THE TENCH. 185 



Tench are not common in the Thames, but I 

 have seen a few caught in the Chertsey and in the 

 Shepperton waters, more by chance anghng Thames 

 than otherwise. Some years ago, when camping 

 out, sleeping in a dinghy, I came through Chertsey 

 Lock in the very early morning and saw an angler, 

 fishing from the upper end of the lock island, with 

 a brace of very fine tench. He was tight corking 

 in the slack water, just am.ong some straggling 

 weeds. This was after a pouring wet night. When 

 searching for stranded fish after a heavy flood, I 

 picked up a single tench on the island at Shepperton 

 Lock, covered with mud, and weak with flapping 

 about ; but after washing him well, he swam away 

 quietly, and made for the deeps of Ham Haw Pool, 

 where I expect there are many tench, though I have 

 never caught one there, even when bream-fishing. 

 I saw some nice tench taken below Whittet's oil 

 mill, in the main river Wey, just before it joins 

 the Thames. 



If you know there are tench in a pond, do not 

 cease fishing for them after a trial or two, or because 

 the pond seems really too scummy and muddy. 

 The Broadwater, at Weybridge, has several feet of 

 mud in it in places — real black mud — yet by 

 employing very light tackle, I have taken tench. 

 The water is private. I should imagine the Sale 

 at Walton-on-Thames would hold tench, as it is 

 exactly the style of water they like. I believe 

 Elstree Reservoir contains numbers of tench, and 

 that the water can be fished by payment ; as I 

 have not fished it, I cannot speak from actual 

 experience. Penn Ponds, Richmond Park, contain 

 tench, though I have not caught them — indeed, have 

 not fished for them there. 



