HUGE GRAVEL PIT TENCH WERE IDENTICAL TWINS

Pair of tincas weigh in at 11lb 4oz apiece – what are the odds of that happening?

Chris Taylor, brace of 11lb 4oz tench, southern pit

TO CATCH one 11lb tench is a rare feat, so imagine Chris Taylor’s joy when he banked a brace of ‘elevens’ in quick order from a southern pit in May.

The 39-year-old carpenter baited a spot on a gravel hump at 30 yards with casters, pellets, chopped worm, hemp and maggots, before casting inline maggot feeders and helicopter rigs incorporating popped-up, flavoured maggot hookbaits over the top as evening approached.

By the next morning Chris was admiring a catch that dreams are made of.

“By 10am I had caught two carp to 18lb, a 10lb 11oz bream and several tench – with the two biggest weighing 11lb 4oz apiece! Both broke my personal best for the species by 1oz.

“It was fantastic to have caught the first 11-pounder, but to have a completely different fish of the same weight two hours later was certainly weird!” he said.

“Both these tench broke my old personal best for the species by 1oz”

Chris with his 22lb 8oz brace of huge tench.

Inline feeders increase the bolt rig effect on the take. A small piece of foam helps to keep the bait popped up. The feeder is attached using a quick change clip. The hooklink can be trapped on the line using float stops.