ALBERT R. MANN LIBRARY New York State Colleges OF Agriculture and Home Economics AT Cornell University THE GIFT OF WILLARD A. KIGCJNS Cornell University Library SH 60S.W56 Freshwater fishing in Great Britain othe 3 1924 003 434 085 Cornell University Library The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924003434085 International Fisheries Exhibition LONDON, 1883 FRESHWATER FISHING IN GREAT BRITAIN OTHER THAN TROUT OR SALMON J. P. WHEELDON LATE ANGLING EDITOR OF " BELL'S LIFE' LONDON WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, Limited INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES EXHIBITION AND 13 CHARING CROSS, S.W. 1883 LONDON : PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, STAMFOQD STREET AND CHARING CROSS. INDEX. Introduction PAGE 3-7 Roach Fishing. Rods . Lines, hair v. gut . Floats — shotting, &c. Bait of various kinds Ground baiting Various methods of fishing Localities where fish arel found. . . . Swims in summer and win-j ter . . . . J Blow-line fishing and daping . Barbel Fishing. Difference between Thames and Trent fishing Selection of swims Biting and baiting Dodges in IjarbeUing Baiting the swim . Various methods of fishing Rods .... Winches Lines and casting . Dressing Colour of gut bottoms . Fitting up leger tackle . Hooks . . . • Trout Fishing. Localities where fish are found Weir fishing . . 27. [27] 9 9 10 10-12 12,13 ■ 13 IS 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24,25 25 25 26 PAGE 28 Rods Traces, flights, &c. — colour of gut 29 Binding and joining Spinning leads, etc. Flights, and baiting them Artificial baits Casting Live Baiting Pike Fishing. Rods . Lines and Reels . Baiting, spinning flight Likely places for casting Live baiting . Old-fashioned theories General tackle Baiting Floats and baits Snap tackle . Paternostering Striking 30 31 32 33 34 35 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 4S 46 47 48,49 Perch Fishing. Derwent perch . . -So Description and handling . 51 Localities where fish are found 52 Rods, winches, and hooks . 53 Baits 54 Worm fishing . . -55 Carp Fishing. Description . . . -56 Localities where fish are found 57 Baits 58 ]? ii INDEX. PACK Bream Fishing. Potato fishing 59 PAGE Methods of fishing 60 Description . . 72 Localities where found . 73 Chub Fishing. Thames fishing 74 Description and localities where found .... Likely places Rods and reels 62 63 64 Tight corking and hooks Ground baiting 75 1(> Legering and baits Cooking bream 77 78 Gut bottoms and legering Baiting .... 65 66 Dace Fishing. Cheese, paste, greaves and Description, and localities shrimps .... 67 where found 79 Bottom fishing and baits 80 Tench Fishing. Likely places 81 Fly fishing for dace 82 Likely localities 69 Blow-hne fishing . 83 Tench tackle, and using it 70 Ant flies .... 84 Bait 71 Discussion ... 8 S-88 International Fisheries Exhibition LONDON, 1883. Conference on Tuesday, July 31, 1883. Lord Abinger in the Chair. FRESHWATER FISHING IN GREAT BRITAIN OTHER THAN TROUT OR SALMON. I HAVE the honour to submit for your approbation a few remarks based principally upon practical knowledge, and having reference to the pursuit of angling for what are commonly called " the coarse fish " of this country. This class of sport is, very deservedly, popular in the extreme, and day by day, I think, grows in the public estimation. The reason for such popularity is not difficult to find, inasmuch as in great towns, such as London, or indeed in any manufacturing centre, the man who either inherits or cultivates a taste for angling, becomes a student in a charming and health-giving pastime, not necessarily expensive to one of limited monetary resources, yet one which, followed out faithfully and observantly, is, I believe, the invariable means of developing any latent disposition to good. Coarse fish angling has also another distinction of its own. It is particularly the sport of the poor man. Salmon fishing, with all its gloriously moving incidents by "flood and field," is a branch of English sport nearly entirely confined to the wealthier classes. Trout fishing is almost, if not quite as exclusive. There is hardly a yard B 2 of trout water within hail of any large town but what is at once monopolised, either by its owner, or by some one who can afford to pay a high price for the privilege of fishing it. In the case of the coarse fisher this statfe of affairs takes an altogether different aspect ; because the very poorest amongst the community can, if he so pleases, and thanks to that binding law which is the result of long-continued user, hie him to the banks of such noble rivers as the Thames and the Lea, and there fish to his heart's con- tent. I am not about to tell you that he is certain to obtain sport sufficient to repay him for his trouble and possible outlay. That is a question in these modern days, and amidst the riot and hurly-burly caused by those angler's pests — steam launches — and the greatly increased traffic of the river, which must always remain merged in obscurity, until, at any rate the close of the day. An acute mind will naturally reflect that the same ratio of reasoning applies to all classes of fishing, and I am by no means prepared to gainsay it. In the Thames, however, such a reflection comes home with tenfold force, and it only shows how keenly the love of angling is developed in the bosoms of many men, how patient and long-suffering fishermen are, as a race, and how content with the hope even of small mercies, when throughout the season the great railway stations are crowded every week with whole battalions of the rank and file of the angling army. It is, however, at the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway Station, and that at Liverpool Street, on the Great Eastern Line, that the most extraordinary sight in connection with the coarse fishermen of London is to be seen on every Sunday morning. It may be that mention of the selected day may offend the " unco guid " section of polite society ; but it must be remembered, as a set-off, that nine out of every ten of the great crowd gathered round the Booking-Office window are recruits from the still greater host of workers with bone, muscle, thew and sinew, to whom loss of time during the working hours of the week means not only loss of bread, but perhaps the loss of some small delicacy to a sick and ailing child. Thus it would seem particularly hard to attempt restraint upon such men in the gratification of their simple pleasures, nor is it by any means certain that they do not imbibe far more real good through their vigil by the river's side, than if they had donned the carefully saved suit of go-to-meeting broadcloth, and dozed drowsily and drouthily over a drawling, doctrinal dissertation, delivered by a divine of the " Stiggins " type. Rest assured if there be a sick baby, the little one is rarely forgotten, and smoke-grimed Daddy, all the better and healthier in soul I and body for his twelve hours' rest from the roaring forge, gathers her or him, as the case may be, a bonny bundle of wild blossoms which he takes home with him as the top- most layer of the cargo in his roach basket. The approaches to either of the lungs of the great Wen which I have spoken of, are indeed a wonderful sight. Gathered there are pale-faced weavers from Spitalfields, with flexible delicate fingers, cane-chair workers, with hard and horny hands ; brawny, swart hammermen, and stout-limbed big-muscled strikers, both of them probably from some neighbouring foundry. Then there are dyers and curriers with the stain of their calling set indelibly on their skins, together with workers, perhaps from a white lead factory with that tallowy, unhealthy complexion inseparable from such a life of toil. Amongst these there are a few, but a very few, smartly dressed clerks with their sweethearts, and these probably eye the hundreds of fishermen wonder- ingly as upon an introduction to a strange development of human nature. Later on, this latter section of the holiday- throng will be found tea-drinking in shady Broxbourne ar- bours, or watching the fisherman with a curiously developed interest as he plys his delicate tackle. Look round carefully through the ranks of thronging piscators, and any one may see for himself that they are all anglers of one stamp. It is curiously strange, but none the less strange than true, that nine out of every ten of the anglers of London are all wedded to the pursuit of roach fishing. Every man there has a long i8-ft rod in its jean case, and with this is tied up the handle of his landing net. His rod is invariably slung across his shoulder, and dependent from the butt, and resting on his broad back is the well-known