THE TENCH. 55 



very unusual size ; a 21b. or 31b. fish is a very good fish. 

 They are even more capricious in their biting than the 

 carp. August and September being, perhaps, the best 

 months for them. They prefer worms to any other bait, 

 though sometimes a bunch of gentles will be found to 

 tempt them ; a red worm, however, is their favourite bait, 

 and, with a No. 7 hook and a couple of red worms neatly 

 strung on, the angler should take tench if they are 

 inclined to feed at all. I remember formerly to have read 

 that it was a good plan to dip the red worm in tar, but I 

 cannot believe it, as tar is usually death to fish of all 

 kinds, and utterly abhorrent to them ; but the old writers 

 were fond of strange theories, many of which I have 

 proved to be utterly false. I once spoilt a capital day's 

 trouting by keeping my worms in fennel by the advice of 

 some old writer perhaps he had our friend Greville in his 

 mind, and not the herb of that name which did not 

 agree with the fish at all ; for they no sooner took it in 

 their mouths than they spat it out again in apparent 

 disgust, and I lost scores of good bites, till I had at last 

 to hunt for others in a pelting rain, when I did better 

 bad as the substitute was. 



The tackle for tench should be a light float, fineish gut, 

 and No. 7 hook. The rod and line should be similar to 

 those noted for carp fishing. Plumb the depth so that the 

 worm may just touch or rest on the bottom, and ground 

 bait with chopped worms and gentles, as the tench does 

 not affect farinaceous food. When the tench bites, like 

 the carp he nibbles a good deal before he takes, and will 

 often, after niggling the float up and down for a minute 

 or two, turn away from it, and even leave it altogether. 

 When he does this, I have often quickened his 

 appetite by drawing the worm slowly away from him, 



