What does tench eat in the pond? Tench fish, description and characteristics, habitats, spawning
Lin is bony fish from the carp family (Cyprinidae). Its Latin name is Tinca Tinca. In Europe, this fish is widespread in large numbers and is a typical inhabitant of rivers and lakes.
In the eastern part of our country, beyond the Urals, it is much less common, but the border of its habitat runs along the middle reaches of the Yenisei and the rivers flowing into it. This fish is also found in Baikal.
In Eastern Siberia, tench can be found extremely rarely, since there it is subject to strong anthropogenic influences resulting from disturbance of the natural habitat and the actions of poachers. This fish is listed in the Red Book of Buryatia.
Description of the tench
The tench's body is thick, short and tall. It is covered with small scales, which fit tightly to the body and are covered with thick mucus. IN midline about a hundred scales can be counted.
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Color may vary due to different conditions habitat: tenches that live in reservoirs with clear water and sandy soil, painted greenish-silver; those lines that live in reservoirs with soil in the form of silt have a dark brown color with a bronze tint. The anal and dorsal fins are the same long sizes. The dorsal fin consists of 4 unbranched rays and 8-9 branched ones, the anal fin - of 3 unbranched rays and 8-9 branched ones. On caudal fin there is no notch.
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In males that have reached sexual maturity, the second ray on the pelvic fins is thicker than the others. At the corners of the mouth opening there are antennae, one on each side. They are very small, only 2 mm long. The formula of single-row pharyngeal teeth is 4-5, 5-4. The number of gill rakers ranges from 14 to 20 pieces. Eyes small size, their color is red-orange. The tench owes its name to its ability to change body color when it is removed from water into air.
The tench's affiliation with the female or male determined by the ventral fins. In male tenches they have larger size than in females, and back they protrude beyond the anus. Tench has a thicker body than crucian carp, a more truncated fin on the tail, and dorsal fin there are half as many rays.
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But tench have more scales in the midline than crucian carp. IN natural environment habitat, tench is not of great commercial importance. But it is grown in large quantities in pond farms with warm water, since this type of fish is very undemanding to water quality, which allows it to exist comfortably in those ponds that cannot be used for carp breeding.
Biology
Favorite habitats for tenches are river bays, oxbow lakes, and channels. General terms and conditions for all reservoirs are the presence of a large amount of soft aquatic vegetation and a small water flow. Tench feels no less comfortable in lakes and ponds, along the banks of which reeds, reeds or sedges grow. Tench leads a predominantly solitary lifestyle, no different great mobility.
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Prefers to stay close to the bottom in thickets, where it does not penetrate sunlight. Tench can live even in those reservoirs that are not suitable for other fish, due to the fact that they do not need a high concentration of oxygen in the water to live.
The basis of the tench's diet are bottom invertebrates, such as worms, insect larvae and mollusks, which it digs out from the silt from a depth of 7-9 cm. Adult tenches feed not only on animal organisms, but also aquatic plants and detritus, the share of which in the diet can reach 60 percent.
Some of the most delicious fish dishes are prepared from tench. Tench fish is quite capricious in processing and requires a lot of attention for cleaning and gutting. But ready-made dishes from it are compared to tender chicken meat. This fish is suitable for baking, boiling (including steaming), frying and even stuffing. So, today we will tell you how to properly clean and prepare tench.
Description
Tench fish lives in fresh water, likes to burrow into mud and silt, where it finds food. There he spends the winter. Its lifestyle is very similar to crucian carp. The carcasses grow slowly, they are inactive, and mostly stick to the area near the shore. It is quite difficult to meet tench in the river; it does not like active water flow. As a rule, it is found in ponds, reservoirs or lakes where there are overgrown areas of algae, reeds and other marsh vegetation. But it is not because of this way of life that the name “tench” appeared. And because of the ability to shed when exposed to air: the fish changes color to dark in full color or partially in the form of single spots.
Golden tench
Interestingly, there is a species that belongs to decorative fish- golden tench. It can be bright yellow color as if covered with gold. But such fish are not found in simple reservoirs, it was bred artificially and is not adapted to external environment a habitat. Weighs up to 7.5 kg.
The entire surface of the scales is covered with mucus, which is constantly produced. Fish can survive in water with low level oxygen and even in heavily polluted places. Better environment for tench - acidified water.
Primary preparation
Almost every fisherman or cook knows how to clean tench fish. But, if you have never encountered this fish, it is difficult to find your bearings right away. Indeed, on its surface there are often dense scales and a lot of mucus. How to get rid of it?
