Classic Tench on the float

My first tench of 2013

 Word has been getting about that a local club pond well known for it's tench fishing has been showing a bit of form. I'd not yet had a session after the tinca this year so decided to have a couple of hours after work.
On arrival I found Steve already established and the tench were showing some interest. At this pond the tench are not of specimen size but they are a good stamp and provide excellent sport for the float fisher.

The tranquil pond

 I tackled up with 6lb line straight through as this pond is so snaggy that you really have to hold on to a hooked fish. A couple of rod lengths out is all that is required and this is one of those waters where they are either havin' it or it is a blank.

Steve nets another in the legendary gorse bush peg

 I was really pleased to take a brace on my first outing and this may have re-kindled my love for this classic tench water.

Typical stamp - not massive but go like stink

Sam's new rifle

Well I've not posted for a good while now and to be truthful have hardly got any fishing in and if so it hasn't been worth blogging about. Over the winter I've managed to drag Sam away from his XBox long enough to do some shooting with air rifles. We have been indoors over the dark nights and he has been using a pre-charged club rifle, an Air Aims S400. These are tremendously accurate and he was spoilt a bit by this first experience. Come the spring we have been going to Derbyshire Air Rifle Club at Yeaveley and here Sam has been borrowing Dave's Webley Longbow, a classic springer. I'm a big fan of springers myself and Sam had also tried a BSA Lighting XL which he got on with OK. So we took the plunge a couple of weeks back and got him a Lightning XL tactical which has quite a tasty looking composite stock. The rifle will only be used for target shooting and plinking so we chose .177. He is getting on with it fine now, the hardest bit for him was getting a good technique to cock it. This morning we went to Rough Wedge nr Cannock and had an enjoyable couple of hours plinking away and testing ourselves on the course. I took my HW97 and soon got chatting with the other folks there who were very friendly. We will have a few visits here in the future and also to Yeaveley which is another friendly club with great facilities.