basket or box seat without which the true roach fisher never sets out. It may perhaps be well at this point to consider why it is that the modern rodster is apparently attached so much to this particular branch of the sport. The answer is, that it is at once the prettiest and most skilful branch of angling in the world, as well as that which is most easily attainable ; and to see such men at work on the Lea as Hackett, Bates, Da Costa, or my old friend Tom Hughes, whose show of fish at this exhibition is second to none, in their particular style, or Theaker or Bailey upon the Trent, is to see one branch at least of the true poetry and craft of angling. It will be impossible within the limits of time at my command to enter fully into all the mysterious ramifications attaching to many branches of the silent craft. One or two of them however I must touch upon, and knowing that roach-fishing is the most popular of all branches, I venture to deal with that first. Now at the outset I may tell you, gentlemen, who may not, possibly, have seen roach fishermen at work on the Lea, something about the manner in which they set to work. In the first place, I think it might be well to consider the rod, which is usually one of i8 feet in length, built of the very best white Carolina or West Indian cane. The best rods are invariably made as free as possible from burrs and knots, the cane being specially picked for their manufacture. Stiff- ness and pliability throughout their entire length is one great thing which is always looked to, and yet they have an immense amount of give and take in the very fine, yet short, top joint, and the immediate connecting joint. That is a very essential qualification in a rod devoted to the special branch of angling with which I am dealing. Previously, I think, to the famous match between Woodard, the champion of London, and Bailey, an equally great fisherman on the Trent, there was no such thing as real thorough roach rods made at any time, or at any rate rods made especially for roach-fishing, and specially with regard to the habits of the fish. They were simply bamboo bottom rods, and not half so much attention was given to their manu- facture. But upon the occasion of this famous match, which excited an immense amount of interest at the time, a great impetus was given to that particular branch of the craft, and for months and months nothing else was talked about in London angling circles but roach-fishing and fishermen. Directly following this leading affair, match followed match amongst lesser luminaries of the angling world, and presently a maker named Sowerbutts, of Commercial Street, brought out a first class rod for roach-fishing, and he it was perhaps who gained an enormous reputation as being the first man who made roach rods in their present excellent form and finish. There is no doubt he studied the particular play and style of rod necessary for this kind of fishing. Then he was followed, and imitated also, by a host of other makers, until in the present day, and amongst such traders as Carter and Sons of St. John Street Road, Alfred of Moorgate Street, and last, but not least, a little maker I have known something about lately, named Gold, of Waterloo Road, and who I think makes as good a class of rod as it is possible to obtain for this particular branch of fishing, there is small appreciable difference to be found in the quality of their manufactured goods. Generally, then, a rod for roach- fishing should be lengthy yet full of equable spring — tapered beautifully from the broad butt, built of the very lightest white pine, to the slender cane and lance-wood top, as light as possible in the hand, with no superfluous weight attached in the shape of rings, or heavy metal fittings, and altogether a perfect weapon suited for a very perfect branch of the art of angling. I have no belief in general all-round rods. A salmon rod should be a salmon rod and nothing else, and a roach rod ought to be equally distinct. I may now, perhaps, properly discuss the question. of roach lines, and I may also at this point premise that a really good and skilful roach fisherman almost invariably uses tight tackle. He seldom or never condescends to the use of running tackle, save, it may be, by operators upon the Trent. There has been a considerable controversy during the last few years in the columns of the 'Fishing Gazette,' and other sporting journals, with regard to the advantages of gut over hair. For my own part I never could see that there was any strikingly great advantage derived from the use of hair in roach-fishing, and par- ticularly when the chances were that one was likely to get hold of a heavy chub or barbel in the same swim — save it might be from the sportsmanlike desire to kill one's fish with the lightest possible tackle. Therefore, I think a nice round fine gut line is as good a tackle as one could possibly use. Roach-floats are invariably made from either quill or reed, and they are selected as a matter of course with regard to the depth and character of the water which it is intended to fish. Nicely shaped wooden floats are favourites also, but, carrying little shot, they are only suit- able for swims of medium depth. There is a considerable amount of difference in the manner in which the roach-float is shotted, as against other floats used for other purposes. For instance, it matters very little if the perch or chub- float wants the completing shot to eff'ect its perfect balance, but the roach-float cannot possibly be shotted too deeply down, so long as the immediate tip of the float, which I may explain is the top of the white quill and the cap, swims steadily and nicely over the surface of the stream. That is the very best character that a roach-float can possibly assume. It should be shotted down to the point, when three or four shot corns more, over and above the weight of the bait itself, would assuredly swamp it. I will now go to the question of baits. For roach-fishing they are few in number and very simple, and without touching upon the question of pearl barley, wheat, shrimps, wasp grubs, silk weed, or any other of the many various baits which kill at certain times, I think I may say that one of the best kinds of bait one can possibly use, is a paste made of stale crumb of bread just moistened, and worked up in the palm of a cleanly hand. A very excellent paste is likewise made of an arrowroot biscuit, from which the outside brown crust has been scraped off", until the inner and white interior only is left. Slightly moistened with fair water, this biscuit works up into a capital white paste, which is at times especially killing. Gentles, again, during the winter time, are a capital all-round bait, and the same lO may be said' of the tail of a lob worm, or small red worm, either in summer or winter, when floods have caused a rise in the streams, and probably a course of coloured waters. Ground bait, which is usually a very expensive matter in various other methods of fishing, is in roach-fishing very simple and inexpensive. The roach-fisher seldom uses anything but a stiff paste made of bread and bran. He soaks his bread over night, and in the morning squeezes the surplus water away, and then adds to it a quantity of bran, working it up in his hands, until he gets a stiff paste as tough and hard as putty. He baits his swim with pieces of this ground bait about as large as a pigeon's egg, or a good sized walnut. That is quite sufficient for the purpose of baiting a roach swim. On the Lea they have a practice which I have found wonderfully good at times, when roach are exceedingly shy, and when they will not take a bait under any conditions, and that is this. When these experienced operators have baited their hook with an ordinary piece of paste or with gentles, they take a little of this tough ground bait, and nip it immediately over the two shots which are usually put on the bottom length of hair or gut, about two inches above the hook. When the float is thrown gently up-stream, the extra weight causes it to sink, but the rodster lifts it carefully along until it gradually reaches the point where the roach are supposed to be lying. The whole way it comes down the stream, this little bit of bread and bran keeps flaking small parti- cles off along its downward track. This is especially attractive to roach, and practice has frequently proved that they will then feed a great deal better than they had been doing previously, when the simple bait itself had been floated time after time down the swim. Now, the roach is a particularly quick and active fish in its habits. It follows II the bait down, and I believe sucks it in as it goes down the