There are several ways:
- use a sharp chef's knife - under running cool water, clean off the mucus with a knife using top-to-bottom movements;
- arrange for the carcass cold and hot shower from hot and cold water- under such pressure, the mucus will begin to coagulate and come off in parts.
Tench is a river fish, so small specimens have a lot of bones. They are prepared whole carcasses or used to create minced meat.
The skin is then removed if you want to cut a clean, boneless fillet. But if you need steaks, leave the skin on. When frying or baking, the scales stick together and form a dense, crispy crust.
The head, entrails of the peritoneum and fins must be removed when cutting. For small fish You can use kitchen scissors instead of a knife.
Should I use a marinade?
Lin - delicious fish, if you cook it correctly. Since its meat has a characteristic smell of silt due to the habit of this fish to burrow into it in search of food. To eliminate this aroma, use marinades or simply soak the carcass in salt water for about one hour. You can add a little acetic acid or freshly squeezed lemon juice.
For the same purpose, citrus juice or spices are used when marinating pieces or whole carcasses.
But you can go another way. More live fish Place in a large cup of water or a filled bath. Tench will swim there for about 10-12 hours and naturally cleans or filters its meat through its gills.
Options for fish marinades
For tench, slightly sweet marinades with the addition of sugar or natural bee honey. But there are other options. So, these are the mixtures used for tench:
- lemon juice, sugar, salt, ground pepper (juice can be taken from any citrus fruit to taste - orange, lime, kumquat, grapefruit);
- onion, "Mayonnaise" sauce, garlic puree, sunflower oil, ground pepper - ideal if tench fish is cooked in the oven (in food foil) or on the grill;
- sunflower or olive oil and a couple of pinches;
- vegetables chopped in a blender (necessarily with the presence of onions and garlic) with a quarter teaspoon of table vinegar 6%, apple or wine.
Spices and seasonings
Spices and seasonings for tench are those that are most often used for fish dishes. But keep in mind that the same flavor in different ways affects different fish. As a rule, when preparing dishes they use:
- citrus juice or zest;
- white roots of parsley, celery;
- fennel, cumin or dill seeds;
- rosemary;
- basil;
- marjoram;
- ground pepper (any type - one type or a mixture);
- sage;
- garlic and onions (fresh or dried);
- nutmeg.
For one dish, take a couple or three types of spices or seasonings; you shouldn’t overdo it with them.
In addition to natural spices, you can buy the “For Fish” mixture in advance at the store. Then you will be sure that you are using the flavoring additives for their intended purpose.
Breading options
If you decide to bake fish in the oven or on the grill, then breading is not needed. And when hot in the usual way It should definitely be used in a frying pan. Choose the following types:
- wheat flour only;
- a mixture of flour and salt;
- a mixture of flour and sesame seeds.
Fine crumbs of ground nuts are added to the same wheat flour for variety.
Breading with additions is used when preparing tench steaks or fillets. When cooking a whole small carcass, one flour will do.
Recipe for fried tench in a frying pan
To prepare this dish you will need the following products:
- tench carcass - 1 pc. (weighing about 300-500 g);
- coarse salt - a couple of pinches;
- lemon - 1 pc.;
- ground pepper - a pinch;
- sunflower oil - 2 tbsp. l.;
- wheat flour - 2 tbsp. l.
How to cook tench fish? First, free his carcass from mucus. Use the contrast pouring method. Then cut open the belly and carefully remove the entrails. All actions must be performed carefully so as not to damage the gallbladder, otherwise all the fish flesh will acquire a bitter taste. There will be no way to fix this. Then cut off the head and remove the fins. Use a stable, non-slip surface for cutting.
Prepare a 2-3 liter container and immerse the carcass there. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon and add water. Leave the tench like this for a couple of hours.
After the specified time has passed, drain the water and rinse the carcass again under the tap with cool water. Place back in the bowl and add salt, ground pepper and the juice of the second half of the lemon (about 30 ml). Rub the carcass with this mixture on all sides and leave for 40-50 minutes. Cover the bowl with a lid or plate during this period.
Now about heat treatment. How to fry tench fish? Over moderate heat without temperature surges. Turn on the heat and let the frying pan with oil heat up.
Bread the fish in flour on all sides. Place the carcass on a hot surface and do not touch until a crispy crust appears on the bottom. Then turn over and reduce heat. Close the lid and leave for a couple of minutes.
So fry the fish until done. The smaller the tench, the faster it will cook.
