Tench Information
The tench, otherwise known as Tinca Tinca or Doctor Fish, are a species of freshwater fish belonging to the carp family. They are found throughout Eurasia and Europe, and are highly sort after by anglers for both the difficulty in catching them, as well as their beauty and interest.
Tench have extremely small scales and soft bodies, and are greenish grey to golden in colour. They often have red coloured eyes and grey fins, making them a striking looking fish.
Below are different areas of tench information ranging from feeding habits and habitats, to likes and dislikes...
Tench Habitats
Tench live in slow moving or still waters, so are mostly found in lakes and low lying rivers. They prefer muddy or clay filled waters with lots of plant life. They are also popular to catch in deep gravel pits and can inhabit waters with extremely low oxygen concentrations.
Tench Weight and Size
Tench grow slowly in size the older they get, although growth within the first year can be quite rapid. On average most tench caught are around 2-3 lb (1.2 kg) in weight, and around 1 foot (0.3 metres) in length. However tench have been known to reach 15 lb (6.8 kg) in weight, and 2 feet (0.6 metres) in length.
Tench Feeding Habits
Tench feed mainly at night on plant life and algae, as well as insect larve and grubs of different kinds. They often move into shallows and margins during this period.
Tench Likes and Dislikes
Tench dislike fast moving waters and noise or visual disturbances. They are a species which is easily spooked and hence why they are so difficult to catch. As tench prefer to feed at night the best time to attempt to catch them is after dark.
