Male Tench

[DenisO]

What is considered a decent size for a male Tench. I seem to remember Matt Hayes reckoning that over 4lbs was a specimen.

Last evening I caught a male of 4lb 1 oz from my local R. Beult. Now I've had bigger fish but not a male. It was in brilliant condition and darker coloured than other tench I have had this year. Normally I use a 12ft float rod and a Polaris rig but yesterday I used my JW Avon system rod with the 2ft extension and the avon tip. I'm glad I did because the fish had huge power and even with the stronger set up it led me a merry dance in all the Lily pads.

Very satisfying catch though and I'll be back tonight for more.

[me]

What colour is a male tench?

[bluezulu]

[ 02. August 2004, 02:16 PM: Message edited by: bluezulu ]

[Steve Burke]

First of all, shame on you Blue Zulu for such a facetious reply! I don't consider that this is what Angler's Net is all about.

 

For the record, tench do vary in colour but it's not due to whether they're male or female. It's easier to tell male from female tench as the former have much larger pelvic fins, resulting in a much harder fight.

 

As Denis suggests, male tench don't grow as big as females. Certainly a 4lber is a good one, although not unusual in Kent. In fact, in my own days of fishing the Beult some 20 years ago, 5lb male tench weren't that uncommon. Our problem was locating the females on our favourite stretch, which strangely we found more elusive than the males. I say strangely as females normally considerably outnumber the males.

 

I haven't kept up to date with the Beult, but I do know that it went into a steep decline compared with its glory days 20 years or more ago. So well done Denis for what seems like a good catch!

[bluezulu]

and for your information mr burke i know damn well tench vary in colour having caught plenty of green,gold and even blue ones!

i also know how to tell the difference between the sex`s!!!!

oh and i have deleted my reply !!

happy now!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

:mad:

 

[ 03. August 2004, 11:31 AM: Message edited by: bluezulu ]

[DenisO]

Thanks for your support Steve. It's just a shame I didn't get to see Bluezulu's response as I'm sure I could of responded in kind!!!!!

[me]

Thanks Steve. Once i caught a 5lb Green Tench which had a large pelvic fin. So that must be a male.

[Steve Burke]

At Wingham I've got both black and green tench. The black ones came from an estate lake, and interestingly still tend to feed early and late as they probably have since birth. The green ones came from a gravel pit and, like many gravel pit tench, tend to feed later in the morning.

 

If you look at the latest news page on the Wingham website (link below) you'll see a black tench that, several years after stocking, had partially changed colour!

 

Another interesting point is that you seldom catch both black and green tench from the same swim at the same time at Wingham. Indeed, in many swims you catch only black or only green ones.

 

There are a few swims though where at different times of the same day you can catch either green or black tench. I suspect that these are swims where the patrol routes of different coloured tench intersect.

 

This suggests that tench are perhaps more territorial than generally believed. It's certainly helpful as my black ones are on average a fair bit bigger, although eventually I think they'll be surpassed by ones that have spawned at Wingham and always seem to be green.

[Steve Burke]

bluezulu:

and for your information mr banks i know damn well tench vary in colour having caught plenty of green,gold and even blue ones!

i also know how to tell the difference between the sex`s!!!!

oh and i have deleted my reply !!

happy now!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

    :mad:  

Blue Zulu, I haven't suggested that you don't know what you're talking about.

 

However I did take issue with the way you treated an enthustiastic youngster who asked a perfectly sensible question. This Forum should be a place where such questions can be asked without fear of sarcastic ridicule.

 

Remember that there would have been a time when you too were a beginner!

[Steve Burke]

Dennis, where on the Beult were you fishing? (PM me if you prefer).

 

My favourite stretch was immediately below Hawkenbury bridge and this is where we found female tench hard to come by. For these Cross-at-Hand was a better bet and the average size of tench was bigger. However the roach didn't grow as big there. perhaps because of competition from the tench. Is it the same now do you know?

 

Nathan, yes that seems like a male tench, and a very good one too. The male's pelvic fins aren't just bigger but are distinctly more round in shape and are like big paddles!