Baked fish in the oven with mushrooms
Bake tench fish. The description of the primary processing does not differ from the frying recipe described above. Therefore, we will omit it in the story of the cooking process. We only note that the head remains on the carcass, and the gills are cut out with kitchen scissors.
Choose mushrooms for the recipe as you wish - fresh or pickled.
You will need the following products:
- tench fish - 1-2 pcs.;
- lemon - 1 pc.;
- salt - to taste;
- ground pepper or sweet paprika - a couple of pinches;
- fresh parsley - medium bunch;
- champignons - 200 g;
- cranberries - 10-15 pcs.;
- honey - 1/3 tsp;
- breadcrumbs - 2 tbsp. l.;
- sunflower oil - 2 tbsp. l.
To prepare this dish, you need to follow the following procedure:
- First comes the initial preparation of the fish, then it is left to stand with the juice of half a lemon and washed.
- To marinate fish, mix 2-3 tbsp. l. freshly squeezed lemon juice, ground pepper and salt. Rub the tench by hand and leave for half an hour.
- Wash the mushrooms well and cut into halves. If the mushrooms are small, leave them whole.
- Bread the marinated fish in breadcrumbs and place on a baking sheet. First cover it with a thick layer of food foil and grease it with sunflower oil. Place mushrooms next to the fish. Cover the top with foil to prevent hot steam from escaping. You can pour a little water between the foil and the sides of the baking sheet so that the dish cooks as if it were steamed.
- Place in the oven at 180°C for 40 minutes.
- In the meantime, rinse and dry the greens. Shred it.
- Rinse the cranberries and place together with the honey in a small saucepan over moderate heat. It should caramelize a little. Stir the mixture so that it does not burn.
- Place the finished fish on a dish, garnish with lemon slices, mushrooms, fresh herbs and cranberries.
Choose spicy herbs for the recipe according to your preferences and taste guidelines. Instead of parsley, you can prepare a green salad of lettuce, watercress and fresh tarragon as a garnish.
Tench in batter
To prepare you need to take the following products:
- tench fish - 1 pc.;
- apple cider vinegar - 2 tbsp. l.;
- salt - a couple of pinches;
- egg - 1 pc. (or just the yolk);
- wheat flour - 3 tbsp. l.;
- mayonnaise - 2 tbsp. l.;
- sunflower oil - 2-3 tbsp. l.
Follow the following cooking instructions:
- For the tench fish recipe in batter, you will have to cut it into clean fillets. First, gut it and cut off the head. Soak in water with 1 tbsp. l. apple cider vinegar. Rinse the carcass and place it on cutting board. Hold it by the tail and slide a knife under the skin and flesh. Guide it along the spine and cut off the fillet with skin and rib bones. Turn the tench over and do the same with the second fillet.
- Remove the skin and trim the rib bones from both fillets.
- Chop and marinate the pieces in the remaining apple cider vinegar and salt.
- Prepare the batter. In a bowl, mix mayonnaise, flour, egg and a little salt. Dip the fish pieces into it and stir.
- Heat a frying pan well with oil and place the pieces. Fry on both sides until golden brown. Turn over periodically - 2-3 times. Time to fry these small pieces small - 3-4 minutes on each side over moderate heat.
The same recipe is suitable for cooking fish steaks in batter.
Batter options
For fish, you can choose a different batter if desired. Add to it additional ingredients, including spices, seasonings, herbs or anything else. Batter options for fish dishes:
- cheese - grated cheese, egg, sour cream, flour, salt, spices;
- beer - beer (preferably light), flour, salt, egg yolks (the same batter is prepared with table white wine instead of beer);
- on the water - mineral water, flour, egg, salt;
- with herbs - chopped spicy herbs (or dried), mayonnaise, egg, flour, salt, spices;
- garlic - fresh garlic puree, mayonnaise, egg, breadcrumbs;
- saffron - natural Imeretian saffron or turmeric, water for infusing seasoning, salt, sour cream, flour, egg yolks.
The mixture should be thick to completely envelop the pieces of product.
This is how tench fish is prepared. The recipes are not complicated, but do require plenty of pre-processing and marinating time.
Among the freshwater fish that are caught or sold in markets, tench cannot be ignored. It is difficult to catch, but it is much easier to breed it in stagnant bodies of water under control. In cooking, the meat of such fish is valued for its softness, and in medicine – for its low calorie content and the presence of many useful vitamins and minerals.
What does tench fish look like?
