THE TENCH. 89 



As to baits, I prefer in ground baiting to throw in lobworms whole for 

 spring or autumn tench fishing. For summer tench fishing blood, grains, 

 or ordinary carp or roach ground bait, is good, using sweetened paste 

 or a red worm well scoured. The tail of a lobworm in autumn is 

 very killing ofttimes, and a wasp grub in June, just after the spawning 

 of the fish, is considered by some a splendid lure. It certainly may 

 be a successful lure, but not ever having tried it, I am unable to verify 

 the statement. It is hopeless angling for these fish during cold weather, 

 and I have ever found that close, mild, "muggy" weather, with a dash 

 of thunder in it, is that in which the greatest sport is generally got. 

 During a drizzling rain in the early part of September, 1870, I got 

 ten handsome tench from a lake in Gloucestershire (near Gloucester), all 

 in about two hours. 



The tench is more capricious than a barbel. In early spring I 

 have repeatedly caught them with a modification of the eel " bobbing ' * 

 tackle, the difference in the tackle being the substitution of a 

 No. 2 hook for the usual needle in the worm. I am, however, 

 far from commending the process, believing that it partakes of 

 the nature of poaching, seeing that your quarry is lying more or 

 less asleep in the mud, with his nose just below the surface. The 

 experienced eye detects the slight indentation, the baited hook is put 

 close to the fish's nose, he sucks it in, and a slight jerk hooks him ; 

 then he is drawn ashore with hardly any struggle in fact, the fish 

 was awakened only to be caught. 



