Species of UK Coarse Fish
TENCH
Details of freshwater fish anglers might come across when fishing the waters of the UK and Ireland
Description, baits and general methods for fishing and catching Tench
TENCH (Tinca tinca) 15lb 3oz 6dr, 2001, D Ward
Tench are easily identified by their thick set, well rounded, dark olive green coloured body, sometimes looking almost black.
Common name: Tench
Latin name: Tinca Tinca
Family: Cyprinidae
Latin name: Tinca Tinca
Family: Cyprinidae
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 to 15 inches.
Growing to 15lb a tench over 5lb is 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
Description and habitat of Tench
The scales are very tiny which give the appearance of the fish actually being scale-less. The fins are rounded and the caudal fin is large almost unforked.
Found in slow running rivers and canals but more often found in still waters, lakes, ponds.
Fishing for Tench
The first thing to consider when going tench fishing is where you are going to fish.
Article Copyright 1999 J.Boswell www.fish-uk.com
All rights reserved
All rights reserved
A tench rake can be purchased from some tackle shops or made by tying two garden rake heads back to back and attaching a strong rope.
Raking the swim
Ask the fishery owner first if you are allowed to use a rake
Before you set up your rods or do anything else rake around the bottom of your swim.
This will stir the bottom of the pond which will expose invertebrates and other natural foods
Tench are attracted to this and they love searching the murky water of a freshly raked swim for unearthed snails, worms and other food.
Some anglers say it is better to rake the night before and others say an hour before fishing.
I prefer to rake just prior to my fishing.
Tip: While raking your swim have you ever got your rake stuck in the reeds or worse still lost a rake?
Don't tie the main rope to the centre of the rake as is usual, tie it to the rake head between the last two tines as shown in the diagram.
Here is a tip that may help avoid this
This setup will allow you to use the rake as normal but if it does get stuck, instead of the main rope snapping and you losing the rake the weaker rope will break.
This is not a hard and fast rule though, if you want to try savoury or spicy baits there is nothing stopping you.
Tip:
If using maggots mixed in with your groundbait try adding some dead ones as well. These will not bury themselves in the mud.
If using maggots mixed in with your groundbait try adding some dead ones as well. These will not bury themselves in the mud.
If I am using a feeder I rarely add loose feed but sometimes at the beginning of a session I may throw or catapult some loose sweetcorn into the area I will be fishing and after that introduce feed via the feeder.
Tench can be caught using any method of fishing.
Some anglers prefer using a maggot or method feeder and sit waiting for that slow pull round of the rod tip to say there is a fish on.
Other anglers prefer to float fish with either a rod or pole and watch the float slide away when a tench is hooked.
Tench love patrolling the margins and around lily beds and reeds so fishing with a waggler, set slightly over depth, close to reeds is a good proven 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.
The list of baits for catching tench is endless but those known to catch them are worms, lob worms and redworms.
Baits for catching Tench
Sweetcorn tipped with one or two red maggots is worth a try.
Sweetcorn is my favourite along with Bread, a large piece of flake seems best but tench can be caught on punch, flake or paste.
Other baits include maggots (Red seems best), casters, pinkies, mini-boilies, pellets, prawns, cockles and mussels (not pickled in vinegar).
Plastic or fake baits such as maggot, caster, bread and sweetcorn have caught fish and dipping them in flavours sometimes helps attracts the fish.
As with all fishing, if you are not catching using one method or bait try another. Do not be afraid to try something different.
Note: When you have caught a tench, as with all fish, handle it carefully. DO NOT use a towel, cloth or anything similar to hold it with.
Doing this will remove the protective mucus from the fishes body and can seriously harm it.
Tench feed almost exclusively on the bottom and like to root about in the mud and weeds looking for snails, grubs and anything else they can eat.
When you have chosen a venue ask the fishery owner or the bailiff which is the favoured peg, best method and baits for catching tench.
The water is still cloudy and insects and unearthed worms etc have not had time to re-bury themselves.
Fishing methods for catching Tench
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Most lakes, ponds and canals have tench in them but to put the odds of catching one in your favour choose a water known to hold a good head of tench
Make enquiries about venues in your local tackle shop or with local anglers.
If you haven't got any information for whatever reason have a walk round and look for signs of tench or a likely place to fish for them.
Tench are known to feed in the margins, among reeds, lily beds and other features.
The best time to catch tench is either early dawn or at dusk and through the night.
You can spot tench feeding by the stream of tiny bubbles that can be seen bubbling on the waters surface and / or the muddy area of water discoloured by the tench rooting in the mud for food.
This will have the effect of pulling on the end of the rake turning it and pulling it out sideways.
Tench respond very well to groundbaiting so if you can, pre-baiting the area you are going to fish beforehand could give you a better chance of catching.
Start by laying down a bed of groundbait using brown crumb or continental groundbait with sweetcorn, casters, chopped up worms and some of your hook bait mixed in.
Other combinations can also be used for groundbait; hemp, particles and small pellets are a good choice.
Tench seem to prefer a sweet bait and some anglers add molasses, a sweet syrup, to their groundbait or other sweet tasting additives.
Once I have laid down a bed of groundbait, adding more feed into the water depends if I am float fishing or feeder fishing.
If I am float fishing and getting bites I prefer to loose feed little and often but If bites are few I slow down or hold back on loose feeding.