Along with carp, which is almost always sold, you can sometimes find its direct “relative” tench on sale. Often these fish are not found in rivers, but prefer to hide in lakes on the side of dense vegetation. By appearance tench is characterized by:
- thick, tall body;
- maximum weight up to 600 grams and size up to 50 centimeters (only individual individuals can have a weight of 3 kg and a size of 60-70 cm in length);
- elongated scales;
- the presence of a dense layer of mucus, which is secreted due to the scales tightly embedded in the meat;
- a more elongated small mouth;
- the presence of small antennae (length up to 2 mm) in the corners of the mouth;
- small eyes that are bordered by a red iris;
- fins having a rounded shape;
- the presence of a small notch in the caudal fin;
- gray color of all fins;
- general color, which can be greenish (this means the habitat is a reservoir with sandy soil) or dark brown (this indicates a muddy bottom of the reservoir);
- yellowish ventral base;
- special thermophilicity;
- intolerance to sunlight;
- the peculiarity of changing the color of the scales when exposed to air (the mucus darkens and peels off, and yellow spots appear on the cover itself).
Indeed, this fish loves solitude, chooses permanent place habitat and does not tolerate fast river currents. IN natural conditions Tench prefers quiet river bays, oxbow lakes, channels with gentle currents and soft underwater vegetation. It is found in lakes and ponds, the banks of which are overgrown with reeds, sedges or reeds. Tench does not need a higher concentration of oxygen and its main habitat is among vegetation at the bottom of the reservoir.
Only young animals can gather in flocks closer to autumn in order to hibernate together and survive the cold.
Tenches become sexually mature late - at 3-4 years. At the same time, they live up to 18 years.
Females begin spawning only in warm weather. hot period(from approximately June to the end of July), when the water temperature warms up to 20 degrees. During this period, the fish do not feed at all and do not bite (the best time for fishing is April-May).
Tench does not have any particular commercial value, therefore it is mainly bred in a specialized manner, like crucian carp, in shutters (after all, this fish is inactive). So it feeds more on vegetation, or extracts larvae, worms and crustaceans from the bottom, “raking” sand or silt with its fins as it moves. In any case, the fish does not stray far from its “house”.
Tench fish is common in reservoirs throughout Europe. Our main places are the border of the Urals. To the east of this line it can be found, but very rarely. The farthest border is the eastern region of Lake Baikal.
In Germany, Buryatia, and the Yakut region of Russia, this type of fish is officially included in the local Red Books.
What are the benefits of tench fish?
Not every representative of freshwater fish can boast of chemical composition, which is contained in tench meat. Thus, the tench has:
- high-quality easily digestible protein;
- fats;
- polyunsaturated fatty acids;
- all essential amino acids;
- vitamin A (retinol);
- ascorbic acid (vitamin C);
- tocopherol (vitamin E);
- vitamins from group B (riboflavin, thiamine, folic and nicotinic acids);
- macroelements represented by sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus;
- the main minerals are zinc, iodine, iron, chromium, copper, fluorine and manganese.
The calorie content of 100 grams of meat from this fish is only 40 kilocalories.
The energy ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates is 70/41/0%.
Useful properties of tench fish
Don't assume that freshwater fish unable to benefit human body. For example, regular consumption of tench fish meat helps a person:
Improve work gastrointestinal tract(especially the stomach itself);
Improve the functioning of the thyroid gland (by the way, only marine fish representatives can do this);
Get rid of unpleasant arrhythmia;
Strengthen the heart muscle;
Reduce excess weight due to the small amount of calories;
IN in general terms install correct work all internal organs.
How to select and store tench fish
Having a delicate and soft structure, tench meat after cooking is not inferior in taste qualities chicken meat.
True, so as not to spoil the dish from the “shedding” freshwater fish You need to know that buying tench should only be fresh (therefore, it is advisable to take it from a store aquarium).
If you have to purchase goods on the market, then:
- Only those representatives that are caught a month before spawning or two weeks after it are eaten;
- The bright red color of the gills will indicate freshness;
- the smell should not be fishy, but simply give off freshness;
- the eyes of fresh fish are always clear and transparent;
- When pressed on the body of the fish, the hole necessarily quickly disappears due to the elasticity of the meat;
- when cutting, the bones never lag behind the meat (if it’s the other way around, then such tench cannot be cooked).
When it becomes necessary to preserve a tench carcass, it must be thoroughly gutted, washed and wiped dry with a white napkin or towel. Then the fish is wrapped in white paper, previously soaked in a strong saline solution, and then wrapped in one layer of white paper. To preserve this product, it must be placed in the refrigerator at a temperature no higher and no lower than 5 degrees. The shelf life of fish is no more than three days. If frozen, it can be stored for up to 3 months.
