A handsome species, the tench is olive green in colour with a deep tail and rounded fins. Sometimes called ‘Doctor fish’, legend says that they rub their slimy bodies against other fish to cure disease.
Tench facts
Scientific name
Tinca tinca
Family
Cyprinidae
Diet
Snails, mussels and fly larvae
Predators
Pike and zander
Size
50cm
Weight
1-4lb
Record weight
15lb 3oz
Lifespan
20-30 years
Tench and our canals
Tench are found in the calm waters of ponds, lakes, reservoirs, canals and slow-flowing rivers. They prefer soft-bottomed and slow-flowing waters with rich vegetation to hide behind. These shy fish are omnivorous and will eat algae, aquatic plants and invertebrates.
How to identify a tench
The tench’s olive-green colouring and small red eyes give them a very distinctive and recognisable appearance. They have a stout body and round, powerful fins. Although rare, tench can sometimes be golden in colour.
Lifecycle of a tench
Spawning lasts from May to June when the water temperatures reach around 19-20C. The males chase the females in shallow water to fertilise eggs in dense vegetation. The eggs are deposited on plants, hatching in three to six days, depending on the water temperature.
Young tench mature at three or four years old.
Where to find tench
Tench are widespread in England but rarer in Wales and Scotland. They prefer calm, slow-flowing waters and do not like high levels of disturbance from boaters.
Early mornings and late evenings are the best time to catch tench in a feeding frenzy.
Carl Nicholls, fisheries & angling manager
It’s rare to catch them when they’re small.
Good baits include maggots, casters and worms, although tench are known for being caught on grains of sweetcorn. The choice of tackle will depend on which stretch of water you are fishing. The tench is a hard-fighting fish, and if the tackle is not up to the job, they’re likely to break the line.
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