come and fish for them.”
Those are the words of Tony Pocock, the fishery boss whose venue is being dubbed as ‘the best specimen tench water in the UK’.
Medway Valley Fisheries in Kent has been given the privileged tag by some of the sport’s top specimen anglers following the recent capture of dozens of double-figure tench this season.
One of those included the biggest tench of 2017, a 13lb 2oz giant banked by Rob Batters just a few weeks ago.
Although fish taken from the venue have yet to threaten the current British best of 15lb 3oz, Tony says he has seen bigger specimens than Darren Ward’s record fish in his lakes, and is urging people to target them.
He said: “I have spotted fish swimming in the margins which are bigger than the two largest fish caught in the past two years.
“This has to be the best tench water in the country. Some of the eight waters which hold doubles at Medway are rarely fished by tench anglers, and these have untapped potential.
“There have been several fish caught over 14lb in the past, and I wouldn’t be surprised if a 15-pounder has been caught but not reported. Carp anglers don’t tend to publicise them.”
While numerous top big-fish anglers have already tapped into Medway’s tench potential, Tony says that carpers still disappointedly far outnumber those who fish for the tench.
“I want more tench anglers to come and try for these beautiful fish. Some of the lakes are over 50 acres, so there’s plenty of room for people to come and enjoy catching them as well. The carpers rarely fish past July.”
Korum-backed specimen ace Dai Gribble is a regular at Medway and has caught numerous doubles from the fishery himself, including a 13lb 3oz specimen that helped him lift the Drennan Cup in 2016. He said: “It’s a superb venue. There are probably more big tench in those lakes than there are in the whole of some counties in the UK. It’s arguably the best place to go if you want to catch the fish of a lifetime.”
As well as trying to attract more tench anglers on to his waters Tony Pocock, who took on the fishery back in 2009, is planning for the future.
“I have been working closely with the Tenchfishers Group, and with its support I want to continue the tench fishing legacy at Medway Valley,” he continued.
“I have stocked two small ponds with baby tench, using strains from historically big fish. These will eventually go out into the lakes and hopefully will produce possible future records.
“The fish grow so well in these lakes, not only because we are located in warmer southern climes but also because the water quality is fantastic and natural food is in abundance,” he added.