SPECIMEN ace Matthew Fernandez knew he’d caught something very special when this 12 lb 8 oz tench went into the same net a pre-weighed eight-pounder - and totally dwarfed it.
The 32-year-old from Southampton, Hampshire, said: “Effort equals rewards.
“I’ve been pre baiting the estate lake twice a week after work from the start of April.
“Although my times limited by pre baiting it allowed me to maximise my chances when I could fish.
“And on my third trip of the season my luck came in.
“Just after first light the carp moved in then thankfully the tench.
“They started off small and they got bigger and bigger.
“I weighed an eight-pounder and I was about to do photos of that when one of my rods churned off.
“The tench pulled me several weed beds before I began to regain line.
“I knew this tench was big but I didn’t know how big but once I scooped the tench up which was covered in weed I looked down into the net and I was gob smacked.
“The eight-pounder was in the net resting and this tench against that absolutely dwarfed it. I then knew I had something special.
“Three years of fishing this estate lake I’d dreamt of landing such a special tench and finally my day had come.
“I knew there were monsters in this lake but I didn’t expect on catching a 12 lb 8 oz monster.
“The previous spring I had tench to 10 lb 8 oz and I was happy with that result but this capture blew my mind.
“I pre baited with Dynamite Frenzied Hemp, liquid worm extract, 6 mm halibut pellets and 14 mm Source boilies heavily glugged in Source liquids.
“In the session I used open-end feeders fished helicopter style with 3 inch braided hooklinks with a size 10 hook with a hardened Source heavily glugged boilie,” concluded the precision engineer.
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