One of the biggest male tench ever landed in Britain has just been banked, after Les Bowers slipped the net under this 11lb 2oz fish. Famed for their dogged fight and easily distinguished by their prominent pectoral muscles – males generally grow too far smaller sizes than their female shoal mates.
One over 9lb is considered the fish of a lifetime, with reports of specimens over 10lb thin on the ground.
Les was carp fishing on a tricky southern pit at the time of capture, and although the fish wasn’t his intended target, it was a welcome visitor to the bank.
“I’d seen tench showing the night prior to the catch, and the next day the rod ripped off like a carp had picked up the bait. My heart was in my mouth – the water is well over 200-acres in size and home to only 40 carp.
“Lifting the rod, I knew I’d hooked a tench, but the fish gave a good account of itself on my strong tackle.
“At 11lb 2oz, it’s a new PB, and as a rare specimen male, I’m very happy with it!”
We asked the Tenchfishers if they knew of any bigger male tench, with Secretary, Ben Kennedy, telling us:
“Our committee recall a possible 13lb male caught from Kent a while ago by Ted Bryan, but pics weren’t the best so telling its sex proved difficult.
“11lb 2oz is a huge male and certainly the biggest we’ve heard of in recent years. Congratulations to the captor!”
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