The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

I have the opportunity to stock a small private water and was wondering whether anyone had any thoughts as to what environmental factors would favour tench. None of the fishing books I have seem to offer much advice on tench-specific waters. Presumably other species - perch, roach, rudd predominantly - would need to be netted out regularly, to a degree. The water suffers, like so many others these days, from signal crayfish, introduced in the upstream headwater during the 1970s or 80s as a farming diversification no less! There seems to be no definitive method for ridding a water of them so it's partly a question of constant trapping, but do fish like chub, pike even, really eat them? American Crayfish are a pain because they really can devastate a pond bottom. I've not seen any sign of otters eating crayfish but, ironically enough, they seem to like tench judging from remains left on the bank. Also, do eels affect tench adversely or can they rub along together happily enough?

Thanks for any thoughts.

I can answer some of these!

Lots of fish munch signal crayfish with abandon; carp, pike, perch and chub will all eat them. The trouble is that they breed faster than they get eaten! Otters also love them and it's their staple diet on some waters I fish, judging by the remains.

Is this a still water?

Otters at Zoos love the signals so there is a market for you!