stream, taking hold of it with the peculiarly shaped prehensile upper lip. That upper lip of the roach is pre- cisely like the hood of a perambulator. I believe those big, aldermanic fellows, sly and wary as courtiers, cautiously pro- trude their upper lip, and, hunger getting the better of them, suck the bait in. But the instant they get the bait into their mouths, and they detect that there is anything foreign about it, that instant they reject it. That shows the im- portance of the float being shotted down until the very lowest depth of its floatability has been secured. You see it will hardly bear one corn more shot, and when these artful old roach follow the bait down-stream, when they look at it even, to stretch one's imagination a little, much less touch it, instantly the float gives way, and there is a little sharp dip. Now, the good roach-fisherman is mar- vellously quick in hooking his fishi. and from start to finish it is a bit of finished wrist-action entirely. He fishes with this long 1 8-foot rod — which I have attempted to describe to you — and it is curious and beautiful to see the accuracy with which a crack roach-fisherman will hook fish after fish with merely a little upward jerk of the wrist. The line is. very short ; indeed, from the point of the float to the top of the rod, it is usually not more than a couple of feet in length, and consequently, this short length being kept taut throughout the float's downward journey, the slightest upward stroke is sufficient to hook the wariest old roach, so long as it is done at the proper moment of time. Miss that moment, and one might just as well not strike at all. There is a considerable difference between the various styles adopted upon the three rivers, viz., the Lea, the Thames, and the Trent. That upon the Trent is called " stret pegging " in some cases, " tight corking " in others. 12 and is always founded upon the midland fisherman's excellent theory of fine and far off. It is questionable, however, whether this is quite so good as the Lea style. Roach-fishing on the Thames at any rate is practised from a punt by fishing with a long light line and a short rod. The punt angler on the Thames almost invariably uses running tackle, but in the Lea and most other rivers I think the best anglers use that class of tackle which experience tells them is the most useful, viz., a long rod with a tight line, and that I am well assured is the finest and most artistic principle of roach-fishing. Now, with regard to the rivers in which roach are found. I think the finest roach I ever saw or heard of came respectively from the Avon and Stour, one being a Dorset- shire and the other a Hampshire river. The Lea, in days gone by, was also a famous roach stream, although in later years I think its angling capacities have not been quite so good. There are also excellent roach in the Mole, a beautifully quaint little stream, its banks teeming with thoughtful associations with the works of dead and gone poets, while the Colne also is a charmingly productive stream whose fish are strikingly handsome specimens. One word now upon swims, and then I will close this branch of freshwater fishing. It is likely enough to strike even the most unreflective mind, that there should naturally be a great difference between the swims selected for almost any class of fishing during the heats of summer, and those picked out during the rigours of the winter season. Some men there are, however, who never learn. Others, who do, soon gather together the fact that there is a considerable difference in the style of water which should be selected by rodsters at various times of the year. As a matter of fact, roach are ground-feeding fish, seldom 13 or never taking bait except on the bottom of the river. It does not follow, however, that roach in the great heats of the summer do not take flies and insects on the surface of the river, because they will do so beyond all question. So will they also take baits presented at mid-water, or off the bottom, at times. They affect two different classes of water during the summer and winter. Some of the best roach swims in the more pleasant portion of the year are almost invariably found near large beds of weeds, at sharp swims at the tails of mill streams — not too sharp for the travel of an ordinary roach-float — or where the water runs smartly with- out too much stream by old camp-shedding. There the roach will easily be found during the summer months. It is very frequently the practice during those months, and particularly during great heat seasons, when it is almost impossible to catch fish on the bottom of the river, to fish for them by means of dipping or daping with the live natural insect. Then there is another very killing method called blow-line fishing. That is effected in this way. The operator is armed with a long, light, pliable rod, to which is attached a line somewhat longer than the rod itself, made of floss silk. The angler has his back to the wind, and having found out where the fish are lying he waits for a breeze. His tackle consists of a little length of the finest possible gut at the end of a long length of floss silk. To the gut link is attached a small hook which he baits with a natural grass- hopper or blue-bottle fly. With the rod held aloft, the baited hook in the left hand, he waits for a breeze. Presently it comes and bellies the floss silk line out in a long grace- ful curve which blows right over the water. He watches his opportunity until it gets directly over where the roach are possibly lying, and then, drops the baited hook gently as a bit of thistle down on the surface. That is a very killing method of taking roach when they will not by any means take a bait at the bottom of the river. Regard being had to the best time of the year for roach-fishing, the autumn, and better still, the winter months occupy the post of honour. I personally have had some of the very finest takes of roach in the winter months that man ever had in this world, and I remember upon one occasion when fishing in the Hampshire Avon I took 75 lbs. of heavy roach in 5 hours. I took them all with a tight line — not running tackle — and using an 18-foot rod over a very heavy stream of swirling water. I had some of the finest sport you can possibly imagine. There is no time better in the world than the winter time for roach-fishing. On a sharp, crisp morning, when the trees and grass are frosted all over with hoar; when you hear the robin's notes whistling out bright and clear, and the sooty rook's harsh caw sounds less strident, then is the time to go roach-fishing. I do not say the fish will feed very early in the morn- ing, but when the sun gets up, the hoar begins to melt, and there is a little softness in the ground, then the fish begin to feed, and the deeper the selected swim consistent with a fairly good convenience in fishing it, the better at that period of the year. The fish are in the best condition ; they are lusty, plump, and glowing with radiant colour. I know of no class of fish that makes a more thoroughly good and handsome basket as the result of the angler's toil, than a rattling good basket of roach. Barbel Fishing. There is another highly popular branch of sport to which the London angler is deeply attached, and that is barbel- fishing. It is mostly practised on the Thames. I do not say there are no barbel in the Lea, because I know there ^5 are, and plenty of them, but as barbel-fishing is most effectively carried out on the Thames, and is possibly better understood on that river than on any other in the kingdom, I shall confine my remarks chiefly to the practice there. Now as to the qualities of my friend the barbel. We have heard a great deal lately about the marvellous game- ness of the black bass of America, and I have heard my friends Mr. Wilmot and Dr. Honeyman expatiate upon him at vast length, saying that there is no such fish in this world for game qualities. I am perfectly prepared to admit it, but I must insist that the barbel of the Thames is an equally game fish, indeed I doubt very much whether there is any fish which can possibly eclipse my old antag- onist the Thames barbel. He is a wonderfully game fish ; you can never call him dead until he is absolutely in your landing net. I can tell you, gentlemen, that when I have had a big barbel " hang on," to use a fisherman's slang, in a heavy weir stream, the sport has been comparable to the best fighting salmon I ever hooked in my life or ever saw hooked, considering the relative difference in the tackle used. There is a considerable difference between the style of barbel-fishing on the Trent and on the Thames, and these are the two principal