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Tench
Common name:
Tench
Latin name: Tinca Tinca
Family: Cyprinidae
Current UK Rod Caught Coarse Fish Record
TENCH (Tinca tinca) 15lb 3oz 6dr - 2001 - D Ward
Description and habitat of Tench:
Tench are easily identified by their thick set, well rounded, dark
olive green coloured body. The scales are very tiny which give them
the appearance of being scale-less. The fins are rounded and the
caudal fin is large almost unforked. The sexes can be distinguish by
the shape of the pelvic fins on the underside of the body. Male tench
have very large round shaped fins and those of the female are more
triangular in shape and longer. An average fish will be 12 - 16ins.
Grows to 15+lb and a fish over 5lb considered a good fish. There are
also golden, yellow and orange tench but these are mainly found in
ornamental ponds. The tench used to be called the 'doctor fish'
because other fish would deliberately rub against them and be cured of
their ailments with the slime from the tench which was thought to have
healing properties. Found in lakes, ponds, slow running rivers and
canals but more often found in still waters.
Fishing Methods for catching Tench:
The best time to catch tench is early dawn or at dusk and through the
night. Tench feed almost exclusively on the bottom and like to root
about in the mud and weeds. You can spot tench feeding by the stream
of tiny bubbles that can be seen on the waters surface. They respond
well to groundbaiting so if you can, pre-bait the area you are going
to fish. Lay a bed of groundbait using brown crumb or continental
groundbait with sweetcorn, casters and chopped up worms and some of
your hook bait mixed in. Float fishing with a waggler, slightly over
depth close to the reeds is a good tactic. Tench bites are usually a
couple of knocks or small lifts on the float then it slides away
slowly under the water. Don't strike too soon, wait for the bite to
develop properly. Wait for the float to disappear completely before
striking. Tench are hard-fighting fish and strong tackle is advised.
Baits for catching Tench:
Worms, lob worms, redworms sweetcorn, bread (either punch, flake or paste), maggots (Red
seems best), pinkies, casters, mini-boilies, pellets, prawns and cockles, fresh
not frozen or pickled in vinegar).
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