How to clean tench fish
Compared to carp, this fish is more difficult to clean, since its scales fit more tightly to the body of the carcass. When purchasing in a store, if there is a fish cleaning service, it is better to clean it immediately after purchase.
When removing scales, you must be very careful not to damage the skin. Therefore, cleaning should be more like scraping the scales rather than vigorously scrubbing them. To make it easier to remove the scales, you can first dip the carcass in boiling water.
To get rid of the unpleasant smell of meat (after all, tench eat greens) it is recommended:
- let the fish swim for a couple of hours in a bath of clean water;
- put the fish under running water for several hours.
What to cook from tench fish
It can be prepared as regular fish. In any case, from this fish product It produces dishes with a beautiful golden crust when baked or fried. It is also boiled (can be served as a separate dish or in soup), stewed, and grilled.
Cooks recommend adding a lot of spices and herbs when cooking so that the meat does not taste like the herbs consumed by the fish. Before cooking, experienced housewives recommend sprinkling it with lemon juice and letting it sit for 15-20 minutes.
In many European countries it is boiled in milk. There are a lot of recipes for how to cook fish. In principle, any recipe for cooking carp will do.
Contraindications for use
Scientists cannot yet determine any serious contraindications for consuming tench. Therefore, the fundamental one is individual intolerance to fish meat.
Is it a bony fish, tench or not?
Like any river fish, it has a lot of bones, but still less compared to carp or other fish.
Where does the tench fish live, watch the video
Tench(lat. Tinca tinca) - a species of ray-finned fish of the carp family ( Cyprinidae), the only representative of the genus Tina (Wikipedia). Not everyone can boast that they have caught a trophy tench. This opponent is cunning, cautious and attentive. Attractive because of its extraordinary taste and at the same time easy to clean.
Description of tench fish
A distinctive feature of the species is its low mobility and heat-loving nature. It grows slowly, is unpretentious and stays near the bottom, choosing the coastal zone. Tench can be found mainly in lakes and ponds. It also lives in rivers - in oxbow lakes and bays. Where tench live, there is always aquatic vegetation and great depth.
The body is short, tall and thick. Small scales adhere tightly to it, covered on top with a thick layer of viscous and thick mucus. Body color varies from greenish-silver to dark brown with a slight bronze tint. Back and anal fins short, tail - without a pronounced notch. The eyes are red-orange. There are short antennae at the corners of the mouth. The name of the fish reflects it interesting feature, the whole point is that it is capable of “molding,” that is, changing color in the air. The weight of an average individual is 250 – 600 grams. Large specimens are considered to be fish weighing from 1 to 2 kg. A truly impressive large specimen reaches 4 kg; the length of such a giant will be slightly less than 60 cm. The lifespan of this species is on average 16 years.
Where does tench live?
It prefers to live where there is a weak current, that is, in lakes and river bays, which are abundantly overgrown with soft creeping vegetation. Prefers to stay near high banks where reeds and reeds grow. This is what the fish eat. About 60 percent daily diet amounts to plant food. It will not refuse mollusks, worms and insect larvae.
Tench spawning
In the fourth year of life, the fish becomes sexually mature. Spawning time depends entirely on the water temperature; it should warm up to 20 degrees. This happens no earlier than the second half of May. Spawning sites in different years differ in location, depending on the flood level. Spawning grounds are located in quiet backwaters with thickets of willow bushes, green grass, reeds, hornwort and other plants. The spawning proceeds unnoticed. At this time, tench stay in small flocks, one female and 2-3 males. The eggs fall into the thickets of grass and remain invisible to predatory fish. Main threat for her - burbot. But, fortunately for tench eggs and fry, these two species are rarely found in the same habitat.
Tench fishing
Fishing methods
The best tackle is a regular fly fishing rod and an elastic donka. You can get a good catch in the backwaters using a feeder and a hook. When choosing gear, take into account all the features of the upcoming fishing location and the time of year. In the spring, the fish is unpretentious, tench, hungry since winter, will bravely fall on the hook of any tackle, but as soon as underwater vegetation grows on lakes and river backwaters, you will have to forget about many tackles. In addition, keep in mind that this is a strong fish and he will fight for his life until the end. The tackle must correspond to its behavior; be careful in its choice and equipment.