rivers where barbel are fished for in the present day. The Trent fisherman almost invariably fishes with float tackles, the Thames fisherman with a leger. The difference is still greater when you listen to the conditions on which success is said to depend. The Trent fisherman tells you that unless the river is low and exceedingly bright there is no possible chance of catching barbel at all. The Thames fisherman, and I take it upon myself to say he is right, will tell you that you rarely get fish in the Thames unless the water is high and thick. Tfie higher the water, and the i6 thicker the water is, short of anything like the thickest " pea soup " condition, the better, I think, is your chance of getting barbel. The difference between the two styles can be easily understood, because they are so totally and distinctly opposite. The Trent fisherman fishes with a float, and consequently he wants low and bright water, so that the fish for which he is angling may see the bait and follow it down the stream. The Thames fisherman, knowing perfectly well that the barbel, not only being a gregarious fish swimming in shoals, but also being an essentially ground-feeding fish, feeds his fish up to a certain point, and then fishes for them with tackle which lies at the bottom of the river. I am not prepared to say that the Trent fisherman is not as good a man as it is pos- sible to conceive, but I certainly think that taking the best samples of the two men, and pitting them one against the other upon the two rivers, and each fishing in his own style, that the Thames fisherman will invariably beat the Trent man, because after all that is said and done barbel are barbel all the world over, and their habits are precisely similar. Now in the selection of swims for barbel in the early part of the summer I should prefer sharps and good scours, because there the fish are lying beyond all question. They are freeing themselves from parasites, cleansing themselves from spawning operations, and there they will occasionally feed, and you will always find them in three or four feet of water. There is no reason why, in such a depth as that, excellent fish should not lie. I have over and over again seen them of eight and ten pounds in such situations equally as well as in deeper water. As the summer progresses and the autumn season comes on, they shift down bit by bit into the lower waters, and get into heavy runs under projecting clay banks or close in to 17 deep swims protected by camp shedding. I do not know that I can pick out a better sample of such a bank than the one well known to all Thames fishermen, called the " High bank " at Sonning. There the water runs in a very heavy stream indeed. The banks are hollowed and scoured out, presenting harbours of refuge to the fish ; and during the autumn period and that of approaching winter, heavy barbel li^ under those banks for shelter, and consequently it is a capital place to angle for them. Now there is an immense difference between the bite of a barbel when he really means business and the reverse. Occasionally it so happens that when a barbel swim has been well baited, and the proper length of time has been allowed for the fish to retover after a heavy dose of baiting, before the work of the angler commences, your barbel, when he does feed, makes so little mistake about it that there is very little trouble to the angler. Then one gets the poetry of angling so far as barbel are concerned ; but on the contrary, now and again, they feed in the most curious and perverse manner. In speaking of hook bait- ing on the Thames, the general practice is as follows : the fisherman takes a worm, dips it into a basin of sand, rolls it up, takes a big white Carlisle hook, puts it in at the head, and threadles that unhappy worm right up the whole shank of the hook. Thus the unfortunate worm is pierced clean through by the hook from end to end, leaving just a little bit of the tail wriggling at the extreme point of the hook. Now that bait being thrown into the stream upon ledger tackle, and when barbel are feeding, they will take it like a shot. Sometimes I think my friend would take a boot-jack. He seizes hold of the bait, and there can be no mistake about the fact of his bite, because he frequently pulls the rod clean down to the water. On the other hand, [27] C i8 he does nothing of the kind. I have frequently heard Thames fishermen say to one another, " Have you had any sport to-day," and shaking their heads mournfully they say, " No, but those confounded dace have been nibbling at the bait all day long." But the nibbling probably arose from a totally different source, and it has been barbel biting when they were in that capricious mood I just spoke of, and when they only bite very gently and tenderly. Now I have a little bit of a dodge by means of which I have tried to find out the weak points of a barbel when he has been in that particularly low-spirited condition with regard to feeding. Instead of completely spoiling my worm by the process of threadling previously spoken of, I take a perch- hook. No. 8 or 9, and then a lob worm, and pop the hook right through the middle. I just nick it through the middle of the worm, and leave the two ends of the worm to work about. Now if you compare the action of those worms in a basin of water, the one being threadled right up the gut with only a little atom of lively flesh at the end of his tail, and my worm with two small punctures only made in his flesh while the rest is wriggling and curling most deliciously, I think you will agree with me that if the fish be delicate and refined in his taste with regard to worms, there can be little doubt which of the two he would be likely to prefer. I venture to think he would take mine. The Thames fisherman also, when legering, throws out the bullet and turns the rod sideways at a distinct angle, so that when the fish bites he pulls the rod right down. Well, a child even could hook him then, but sometimes, when they are not feeding, the little resistance that is offered by the rod frightens them and they are off. Now I hold my rod and bait somewhat differently. Having put the worm on I throw out the bullet, and feeling it strike the bottom I lift 19 it up, and draw it towards me so as to get the gut bottom taut, and then drop it very gently and wind up with a swift- actioned Nottingham reel. This being done, I next turn the point of the rod so that its extreme top indicates the precise spot where the bullet lies, and place the smallest possible amount of tension on the reel, just so much only as to prevent the stream taking the line off. Consequently, when a barbel takes the worm I feel the slightest little touch and release my finger so that the line may run freely. Thus I let him take the worm, and he on his part feels no resistance whatever. Away he goes with it, and then he usually gets pepper, and it is cayenne of the first order, A great consideration in connection with barbel-fishing is baiting your swim, and upon that depends the whole of the after success. I frequently hear of men who go down to fish the Thames, and in really good localities, where there are plenty of fish, putting in a quantity of bait over night, fishing the swim early the next morning, and the next day going home disgusted. A brother fisherman says, " Well, Jones, did you have any sport ? " he says, " Not an atom ; I put in 5,000 worms on the swim, and I never caught a fish." Why is that ? Well, the answer is, because in nine cases out of ten a thoughtless angler puts his worms in at night, and he fishes over them the next morning. The consequence is, there is a herd of barbel inhabiting that particular section of the stream, they have all fed on those worms, and are in precisely the same position as a London alderman would be, if, after having just swallowed a huge dose of turtle-soup and venison somebody offered him a fat pork chop. You may put 5,000 or even 10,000 worms on to a barbel swim — I do not care how many there are — and allow the fish sufficient time to recover their appetites, say 25 to 30 hours afterwards, and then most certainly will you get fish, unless C 2 20 there is some peculiar circumstance in connection with the temperature of the air, or water, or electrical disturbances, or anything of that kind which prevents the fish feeding. I could give a curious illustration of that. I once went to fish at Mr. Worthington's weir at Sonning. I put into a barbel swim there 28 quarts of lob worms. I think there were nearly three slop pails full. I fished there 24 hours afterwards ; and I may add that at that time I was the angling edjtor of 'Bell's Life,' and my racing chief, Mr. Henry