THE TENCH . 85 



Spring and Summer, out of the rivers Thames and 

 Lea, and also in the Camberwell and Croydon canal. 

 I have caught very fine Tench in the river Roding, 

 at Abridge, Woodford-b ridge, and near the bridge, 

 called Red-bridge, at Wanstead, particularly in the 

 holes to the north of the bridge in the meadows : the 

 ponds in Wanstead-park abound with Tench. They 

 take red worms best in the Spring, and gentles, not 

 too much scoured, or sweet paste in the hot months. 

 Use a fine gut-line, quill-float, and No. 9 or 10 hook ; 

 fish close to the bottom, and ground-bait with small 

 pellets of bread, or chewed bread, or bread and bran 

 mixed ; or throw in about half a dozen gentles, or pieces 

 of worms, frequently, close to your float. When the 

 large Tench take a bait, especially in still waters, 

 they take or suck it in slowly, and generally draw the 

 float straight down ; strike immediately it disappears. 

 The Tench will breed in rivers, lakes, and ponds, 

 but they thrive best in those ponds where the bottom 

 is composed of loomy clay, or mud, and in foul and 

 weedy waters ; they will sometimes bite very free all 

 day in Summer, during warm, close, dark weather, 

 particularly while small misty rain descends ; at other 

 times, only late in the evening, or early in the morn- 

 ing. Your bait should nearly touch the ground in 

 ponds, but must drag a little on the bottom in rivers, 

 unless it is very dull, sultry weather, or it rains ; very 

 few Tench are ever caught in the day. Just after a 

 good deal of warm rain has fallen. Tench will take 

 the small white snail or slug, which is then found in 

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