Tench
Tench are predominantly olive green in colour – colour variations and
markings do occur and so it is not uncommon to see tench that are gold in
colour. Its red eyes are very small and it has a pair of barbules either side of
its mouth. The female tench has larger ventral fins to that of the male.
They have Deep, thick-set,
tiny scales and are covered in a thick protective mucus – so it is imperative
tench are handled with care once landed. A weighing sling is preferential over a
damp towel when handling to ensure the mucus stays intact. Their lifespan is
around 20 years, growing to a maximum of 60 - 66cm in length and a maximum
weight of 6.8 - 7.3kg. The British record is a 15lb Tench caught by Darren Ward
from an undisclosed Southern still water, falling to a 14mm pop-up boilie whilst
fishing for Carp in a pre-baited swim beating the previous record of 14lb 7oz
caught by Gordon Beavan in 1993.
Tench can be found in most stillwaters, canals and even rivers and can manage to survive in very poorly oxygenated conditions where other fish would not. They are often the only fish to survive after a pollution incident. It is a bottom dwelling fish feeding on alder-fly larvae, pea mussel, pond snails and bloodworms.
They are mostly solitary fish but can be found in small shoals and a great give-away by a feeding tench are a stream of bubbles on the surface of the water.
Tench are an early morning species and will begin feeding at dawn – dusk is also a good feeding time. Tried and tested baits are small red-worm or red maggots, however a hungry tench will find luncheon meat, sweetcorn, boilies and bread just as appetising.
They tend to be cautious feeders and often play with the bait before confidently taking it. This is reflected in the bite. The float will often bob a few times before lifting slightly and then gliding away. It is advisable to strike after the float has started to glide away.
Tench are great fighters and a great sport – once they are hooked they will dive for cover, wrapping themselves around snags to break free, so it is recommended you are using fairly strong tackle.