Smurthwaite, known to every racing man under his nom de plume of " Bleys," was with me. The result of the day's fishing, after giving the barbel a really good rest after baiting, was for the two rods something like three cwt. of fish, besides some large trout and perch. I should add, however, that out of the three cwt. we only brought ten fish home, the rest being turned back into the river. Now for a few words of practical instruction. The best known methods of capturing this essentially sporting fish are .three in number, to wit — with the leger, float and clay-ball. Practice with the float may be divided into what is known as " tight '' or " long corking," and fishing with the "slider" — the latter, certainly, a capital style to adopt, when deep and varying runs of water have to be attempted. I propose, therefore, to deal with the subject matter of this part of my paper in the order named at its head, making my chief point the leger. The rod used — an important item, — should, in my opinion^ for convenient fishing never exceed 12, or at most 14 feet in length ; for as this sport is usually pursued by -its votaries from the medium of a punt or boat, as affording the readiest opportunity of reaching known haunts of the fish under notice, a rod of this length will be found far more handy and useful in a cramped space than one of greater length. 21 Its material is the next consideration, and, after trying rods manufactured from a variety of woods, I can find none so reliable and lasting as one of. good sound cane, such as can be obtained to perfection from my friend Alfred, of Moorgate Street, himself a good and practical fisher, and hence a good man to apply to. The joints should be perfectly straight, free from flaw, and the less knots in them the better, the ferrules strong and well fitted, the rings upright, as a matter of course, thus allowing the line to run freely, when thrown out from the winch ; and with regard to the action or " play '' of the rod, it should neither be too stiff nor too supple. If it is very stiff it does not show by the "niggle" at the point of the top-joint, a process^ most popular in use, when the fish is attacking the bait, or at any rate, if they are feeding badly, the best moment at which to strike. If it is too supple, the quick stroke of the wrist necessary in driving the steel home into our tough-nosed friend's snout is frequently lost through the action being diffused too slowly through the elasticities of the weapon in use. The rod, therefore, should be fairly stiff, with a fine top, a trifle stouter than a roach top, yet with an amount of bend and give-and-take work about it as will aid the hand, wrist, and reel, in killing a good fish, should the angler be so fortunate as to get hold of one. The best advice that I can offer to a tyro in the selection of a rod is this — in buying your rod go to such men as Alfred of Moorgate Street, Gowland of Crooked Lane, Bowness and Farlow of the Strand, or Carter of St. John Street Road. Tell t];iem exactly what you want, pay a good price at the outset, and the probabilities are that you will get a tool that with careful usage will last a lifetime. While upon the subject of rods I may mention, perhaps with advantage to my readers, the excellent rods that are to be obtained 22 from many of the well-known Nottingham tackle manufac- turers, and no one does them better than Wells, of Sussex Street, Nottingham. They are made of deal, beautifully balanced, well whipped and ringed, with substantial fittings, and for float work a man can have no better rod in his hands. For legering, however, they are a bit too " kittle," and from the frail nature of the material employed in their manufacture it is obvious that at the best of times they require a delicate hand, and an absence of anything like pully-hauly business. Otherwise a smash is about as likely to ensue as an explosion if one dropped a hot coal into a barrel of powder. In the hands of a workman these rods are simply perfection for floating, and so beautifully light that the longest day never tires. And now as to the winch, another important auxiliary. Wooden pirns, or Nottingham winches as they are more generally called, as well as those made of vulcanite, are so thoroughly well made, and so cheaply put together nowadays, that no one would dream of using any of the old-fashioned brass furniture that formerly pertained to the rod. Reels can now be had combining two actions, the one being the free, easy run, so necessary to the practice of float-fishing with a long run down-stream, the other, a check action, obtained by simply pressing a spring on the reverse side of the handles, which impels a little catch downwards, the point of the bolt-shaped catch nicking into the cogs of a wheel fitted upon the centre pin, thus obtaining the most perfect check. Pressure backwards upon the spring relieves the cog wheel, and the winch then runs upon its centre pin with the velocity of " greased lightning." Such a winch as this is the best that can be used, the only drawback being — and of course there must be something — is that if it be manufactured from wood and one gets out on a soaking 23 day, the inner rim will swell with the wet, causing the winch to clog. I have once or twice experienced the misfortune of a " strike " on my colleague, the reel's part, brought about under watery conditions of weather, and that too at a time when the fish were, to use an angler's slang, "mad on" — a concurrence of circumstances not to be devoutly wished. It has struck me that an edge of very thin metal fitted upon the rim of the inner wheel would entirely obviate this only defect in an otherwise perfect winch. A twisted silk line is good, but a plaited line is far better ; I would advise anglers, therefore, always to choose the latter. Twisted lines, unless the angler is an adept at throwing from the reel, of which more anon, kink abominably after they once become wet, and I leave it to my reader's own mind to picture the misery of a man who gets some 25 or 30 yards of line in a fearful "boggle" about twice out of three times in his attempts to throw out to a spot where the fish are taking the bait. With a plaited line it is different ; and even if the angler cannot throw from the reel — a little performance that requires some practice before perfection is attained — he has only to be fairly careful and see that his coils of line are free and clear of any obstruction in the shape of twigs or stiff blades of grass if upon the bank, or the toes of his boots, or the chair legs in a punt. At the time of throwing out also, dispense with anything like a jerk when impelling the bullet to its desired destination, thus securing the ultimatum of j^our happiness — to wit, the free running of the line through the rings, without any tangle, or the annoyance of finding the fine line linked well round one of them, and the bullet and leger bottom flying away through space by itself, broken away from the line by the impetus of the throw, and the sudden check caused by the link aforesaid. Supposing, then. 24 that a plaited line has been selected, I would have lOO yards of it at least on the reel for legering, and for this reason. Careful as one may be, a fine line always rots and frets more or less with hard work, and it is always advisable before com- mencing a day's campaign against such an undoubted hard puller as your barbel, to see that the line is in good condition. If it is not, break it away in lengths of a yard at a time, until it will stand the test of a strong, steady pull. Thus lOO yards will not be too much. Consistently with the requisite strength that is required, the line cannot be too fine, for it should be remembered, that the finer the line the less effect the stream has upon it, and the less weight will be required to keep it at the bottom. Thus it will be sufficiently patent to every rodster that the smaller the bullet used, if one can only make certain of its being upon the bottom, the more readily will the bite of the fish be distinguished, and the more likely is one to kill a large one with a light bullet that can be held taut above him, than with a heavy one, which must cause a certain amount of bend or " sag " in the line when the fish is struck and pounding away for liberty. While upon the subject of lines, and before dismissing it, I may, perhaps, add a few words upon their preservation. Nothing ruins a line, no matter how good it may be, so much as allowing it to remain on the reel for any length of time after use, and a capital adjunct to the angler's equipment will be a light wooden winder, say a foot square, that fits closely and neatly to the side of the basket. On this the