POLE RIG

Pole fishing isn’t often associated with tench. But tench are renowned for being caught in the margins and pole fishing offers unrivalled accuracy and superior presentation. You can present a hookbait directly over the loosefeed and, if you are fishing to small holes in the weed, a pole makes life much easier. A commercial carp set-up is ideal when pole fishing for tench. Use size 14-16 hollow elastic combined with a 0.19mm mainline and 0.17mm hooklink down to a size 16 wide gape hook. Aim to target the area at the base of the marginal shelf as this is where the majority of the natural food ends up and tench love to patrol along this route. A small pile of feed placed here will be more than enough to halt them in their tracks and encourage them to feed.

Corn is a classic tench bait Fish a strung-out bulk 20 inches above the hook with a dropper halfway between the hook and bulk Use a long, diamond pattern float which will be extremely stable in open water