114 THE SPORTING FISH 



The best bait for the Tench is a well-scoured 

 brandling — the method of fishing being similar to 

 that adopted for Carp. Mr. R. B. Marston, in 

 a capital article on Tench-fishing, published in 

 the "Fishing Gazette" of 24th Oct., 1885, recom- 

 mends a second hook baited with brown-bread 

 paste, and placed about four inches above the hook 

 that is baited with the worm, so that one lies on 

 the bottom and the other just floats clear of it. 



The specimen from which the illustration was 

 taken was a female fish weighing about 2 lbs., and 

 in very fine condition. Between the male and 

 female Tench a marked and curious difference 

 exists in regard to the ventral fins. In the 

 females these fins are of the ordinary size and 

 shape, but in the males they are much larger and 

 more muscular, and present almost the appearance 

 of a green concave shell, the concave side being 

 uppermost. From five to six pounds is about the 

 usual maximum weight, the largest recorded to 

 have been taken — a fish fifty years old at least — 

 weiofhine somewhat over eleven. 



The Tench spawns with some variations about 

 the middle of June, or, according to Willoughby, 

 when wheat is in blossom. 



The following were the principal measurements, 

 &c., of the fish represented in the engraving: — 



The length of the head alone being considered as i, the total 

 length of the head, body and tail-fin not quite as 5. Depth of 

 body at deepest part i-5th more than length of head. All 