line should be wound off the reel, but not in lengths overlapping each other, directly the sport of the day is over, and care should be taken that a few yards more than the quantity that has actually been in use be unwound from the reel and well dried, to provide for the great probability of the wet having soaked down amongst the silk that has 25 been unwound during the day. When the line is thoroughly dry it may be advantageously dressed with the following preparation — as good and simple as can be used, keeping it thoroughly supple, and aiding it in water-resisting power — Take a bit of the best bees-wax that can be got, say of the size of a walnut, and a piece of the hard fat from the exterior of the sheep's kidneys, of about the same size, and melt them up together, giving the mixture frequent stirs with a stick, so as to assimilate the two substances thoroughly. When it is cold and hard, give the line a rub or two with this preparation every time it is used, and it will be found an excellent preserver of the most delicate lines. Leger bottoms should be selected from round, stout gut. Finer, of course, should be in the tackle book for use if the water is very bright, and each should be a yard in length. I have found nothing so good in the shape of colour as gut dyed of a light sorrel hue. I cannot help thinking that gut of this colour is less likely to be distinguished by the watchful, wary eye of a shy feeding fish, when lying on a sandy, gravelly bottom, than the blue gut, although I am aware that some of our best barbel-fishers pin their faith to the latter colour, and allow nothing to shake their allegiance. For my part, and having killed some barbel in my time, and at all seasons, I have found the sorrel gut giving better results than anything else. The proof of the pudding, therefore, being in the eating, I have only to add that white gut is an utter abomination. In fit- ting up the leger bottom, I use a length of the very finest stained gimp, of a yard in length, with a small bored shot fixed firmly upon it at the lower end, where the gut joins — this gimp being for the bullet to work upon, as I have found, over and over again, that the chafing of the bullet upon the fine silk line has caused a large amount 26 of wear and tear, and losses of good fish, from the silk breaking exactly at the spot where the bullet worked upon it. Such experience caused me long ago to alter my tactics, and, if the gimp is selected fine enough — and it can be got nearly as fine as stout gut — and it is used with a yard of gut below it, it will not operate against the angler's success if the fish are feeding at all. If they don't feed, nothing on earth will make them. Hooks for leger- ing, at any rate for lob-worm fishing, should be long in the shank, stout in the wire, and not too broad at the bend ; they are sold at all respectable tackle shops now, with a small ailk loop whipped on the shank in lieu of the usual length of gut, and are far preferable, doing away with the chance of the hook link being weaker than the gut bottom — and, again, a quantity can be carried without the chance of getting the gut links tangled and warped, a state of things frequently happening no matter how careful a man may be. Perhaps the best hook in use at present amongst barbel- fishers is one made by Messrs. Allcock of Redditch, an eminent manufacturing firm, and called " The Wheeldon Barbel Hook." It is a white Carlisle and has a small wire loop at the top of the shank, on which it is only necessary to loop the gut bottom. Although my paper is entitled " On Modern Fishing other than Trout and Salmon," I can hardly, in dealing with the Thames, leave the question of trout-spinning entirely out, because it is a question so strongly applicable to the Thames, and to no other river ; therefore, I feel I must say half-a-dozen words even at the risk of tiring you. I think we ought, as English anglers, to feel very proud of our great home river, and of the quantity and calibre of the fish which inhabit it. I doubt very much if our friends from America or New Zealand, or any other place you like 27 to mention, can bring forward more magnificent trout than have been taken in the Thames within the last few years. The Kennet again is swarming with trout, and as for size, I have only to point to some examples in the Exhibition. I think Lord Craven has taken trout in the Kennet up to 20 lbs. in weight, and two years ago a trout was taken in the Kennet behind Messrs. Huntley and Palmer's biscuit factory close upon 17 lbs. Neither is that an isolated instance, because within the last Thames trout season an old friend of mine, Mr. Ross-Faulkner, took a trout at Hampton Court Weir 14 lbs. 15 oz., and that is almost within the sound of the omnibuses and cabs rattling through Oxford Street. Other anglers have had splendid samples from the Thames. I might mention the names of Messrs. Allard, Hughes and Pugh amongst them, all of whom are showing grand trout at this Exhibition. I think it redounds very greatly to their credit as anglers to have caught such splendid trout. Again, Mr. Forbes, of Chertsey, a gentle- man I have the honour to know, has perhaps the most magnificent collection of Thames trout that any man ever saw. With regard to trout-fishing there is a considerable amount of judgment necessary in approaching the locality that a trout inhabits. In the early part of the year you find trout on the scours near where they spawn, and they do not move up to the weirs, where they are more fre- quently caught, until the warm weather induces them to do so. As soon as hot weather sets in, you invariably find that trout follow the stream up further and further, getting at last to the heads of the big Thames weirs. There is a considerable amount of precaution necessary in approaching a weir. If a man goes to a weir-head where the foot-walk goes across from side to side, with a great sixteen-foot rod in his hand, and looks over the head of the weir where usually 28 the trout are in the habit of lying, what is the consequence ? Away goes your fish. Thus I may perhaps, hint at the best style to adopt under the circumstances. To my notion a man wants two rods, so as to make his kit thoroughly complete, and so far as spinning pure and simple is concerned, I propose to speak of that branch of trout angling first, thus giving it the preference over live baiting. Not because I have fallen into the hypocritical groove which obtains in angling circles, and which enables certain very virtuous gentlemen to denounce live-baiting publicly, while they follow it up on every possible occasion in private ; nor from the conviction^ that spinning is neces- sarily the purest and most sportsmanlike method of angling for large trout. But why two rods ? Well, I will give you my reasons. In punt fishing, or spinning from a boat; a long rod is often sadly in the way, and in the course of a day's casting to either side while working down a likely-looking reach where it is known fish lie, will tire and strain even a very stout arm indeed, quite as much as in a day's salmon casting, take my word for it. For such work, therefore, commend me to a rod lightly yet strongly made of sound unblemished mottled cane, 12 feet in length, with plenty of spring and play in it from butt to point, and fitted with the ' very best ring that ever was invented for casting or throwing purposes, viz., that brought out by Gregory of Birmingham, and at present fitted to most of the rods turned out by the celebrated firm of Allcock of Redditch. It is a perfectly simple appliance, being an arched wire whipped^ on at either side. The ring itself is firmly soldered into the centre of the arch ; but it is absolutely out of even a careless angler's power to engender such an awful possibility as a kink, and that alone should be a sufficient guarantee of its worth to 29 any one who has either lost, or who can imagine for one moment the diabolical and horrific grief and misery of losing, a good trout by such an unlooked-for and apparently impossible contingency. In weir spinning the condition of things is altogether different. Here, not only is it sometimes necessary to fish at a considerable distance below one's standpoint, but a very large scope of water, every inch of it looking capable and likely ground, has to be covered. For this, therefore, give me a sixteen foot rod, pliable and springy, so that by the mere motion of the top joint alone I can keep my bait revolving smartly without taking up more than an inch or two at a time of the line. Traces, flights and baits should have each a separate place. In connection with the first and second of these, two very necessary items, the greatest