TENCH TICKLING 321 



But we digress we are not speaking of poachers, but of 

 " tench tickling." This, however, although not illegal every- 

 where, is so in all navigable rivers in Norfolk and Suffolk (by 

 a bye-law passed in 1890),* and within 400 yards of any navi- 

 gable river or broad. It is considered as poaching, as it is 

 unsportsmanlike. Still, one interested in country outdoor 

 pursuits generally likes to know all one can about everything 

 connected with the subject, and so accordingly on this, our 

 first opportunity, we were initiated into " the art " as indeed 

 it may fairly be called. Few places offer equal advantages for 

 " tench tickling " to the secluded and smaller broads of 

 Norfolk. They seem made for it, and every facility is to be 

 found, as will be seen in the following description. 



Quoting the Rev. Richard Lubbock in his Observations 

 on the Fauna of Norfolk, he says that "tench catching" 

 (as he therein denominates it) orginated with a family of 

 the name of " Hewitt," at Barton, all the members of which 

 were fishermen and gunners. One of them, observing the 

 sluggish nature of this fish, attempted to take them 

 with his hands, and often succeeded. The art has 

 spread, and the system is better understood, so that 

 at this time there are in Norfolk fishermen who, upon 

 shallow waters for in deep nothing can be done thus 

 prefer their own hands, with a landing-net to be used 

 occasionally, to bow-nets or any other engines. The day for 

 this occupation cannot be too calm or too hot. During the 

 heats of summer, but especially at the time of spawning, 

 tench delight in lying near the surface of the water amongst 

 beds of weeds ; in such situations they are found in parties 

 varying from four or five to thirty in number. On the very 

 near approach of a boat they strike away, dispersing in 

 different directions, and then the sport of the "tench-tickler" 

 begins. With an eye like a hawk, he perceives where 

 some particular fish has stopped in his flight, which is 

 seldom more than a few yards ; his guide in this is the 

 bubble which arises generally where the fish stops. Ap- 



* See Appendix. 

 X 



