BRITISH FRESH-WATER FISHES 



weighing 3I pounds each within five minutes of one 

 another in a tributary of the River Colne, near Watford. 

 It cannot be considered a solitary species as, when on 

 the feed, a number may soon be caught in the same spot. 

 Quietness is essential when angling for Tench, as it is 

 very shy, and seems to be acquainted with every move- 

 ment taking place on the bank. The best bait is a 

 medium-size lob- worm. Sweet paste is also considered 

 a luring "dish." To attract the fish, and work different 

 holes, it is a good plan to slightly bob the float up and 

 down without disturbing the water, resting occasionally 

 so as to wait results. The bait moving below will 

 probably have the desired result. This species is well 

 distributed in Britain, and is found as far north as the 

 Southern Highlands of Scotland. It is an animal as 

 well as a vegetable feeder, and except in Spring, when it 

 emerges from its Winter torpor, is always in a fat and 

 healthy condition. The Tench is a tenacious species, 

 and can exist not only for some time out of water, but is 

 none the worse for being buried in mud when its liquid 

 haunts have disappeared during drought. It spawns 

 in June, the tiny eggs being shed, without restriction as 

 to numbers, on aquatic plants growing in shallow water. 

 In about seven days the small eggs hatch out, and at the 

 end of a year the young weighs about 4 ounces. After 

 then, it is said to increase in weight to the extent of 

 16 ounces per annum. An 8 pound fish may be regarded 

 as a very fine specimen. One of the finest I have seen 



was caught by my sister — Mrs. E. J. Bryant — in the 

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