possible care should be used in the matter of their selection, for it is mainly upon their delicacy, accurate work, and powers of successful resistance to the plunging of a big and powerful fish, that the issue of the battle lies. Colour, likewise, is a great point, therefore principally choose, for trout spinning at any rate, gut of a pale smoky blue-green, if such a colour exists, a matter I am by no means certain about, and next see that it is correct and clear to the eye, free from white specks, or from knotty excrescences to the touch. Then if you have sufficient ability, and will take my advice, make your traces yourself; If not, you will not be far out by leaving them in the hinds of such men as Alfred, Farlow, or Gowland. But in their manufacture, whether it may be done at home or abroad, either carry out, or leave, positive instruc- tions, that from top to bottom of the trace there shall not be one atom of binding in it. It is this very thing that in nine cases out of ten has been responsible for the loss of a good 30 fish. " Godfrey Daniel ! " says the fisherman, after seeing a grand fish just hooked fling himself clean out of the water and go with lightning-like speed down the run. " Godfrey Daniel ! what a beauty ! " Then ensues a splendid run for twenty yards, when a man's heart thumps painfully — absolutely painfully — at. the bare notion of such a glorious creature becoming his own in due and proper time, and one vows " by our lady '' that he shall be played as carefully^ and with as gentle touch as one approaches the dear partner of one's bosom at that awful period when she's sulking for a new bonnet and can't have it. Hands up ! There's another fling out of the water, and old brown-faced and horny-handed Tom Davis says excitedly and hoarsely, " Drop point on ye're rod, sir — smart, now ! " and you instinctively do it as matter of course. Gone ? Impos- sible ! But it is so, and there's no getting away from it, and presently you see your own once fondly hoped-for trout leap a hundred yards in the stream below you, in the vain attempt to get rid of the half-yard of gut hanging from his jaws and the stinging triangles in his soft fleshy mouth. " Ah, gone at a bit o' binding," says old Tom ruefully at your elbow, surveying the broken trace. " Thowt so ; I did by gum ! It's they blessed careless coves at the shops as is to blame for half the trout as is lost ; " and I entirely endorse old Tom's imaginary opinion. Therefore not a scrap of binding, if you please. It is just as easy to make small loops for the swivels, and after putting the loop thi'ough (the gut being well wetted previously), to draw them tight ; and in the long run it is ten times more reliable, take my word for it. Now as to swivels and the length of the trace. I sometimes tumble across trout-fishers up the Thames who are spinning a weir with three-quarters of a yard of gut 31 (and that very coarse), three large jack swivels, and a great ugly lead, heavy and coarse enough for the coarsest and roughest pike fishing in private waters, where sharpset fish will often run at anything. For my own part, and knowing that if there is one fish which is especially more wide- awake and cunning than another it is an old wary Thames trout — I always start on the war-path as well and carefully armed as a man can be. I don't mean to assert, mind, as a fact, that the angler with coarse tackle never gets a fish. On the contrary, there is nothing so likely, supposing he knows from observation exactly where a trout feeds — and they feed day after day in the same spot to the fraction of a foot — that if he goes at early morning, before the weir has been disturbed by any of its paddles being drawn, and cautiously drops a biggish bait which spins well exactly over his lovely mottled nose, but that he will dash at it without an instant's reflection. That's when he is dead hungry, and then any fool can catch him. But only let him have a " bit in hand ; " let him have, say, two or three bleak or dace down his throttle, just to take the sharp edge of the morning off, and rely upon it, it's the artist then, and not the chance man, that gets him even to look at a bait at all. Thus I like a fine gut trace of full a yard and a quarter long, the lead so placed that it is a yard of trace length, and the length of the flight-link itself from the bait, and with at least five small, well made, well oiled swivels, and one double one, all set below the lead. There is no necessity for any above it ; the lead is not intended to spin, and all the motion, therefore, should be below it. The more there is, and the freer it is, the less likeli- hood of a kink or snarl in the line. For the lead itself, nothing, in my opinion, beats the " Field lead," when 32 mounted on an inch or two of very fine gimp, and next to that is a very good one brought out by the editor of the ' Fishing Gazette.' As to the flight, after trying them all, I come to the conclusion that there is nothing better, perhaps, than the simple old Thames flight, with four sets of small stout wire triangles and a single liphook. The liphook is the main trouble, because, do what one will, or act as carefully as one will with it, there is always more or less chafing. I tried the liphook bound upon a short slip of starling's wing quill, the gut passing through the interior of the quill, and this answered well — for a time. Afterwards, as the gut and quill both swelled with the wet, it became simply immovable, and necessitated each fresh bait being of pre- cisely similar size to its predecessor. Then I went back to the old-fashioned hook, with a single small loop of gut tied on the tip of the shank. This loop permits the hook to fly loose up and down the gut link, but when it is in use, and ■ the gut thoroughly Vet, a very efficient "bite" is obtained by simply lapping the gut carefully and systematically round the shank, until the liphook fits accurately to its place at the nose of the bait. It is by no means easy to describe baiting theoretically. More may be learned by watching the operations of a really good Thames fisherman for an hour, than by all the pen- and-ink teachings in the world. However, practice, based upon a fairly good theory, may accomplish great things, so that, having first selected a clean silvery bleak — perhaps the best of all bait for a big trout, and particularly for a spinning flight — wet your fingers and hands thoroughly before handling the little fish, with a view to saving as much as possible of his brilliant silvery armour. Then nick one of the hooks of the bottom triangle exactly through the fleshy root of the tail, and precisely at the angle of the fork. That establishes a firm hold, and then, taking the lateral line as a guide, carefully fit in hook after hook upwards, towards the head, taking care that you bruise not nor tear the delicate skin, finishing off at the top triangle, which should fit nearly at the root but slightly above the pectoral fin. Draw back the liphook, hanging loose on its wet gut, measure off say half an inch for lapping, twist it carefully up until the bend of the hook touches the lips of the bait, and equally carefully put the hook through the very centre of the gristle of both lips. If it hangs straight as a die, with only a gentle curve at the tail, it will spin so as to kill a Thames trout, and if it don't, it won't ; so there you are, don't you know ! I do not like artificial baits, although I don't say that they will not kill at times. But those times are, in my opinion, and in the majority of cases, just the same as when the short trace, coarse gut angler gets a run. Even here I must make an exception in favour of one bait, and only one, and that is the ' Bell's Life ' spinner, made and sold by Alfred & Son, of Moorgate Street. This is simply a really good bait, beyond all shadow of doubt, and both in the Thames and other rivers has proved its unquestion- able excellence and killing powers over and over again. As an instance, I may place it on record that on the 27th of April, 1880 — the first season, I fancy, in which they came into general use, and on a bitter cold day to boot — H. P. Hughes, Esq., caught at Shepperton Weir a brace of splendid Thames trout, weighing respectively gibs, and 7^ lbs. In each case the trout had completely gorged the bait, taking it so thoroughly into the mouth that it required the assistance of scissors before the hooks could be cut away. A very great deal, however, of the excellence of [27] D 34 these baits consists in the exact angle at which the tail is bent. They are sold, I fancy, with the tails fashioned sheer across, and this won't spin, or anything approaching it. The tail should