"NOTE ITS LITTLE RED EYE, PETER" – by Dr Bruno Broughton

The tench encapsulates everything good about coarse fish – obliging but challenging; strong when hooked but hardy and long lived; and endowed with a robust yet delicate beauty. The olive green back and pale, sometimes yellow, belly accentuate the colour of its small orange-red eyes, and the large, rounded fins give obvious indications of its fighting ability. Golden tench are an ornamental variety, orange/yellow in colour, with dark blotches over their bodies.

WHEN YOU CLICK ON LINKS TO VARIOUS MERCHANTS ON THIS SITE AND MAKE A PURCHASE, THIS CAN RESULT IN THIS SITE EARNING A COMMISSION. AFFILIATE PROGRAMS AND AFFILIATIONS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, THE EBAY PARTNER NETWORK AND AMAZON
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Non-doctor
Our forbears assumed – incorrectly – that the thick layer of slime which covers tench had prophylactic or curative properties for other fish which rubbed against a tench’s skin, hence the misnomer ‘doctor fish’. This protective mucus layer is characteristic of fish inhabiting slow-moving rivers and stillwater fisheries.

Telling the difference
Unlike most fish, it is quite easy to tell the tench sexes apart, the key external feature being the shape of the paired pelvic (hindmost) fins – in males, they are broad and hand-shaped, whereas females have slimmer, spear-shaped pelvics. Females also grow somewhat larger than males, notwithstanding that their weight can be enhanced considerably by spawn which is not shed until water temperatures approach about 20° C.

Hubble, bubble
Small tench are something of an enigma. Even where they are known to be present in large numbers, they often remain uncaught until they grow to ½lb or so, probably because of their dietary requirements and their habit of residing in dense beds of water plants. Larger fish are primarily bottom feeders, consuming worms, water-snails, insect larvae and crustaceans, as well as water plant material. Their well-known bubbling activity is probably a consequence of the fish rooting around in the mud, and then expelling trapped gasses via their gill rakers.

Boom for biggies
There is no doubt that tench have grown larger in recent years. The most likely explanation is that the fish have benefited from the extra natural food that has developed as agricultural fertilisers have entered and enriched many fisheries. Certainly, l0lb+ fish – which used to be deemed figments of anglers’ vivid imaginations – are now caught each year.

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If you are interested in cheap tench fishing tackle and bait, please click here.

 

Molasses 1 Litre - Animal Liquid Feed, Carp ,Bream, Tench Fish, Horse Equestrian
eBay
£8.50
Molasses 1 Litre - Animal Liquid Feed, Carp ,Bream, Tench Fish, Horse Equestrian
Ellipse Pellets Original & Flavoured Carp Barbel Tench 4mm 6mm 8mm 10mm or Mixed
eBay
£34.99
Ellipse Pellets Original & Flavoured Carp Barbel Tench 4mm 6mm 8mm 10mm or Mixed
Premium Mixed Pellets, 1kg 2kg 5kg Carp Fishing Pellets, Halibut Tench FREE P&P
eBay
£12.99
Premium Mixed Pellets, 1kg 2kg 5kg Carp Fishing Pellets, Halibut Tench FREE P&P
perch lure floating fake worms tench carp trout salmon bait 20pcs
eBay
£4.35
perch lure floating fake worms tench carp trout salmon bait 20pcs
Chinese XL Hemp Seed 3mm+ - Carp, Fishing, Dry, Particle, Hookbait, Bream, Tench
eBay
£84.99
Chinese XL Hemp Seed 3mm+ - Carp, Fishing, Dry, Particle, Hookbait, Bream, Tench
PAUL COOK PAINTED REPLICA VICTORIAN FLOAT
eBay
£32.00
PAUL COOK PAINTED REPLICA VICTORIAN FLOAT
Gardner Tackle Weed Rakes - Carp Pike Barbel Bream Tench Chub Coarse Fishing
eBay
£23.49
Gardner Tackle Weed Rakes - Carp Pike Barbel Bream Tench Chub Coarse Fishing
Carppurr baits super thick monster crab glug in 500ml/1L/2L/5L carp and catfish
eBay
£59.99
Carppurr baits super thick monster crab glug in 500ml/1L/2L/5L carp and catfish
Mixed Micro Pellets 2mm, 1kg 2kg 5kg Carp Fishing Pellets, Tench, Bream FREE P&P
eBay
£25.49
Mixed Micro Pellets 2mm, 1kg 2kg 5kg Carp Fishing Pellets, Tench, Bream FREE P&P
PAUL COOK HAND PAINTED PIKE/ PERCH BOBBER FLOAT
eBay
£34.00
PAUL COOK HAND PAINTED PIKE/ PERCH BOBBER FLOAT
Tench coarse fishing angling mug personalised
eBay
£8.50
Tench coarse fishing angling mug personalised
Mixed Pellets 6mm, 1kg, 2kg, 5kg, Carp Fishing Pellets, Tench, Halibut FREE P&P
eBay
£8.99
Mixed Pellets 6mm, 1kg, 2kg, 5kg, Carp Fishing Pellets, Tench, Halibut FREE P&P

About the author

Dr Bruno Broughton

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Tench
tench_278210258.jpg
Molasses 1 Litre - Animal Liquid Feed, Carp ,Bream, Tench Fish, Horse Equestrian
Ellipse Pellets Original & Flavoured Carp Barbel Tench 4mm 6mm 8mm 10mm or Mixed
Premium Mixed Pellets, 1kg 2kg 5kg Carp Fishing Pellets, Halibut Tench FREE P&P
perch lure floating fake worms tench carp trout salmon bait 20pcs
Chinese XL Hemp Seed 3mm+ - Carp, Fishing, Dry, Particle, Hookbait, Bream, Tench
PAUL COOK PAINTED REPLICA VICTORIAN FLOAT
Gardner Tackle Weed Rakes - Carp Pike Barbel Bream Tench Chub Coarse Fishing
Carppurr baits super thick monster crab glug in 500ml/1L/2L/5L carp and catfish
Mixed Micro Pellets 2mm, 1kg 2kg 5kg Carp Fishing Pellets, Tench, Bream FREE P&P
PAUL COOK HAND PAINTED PIKE/ PERCH BOBBER FLOAT
Tench coarse fishing angling mug personalised
Mixed Pellets 6mm, 1kg, 2kg, 5kg, Carp Fishing Pellets, Tench, Halibut FREE P&P
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