Catching tench with a float rod
Still, you shouldn’t overdo it when choosing equipment. Tench can be caught effectively with a fishing rod, and therefore you just need to take into account some of the requirements for fishing line, float and weight that this fish makes. When choosing the thickness of the leash, it is better to give preference to a fishing line of 0.18 mm. This thickness will not bother the tench. He is used to collecting pieces of food from plant stems and therefore will not be afraid of a thick fishing line. The thickness of the main line is allowed 0.2-0.22 mm.
Take your float selection more seriously. Load capacity from 2 to 2.5 grams. Fishing in spring is most often carried out in shallow water, so it is better that the float is not noticeable. The thing is that timid fish, having touched the bait, can see movement from above. This will certainly alert her, and the intensity of the bite will decrease significantly. The tackle is loaded with ordinary lead pellets. At a distance of 30 cm from the leash, a large pellet is attached, then after a gap - a medium one, and at the very bottom, near the place where the leash is tied, the smallest one is located, it serves as a pad. If fishing is carried out from the shore, then the length of the rod should ideally be at least 5 meters, but if you fish from a boat, you can get by with 4 meters.
Catching tench on a donk
For some reason, it is not very common to catch tench, like crucian carp, with a donk. But experienced crucian fishermen appreciated the donka with a rubber shock absorber. The design is simple: sinker, elastic band, fishing line and leashes with hooks. Fishing with this tackle is effective in backwaters and lakes, in places where there is not much vegetation. The elastic band is convenient because it only requires one cast, which means that splashes will not disturb cautious fish. The equipment is not much different from the crucian carp. Another advantage of fishing with a donk with a rubber shock absorber is that it is possible to simultaneously fish in different layers water from the bottom to the middle, and this will increase the chance of leaving with a catch.
Catching tench on a feeder
It is rarely used on feeder tackle. The fact is that this small and sedentary species rarely gets to the feeder first and a good bait is necessary. It is done 4-5 days before fishing. There are several unwritten rules on how to properly catch tench with this tackle. A site on the reservoir directly on which fishing will be carried out is selected in advance. It is necessary to mow the vegetation, creating a “window”. Feed the fish moderately at the same time for 5 days. The tench will get used to the sight of crumbling food and will willingly go to the feeder.
The process of fishing with a feeder is also slightly different from the others. The main difference is that you cannot make continuous casts. Sometimes they wait up to 40 minutes. If you find a really linear place, then you shouldn’t remove the feeder at all without a bite. The equipment is standard, just like for crucian carp.
Tench bait
Pay attention only to natural bait. It must correspond to the body of water in this period. Fishing in the spring will be effective with a worm dug up near a reservoir. Ordinary earthworm– optimal and catchable bait for tench. Sometimes, when you arrive at an unfamiliar body of water, you have to use different baits one after another, but still no bites are observed. This slippery fish is very picky and you have to find its ingredients. daily menu difficult. Fishing in various bodies of water largely depends on the habits of the fish; it bites on worms, maggots, caddis flies, bloodworms, pearl barley, dough, and bread.
Bait for tench
This fish responds well to cake soaked in sunflower oil and ground rye bread crackers. It is better not to use ready-made factory bait mixture. Firstly, some particles repel tench, and secondly, such bait, as a rule, is universal and, in addition to the fish we are interested in, all the small fry from the area will come running to the fishing spot. Professionals advise using homemade bait. And also add pieces of chopped bait to the mixture: worms or maggots. Complementary foods may also include peas, potatoes, fried rolled oats, and cake.
Tench fishing in the Moscow region
Many fish farms are engaged in tench breeding. The thing is that this species is not picky and valuable from a gastronomic point of view. In the Moscow region there are paid fish farms and tourist centers that provide those who wish with the chance to try their luck in catching this fish.
In the southwest of Moscow, near the village of Pervomaisky in the Narofominsky district, there is a reservoir. Tench fishing is offered on its territory for a fee. The local historical name is "Bowl". This artificial reservoir with an area of more than 7 hectares is flowed and stocked with species such as carp, grass carp, carp and tench. The reservoir has not been drained for the winter for several years and the tench have begun to set up spawning grounds. It is better to fish with float tackle, with a worm.
One of the largest farms in the Moscow region is the Klinsky fish farm, 30 km from the city of Klin. It borders with Zavidovsky state reserve. This is a complex of reservoirs from three separate sections: near the village of Vozdvizhenskoye, near the village of Chernyatino and Dyatlovo. Among the predatory species caught are pike, perch, and burbot. Among the peaceful fish, in addition to tench, there are gold and silver crucian carp and bream. There are also a number of feeding ponds where carp live. Fishing for tench in May (during the spawning period) is prohibited.
