Tench

The tench (Cyprinus tinca) very much resembles the carp in his habits, feeding on much the same matters, though neither paste nor any vegetable baits are to be recommended for tench. The best bait that can be put to him is a red worm, or two or three gentles; and for ground-baits, chopped worms and gentles are preferable.

Fig. 27 -- The Tench

Tench bite best in the morning and evening, when there is hardly light enough to see the float; for float tackle is best for the tench, though he nibbles and mumbles at the bait exactly as the carp does and often, like him, leaves it after nibbling off all the tail of the worm that is beyond the point of the hook. When the tench is so shy his eagerness may be stimulated by very gently drawing the float and bait away a few inches, when he will often rush at the bait and seize it at one.

Tench are a very quiet, unobtrusive fish, and may exist in a pond for a long time without being known to be there. They are very capricious in biting, sometimes biting well for a day or two, and again refusing all baits for weeks without any apparent reason.

If taken from clear waters, the tench is a very good table fish -- second only to the eel. Size of hooks, 6, 7, and 8.


Read the rest of this article:
Angling - Table of Contents