It’s summer and there’s nothing quite like the feeling of spending a day out on the lake, hoping to snag the big one.
Unfortunately, it often takes more than luck to catch the biggest fish in the lake, namely the tench.
Tench are bottom-feeding fish. Which means they spend their time searching the depths of the lake for food.
This makes them harder to catch. As they’re often buried deep and need a specific type of bait to entice them from their hiding spots.
That’s why it’s important to use the right bait when trying to catch tench in summer.
Catch Tench In Summer
Maggot
One of the best bait for summertime tench fishing is maggots.
Maggots are small, wriggling larvae that live in the mud and sand at the bottoms of lakes and rivers.
Tench loves to munch on them during the summer months. And will come out of the depths to feed on them when they sense them moving around in the water.
When fishing with maggots. It’s important to be sure that the larvae are still alive and fresh when you put them on the hook.
You can buy maggots from most bait shops. It’s best to buy them the day you’re planning to go fishing. This means they won’t have time to die off before you start your fishing trip.
Worms
Worms are another great option when it comes to tench fishing.
This live bait is one of the most common types of natural bait. And while all fish tend to like them. Tench may be particularly attracted to them.
Worms tend to move around more than maggots do. Which makes them more effective for catching tench.
As with maggots. It’s important to ensure that your worms are fresh and wriggling before you put them on the hook.
Bread
If you’re looking to up your chances of catching a tench, you could also try using bread as bait.
Bits of white, stale bread can be very effective for attracting tench. They come out of the depths to test the smell of food on the surface of the water.
Bread can also last a long time and doesn’t need as much maintenance as maggots or worms do.
So it’s a great option for a quick summertime fishing trip.
Tench Eggs
Finally, for those of you who are feeling a bit adventurous. You could try using the tench’s own eggs as bait.
Tench lay their eggs in shallow areas of the lake. And if you’re lucky enough to spot them. You can use their own eggs as bait to attract tench from a distance.
Tench eggs are tiny and bright orange, so if you look in the shallows you should be able to spot some.
This bait in particular is quite effective. As it’s narrower and lighter than the other bait options. Which allows it to sink to the depths where the tench are likely to be hiding.
Conclusion: Catch Tench In Summer
No matter which type of bait you choose. It’s important to be patient and give the tench time to come out of their hiding spots.
As bottom-feeding fish, tench like to take their time when they’re feeding. So it can be helpful to move around the lake a bit as you wait.
You should also experiment with different kinds of bait. And different amounts of bait to see what works best for you and the fish in your local lake.
So there you have it.
The best bait to catch tench in the summertime.
Choose the right bait and you’ll be sure to come away with a big catch.
Good luck and happy fishing!
P.S. If you’re only just starting out on your fishing journey. Why not check out our beginner’s guide to fishing here?