Tench breeding in the Moscow region is also carried out in the Naro-Fominsk region at the Silver Thicket reservoir. This object is located next to the Desna River, near the village of Nastasino. You can get to it along the Kyiv highway, about half an hour’s drive. Here you can catch carp, black and white carp, catfish, pike, carp, bream, crucian carp, roach and tench. Fishing in these places in summer is comfortable, as it is possible to rent a house to stay and have lunch at a local cafe.
Recipes for cooking dishes from tench
In nutritional value, tench competes with the best varieties meat. But it is distinguished by the fact that the fillet of this fish is digested much easier and faster. For this reason, tench dishes are included in many dietary regimens. They are perfect for children and older people. Meat contains many vitamins and minerals. This product is rich in boron, iron, lithium, copper, calcium, potassium, cobalt, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus and bromine. Fat is rich in vitamin A, as well as essential polyunsaturated fatty acids. Regular use Eating this fish fried and stewed significantly reduces the risk of developing heart arrhythmia. Calorie content is low, only 40 calories per 100 grams.
Tench baked in the oven
You will need 1 large tench, dill, spices for fish and butter. We clean and gut the carcass, rinse thoroughly under running water. Marinate in spices and add a little salt. A little spice is needed to add flavor, but if the tench was caught during spawning, then it is better not to skimp on spices - during this period the meat has a slightly musty taste. Coat the carcass with oil and put a bunch of dill in the belly, bake at 250 degrees, periodically pouring the juice over it. Or bake the fish in foil.
Tench cutlets
Cutlets are made like crucian carp. They turn out juicy and tasty. To prepare the dish you will need 500 grams of fish fillet twisted through a meat grinder, 2 eggs, a medium onion, a spoonful of mayonnaise and two heaped spoons of flour. Flour is first added to the minced meat; it should absorb excess liquid from the fish mass. Scroll the onion through a meat grinder. Add it to the minced meat, add mayonnaise and beat in a couple of eggs. Season everything with pepper, salt and mix thoroughly. Let it sit for 15 minutes, if there is a lot of juice, then add a little more flour. Fry in a hot frying pan like thick pancakes. These cutlets are served with boiled rice.
Fried tench
When fried it rivals any other fish. Fried skin is considered a delicacy.
Questions about how to fry rarely arise. All that is required from the ingredients is the fish itself, salt, lemon and flour. The tench needs to be slightly cleaned, gutted and washed. The gills must be removed. If the carcass is large, it is cut into portioned pieces. Salt the fish and sprinkle with lemon juice. Let it stand for 20 minutes to salt it. Then breaded in flour and fried over a hot vegetable oil before education golden crust. Place the dish on a napkin or towel to remove excess fat. We transfer it to a plate and that’s it – our fried delicacy is ready.
Ear from tench
It's easy to prepare. For a 2 liter saucepan you will need one medium fish, or 3-4 large heads with gills removed, 4 potatoes, one onion, bell pepper, bay leaf, parsley, dill, pepper and salt. Boil the cleaned fish or heads over medium heat; the water in the pan should be cold, otherwise the broth will turn out cloudy. While the fish is cooking, peel the potatoes, onions and bell peppers. Cut the potatoes into large cubes, and the remaining vegetables into half rings. It is better to take green pepper, as red and yellow add a little sweetness to the soup. When the water boils, add bay leaf and spices, let it simmer for 15 minutes, making sure that the tench is cooked. Strain the broth through cheesecloth or a sieve. The fish is bony - when cutting it into pieces, check them carefully. Separate the meat fillet from the bones and put it back into the broth, bring to a boil, add the potatoes first, and when they are half ready, add the onions and peppers to the pan. At the end of cooking, add chopped herbs to the soup and check for spices, add salt and pepper if necessary. Immediately before use, place a spoonful of sour cream in your ear. Bon appetit!
Photo of tench
Not every experienced fisherman can boast of tench trophies. This fish is cautious and capricious. But if you have already caught a weighty trophy on the hook, then the memory of this will remain in your memory for a long time. Will help with this good photo to back up your story with evidence.
Catching tench, video
Before you go hunting for tench, it would be useful to learn about the methods of feeding and catching this cunning fish. And it can help in this scrupulous matter good video. By carefully watching the video, you will learn a lot of new and interesting things that will help you return with a good catch. The video will be educational for beginners and experienced fishermen.
The tench's habitat is very wide. It can be found in water bodies of Europe and Siberia (up to Lake Baikal). But meanwhile, no one may even guess about its existence in the nearest pond! In this article we will talk about this secretive fish, learn everything you need to know about catching it - lifestyle, habitats, its favorite food and much more!
