254 NOTES ON FISH AND FISHING. 



latter place I took one of about 2 lbs. some twenty years 

 ago, and so scarce was the fish then that my puntsman 

 said that in his experience of a quarter of a century he had 

 only known one taken in those waters before. The Sonning 

 district also seems a favourite one for this fish, for I notice 

 among my memoranda a record of 60 lbs. of tench being 

 caught in October, 1874, by an angler in one day. This 

 was a most unusual take ; but perhaps there are more 

 tench and carp in the Thames than the river is given credit 

 for. As a rule, hot weather is the best for carp and tench 

 fishing, but not when the sun is shining, as they are then 

 inclined to bask at the top of the water ; and it is said 

 that tench are best on " when beans are in blossom." 

 But there is not much in this adage. From the beginning 

 of June till the end of August or September is the season 

 for fishing for them in ponds and lakes, and the best time 

 of the day, both for cai*p and tench, is the early morning 

 and late evening — that is for large fish. In rivers they are 

 caught much later in the year, and indeed throughout the 

 winter, at least when the weather is open, as the yearly 

 records of the Thames and Lea show ; and therefore I can- 

 not understand Mr. Pennell when he says that tench and 

 carp probably retire during the winter months almost 

 wholly into the mud, &c, and " at this time are hardly 

 ever to be taken with a bait." 



There is not much to be said in reference to tackle, but 

 as large carp and tench are very shy fish, the finer the 

 tackle the better, consistently with strength. Tench will 

 sometimes, like bream, when biting, cause your float to lie 

 flat on the surface of the water. I never quite understood 

 this till I observed the movements of the tench at the 

 Westminster Aquarium. A number of them were stand- 



