A preserved and cased Golden Tench caught by AE Hobbs in the River Thames on the 4th September 1907. Weight 3lbs 1oz.
Hobbs was born in New Street, Henley in 1871 and lived in Henley all his life. Whilst working as an architect for Brakspear brewery in the 1930's he was responsible for designing many local pubs.
Hobbs claimed to have caught almost 900 Thames Trout, each over 3 lbs in weight, in 55 years of fishing. He fished in the non-tidal reaches of the Thames.
TENCH
Latin Name - Tinca tinca
Colour - Tench have a dark back with dark greyish green sides. The belly is a pale green colour usually with an orange tint which is stronger on the males during spawning.
Size - Its average weight is 2kg (4lb) and grows to 20-30cm (8-12in).
Characteristics - The tench is a member of the carp family. All the fins are dark, its scales are small and the iris of its eye is red. It has one small barbel at each side of the mouth. The fish uses its barbels to search by taste for food.
Diet - It feeds on worms, molluscs and the larvae of insects. Younger fish eat algae but plant food forms only a small part of the diet of an adult.
Habitat - Tench prefer still, muddy and slow flowing rivers and are tolerant of low oxygen levels.
How fished for - Anglers use a vareity of baits such as bread paste and maggots. The techniques used to fish for tench are float fishing and ledgering (when a lead weight is used to keep the bait near to the bottom of the water).
Interesting Facts - In a severe winter tench can bury themselves in the mud and hibernate until the temperatures improve.
Preserved and cased head of a male Pike fish, caught by AE Hobbs in the River Thames on the 13th December 1895. Weight 20.5lbs.
Preserved and mounted by J Cooper & Sons of London.
Hobbs was born in New Street, Henley in 1871 and lived in Henley all his life. Whilst working as an architect for Brakspear brewery in the 1930's he was responsible for designing many local pubs.
Hobbs claimed to have caught almost 900 Thames Trout, each over 3 lbs in weight, in 55 years of fishing. He fished in the non-tidal reaches of the Thames.
PIKE
Latin name - Esox lucius
Colour - Its greeny brown with paler sides (flanks).
Size - A pike can grow up to 1m (3½ feet) and weight between 4 - 20 kg (9 - 45lb). The biggest pike ever caught was 34kg (75lb).
Charcteristics - It has a stream lined, elongated (long) body with a powerful tail. It has a wide mouth with three rows of hooked teeth. Male pikes, known as Jacks, are smaller than the females.
Habitat - The pike likes slow flowing or still water which is high in oxygen and dense plant cover.
Diet - A pike feeds on all fish. Larger pike also eat small mammals, frogs and water fowl.
How fished for - Anglers use live or dead fish such as sprats, makeral or artificial baits called lures. Spinning is the technique used to catch pike. Spinning involves drawing back the bait or lures through the water to imitate the movement of natural prey.
Interesting fact - Pikes have been known to eat seagulls and rats!.
British Record - 44lbs 14oz - 3.74kg
'Thames Angling News' Edited by F. H. Amphlett, Vol I No 4, February 1897. Includes letter from A. E. Hobbs, Hon. Secretary Henley and District Preservation Society regarding turning in 400 trout between Henley and Magpie Island.
Photograph of a fish caught in the River Thames by A. E. Hobbs.
Black and white photograph depicting a trout on a patch of earth, by a tree and plants. Leaning on the tree is a card stating: 'Mr. A. E. Hobbs, Hon. Sec., Fisheries Preservation Association, 28 Hart Street, Henley-on-Thames.'
Photograph of a fish caught in the River Thames by A. E. Hobbs in 1895.
Black and white photograph depicting a trout on a patch of grass, in front of bushes.
Photograph of a fish caught in the River Thames by A. E. Hobbs
Black and white photograph depicting a trout on a display with a piece of cloth over a rock and leaves laid out underneath the fish. Also in the display is a fishing reel and a ruler.