Brief description of tench.
The name of this fish probably comes from the words “molt”, “molt”. And indeed, when you take this fish out of the water, you notice that it begins to gradually darken, and the mucus that covers its entire body hardens and falls off in large pieces.
The photo shows how the tench becomes covered with dark spots in the air
Beneath the mucus are scales. It is much smaller than other cyprinids - so small that you can’t even see it right away! The color of the scales depends on the conditions of its habitat. In reservoirs with a dark muddy bottom, tenches of a dark golden color live. And where there is a light sandy, clay bottom - silver-green (see photo).
The maximum size of tench in a particular place is determined by the availability of food in sufficient quantity. Ponds that are poor in food supply are usually inhabited by individuals up to 15 cm long and weighing several hundred grams.
The largest tench can reach a length of more than 55 cm. The weight of such fish often exceeds 8 kg. The body is thick, and so is the tail.
The eyes are bright red with black pupils.
Where to look for this fish?
Tench, like crucian carp, is not very demanding of its habitat. It lives in ponds, small overgrown lakes, oxbow lakes, rivers with slow flow and river bays.
This calm, clumsy fish does not like strong currents and avoids clean sandy bottoms. Tench feels much better in reservoirs overgrown with underwater vegetation, where sedge, reeds, and cattails grow abundantly along the banks...
The largest tench can be caught in swamps or swampy ponds. There's always a large number of food and few enemies. Fishermen do not visit these places because they believe that there is nothing to catch here.
The basis of fish nutrition is bottom living creatures - crustaceans, insect larvae, beetles, mollusks, as well as vegetation. In spring they eat young shoots and nutritious roots of some plants.
If other representatives of cyprinids live in schools, then tench are an exception. By at least adults live alone.
They lead a quiet, measured lifestyle. They go out to feed about an hour before sunrise and feed until 8-9 am. They are not in a hurry for the evening “dinner” - they wait until the heat will subside. Therefore, in the afternoon they are most active at sunset and for several hours after dusk.
They rarely swim to the surface - all their food is “hidden” in the silt, which they dig up to 10 cm deep. But you can still detect the location of tench by small air bubbles that float to the surface when the fish “guts” the soil. As soon as you notice them, carefully throw the hook and bait there.
Tench spawning begins late, when most of the fish have already spawned - in the second half of June-early July - at this time the water warms up to 18-20 degrees. Even on such an important event for the life of fish, they do not gather in schools. And in general, the spawning of these fish is not as vigorous as that of others.
Most often, up to 3 males with one female take part in the fertilization of eggs. The female lays eggs on coastal vegetation, and the males fertilize them.
One female is capable of laying a very large number of eggs - more than 300 thousand! But for the reason that parents do not protect their future offspring from other living creatures, most of them are devoured by the inhabitants of this reservoir. But the tench population is saved by the fact that their eggs develop quite quickly - at a water temperature of 20-25 0 C, the larvae hatch in 3-5 days.
Unlike other fry, tench fry try to stick to the bottom and not swim out into open areas. At first, small tenches swim in schools. They grow very quickly.
The tench's ability to reproduce appears in the third year of life.
Weather and tench. Best biting time.
The activity and mood of tench, like most other fish, are determined by weather conditions. He doesn't like cold weather windy weather with cold rain. The bites stop at this time.
He also doesn't like too hot weather when sultry sun heats the water and reduces the proportion of oxygen in it. On such days, he can temporarily stop all vital processes, or, as they would say in scientific circles, “enter a state of suspended animation.”
But on warm cloudy days with a south wind and light rain, it can bite all day.
In late autumn, tench burrow into the mud hibernation. That's why you can't catch it from the ice in winter. Active fishing for it begins in the spring, when the ice melts. When the water becomes more or less warm (about 8 0 C), the tenches come out of their winter shelters and begin to feed - to restore strength after the winter.
They are caught with a float tackle using a wide variety of baits - from worms to pieces of plant roots and cottage cheese. A tench caught on a hook tries to go into the grass or mud.
The meat of this secretive fish is very tasty and healthy, but “smacks” of mud and swamp. Neutralize bad smell Can different ways: rinse the carcass with running water for a very long time, soak in vinegar, lemon juice, spices, etc.
Below are photos of cooked fish.
The lifespan of this fish can reach 16 years. Adults have few enemies in nature. As mentioned above, their mucus is not liked by predators. But the fry can be attacked by perches and pikes.