be bent slightly over with the thumb and fingers of the right hand until it assumes a very gentle downward sweep or angle from slightly below the point or root of the dorsal fin to about the line of the ventral fin, or where the ventral fin should be. With this bait I have killed many good fish, both in the Thames and Kennet, a few years ago, and I shall try them again with certainly renewed confidence. In casting, I think nothing will beat the good old- fashioned Thames plan, of holding a coil of line in the left hand, and throwing from that, save it may be that the stream is sufficiently heavy and strong to permit the use of a heavy lead, and then one can throw from the reel — best plan of all. In any event, have no loose line about either the bottom of the punt, or on your knees, if sitting on the weir beam with your legs dangling over in Space. The end, in the event of a run, may be summed up in one sentence, viz., total loss of temper, and the continued and frequent use of a word which distinguishes say the mother of a thorough- bred foal, for the res? of that day on every possible or impossible opportunity. Remember that the least possible movement of the bait is sufficient. Do not let it remain stationary, or spinning in one position long together, because to the discriminating eye of an old and judiciously educated trout, particularly of the order Trutta Tamesis, such a course of procedure would look odd, to say the least of it. Rather work it slowly and very gently in and out and round about every little eddy and curl, and quickly across those dark, oily-looking patches between foamy runs. I approach the subject of live-baiting in fear and trembling, because I am half afraid that its very mention may bring a hurricane about my devoted head, and heaven knows, having had some experience of married life, I don't want that. Still, I know full well that there are scores of people ready to howl indignantly and defiantly against any one even breathing a word about live-baiting in connection with Thames trout-fishing, yet who are the very first to put it in practice when they are clear of the lens of public scrutiny. I live-bait myself, and shall continue to do so, for three very good and sufficient reasons. In the first place I beg to assert that there is ten times more real skill and science displayed in killing a good trout with my live-bait tackle than with all the spinning tackle in the world, because it is fifty times at least more delicate and fragile. In the second place, because, in spite of lamenta- tions with upheld, shocked, and horrified hands, by sundry virtuous and " unco guid " howlers, I fail utterly and entirely to see anything unsportsmanlike in it ; and, for the third, and perhaps most important of all, because I know perfectly well that, good as my chances are in a weir or rough stream with spinning bait, in wide, open, still reaches such as the very biggest trout lie in nowadays, it is at least twenty to one on the live-bait tackle as against that for spinning. Aye, and there is yet another reason, and that not the least of them either. Wherever it is known that a big trout feeds — and there is not a trout in the Thames whose home is not spotted to the fraction of an inch — there sits day after day either a professional fisherman with a customer, or without one — it is quite immaterial which, in the majority of cases — or some riverside loafer, whose only mission is to catch that trout by hook or by crook — crook preferred — and straightway convert his bones and body D 2 36 into beer and " bacca." Now, why should I, whose trout- fishing, cut it as fine as may be, costs at least a pound a day on the Thames, run less chance possibly than the very man who writes to tell me of a trout in such-and-such a place, and who very likely has run him, pricked him hard, or in some few cases absolutely caught him and sold him the day before ; or of the individual who values the splendid fish by just so many pots of beer and no more, who knocks him ruthlessly on the head, in or out of condition, and who has been at him morning, noon, and night from the first peep o' day on the opening of the season ? Now here's the pattern of my tackle, any one is welcome to it, and if there be any who in time to come can tell me they have killed a ten-pounder on it fairly and squarely, no one will say more heartily — " Here's t' thee, my lad, and more power to your elbow," than he who pens these lines. First for the rod. It is a little 12-foot Nottingham barbel rod, made of deal, with a lanc^wood top, light, springy and handy. My reel is a wooden one, holding 200 yards of very fine silk, such as would be used for chubbing with pith and brains, or with cheese in the autumn and winter months. I have a bottom of three yards of finest gut — a very fine tapered fly cast is best — ^with, at the extremity, two small fine-wired perch hooks bound on the bottom strand, the lower two inches from the upper. One shot only — size No. 3 — is put on the gut — 4 ft. from the bait, so as to steady it in the stream. Just above the gut, and on the silk running line, is a bit of pear-shaped cork as big ^s a barbel bullet, sufficient only to buoy the line in a slight degree. On the upper of the two hooks is liphooked a live bleak ; the other hook flies loose, or, as I fancy, clings to the side of the little bait. If you can find 37 and kill a big trout with this — fairly and squarely, mind, taking all the chances of submerged roots, boughs of trees, weed-beds or sunken piles — never mind anybody growling, but tell them to go and do likewise. There is not one in twenty who can, you bet. Pike Fishing (spinning). I may now perhaps give you my ideas with reference to pike-fishing, and in the first place I think that a pike- fisher's equipment should, with regard to rods, consist of two — one being kept solely for spinning. This rod, being not more than 12 to 14 feet in length, is built so as to be more limber, and consequently has more " spring '' in it than the other, which may be kept for paternoster work, trolling upon rare occasions, and live-baiting. A stiff rod for spinning — to my mind the most artistic method that can be adopted — is simply comparatively useless. The top, and indeed the rod generally, should give freely to the upward sweep .of the arm when throwing, the rod being held tightly and easily in the right hand, while the butt is planted firmly in the hollow of the groin. Thus it materially helps in the direction to be obtained, and the length of the cast. Having a solid butt (which I prefer to a hollow one), the rod may yet be obtained as light and handy as is consistent with the work in hand ; and any of the well-known London makers may be thoroughly de- pended on for workmanship. Upright or standing rings, as a matter of course, are a sine qua non; without them it is im- possible to throw to any distance without the line "kinking " and knotting up in a horrible tangle — perhaps the most annoying thing of all on a cold day, and when fish are feeding. The line used for spinning should be 60 or 70 38 yards in length, not too thick, thoroughly waterproofed, and well made and substantial in quality and strength ; for it must be borne in mind, that it has to undergo more friction in the length used for casting than any other running line. The length named will be found amply sufficient for ordinary waters, such as the Thames or Trent, where the • fish taken are usually of the ordinary size, though were I fishing some of the Irish lakes, or the private inland waters of England, where the fish have the reputation of being monsters, I should perhaps take care to have a bit more on the reel. The winch to be used is really very much a matter of fancy, although, for my own part, I prefer the plain wooden Nottingham reel to any other, for its ease in manipulation, and the rapidity with which one can reel up slack line. A reel I have lately seen, and one of the most recent manufacture, is a Nottingham reel combining two actions — the one being the smooth, easy run so necessary in " long corking," the other attained by pressing a spring on the reverse sides of the handles by which a cog is set to work giving check action instantaneously. The " flight " mounted upon fine gimp should have a set of three or four triangles and one moveable single hook. In baiting this flight of hooks, care should be taken to use dace, gudgeon, roach or bleak, whichever may be preferi-ed, of a size proportionate with the length and fit of the flight of hooks used, as nothing tends so much to the ugly " wobbling " of a bait in the water as an over-sized fish badly mounted. Supposing then that a suitable bait is found, the bottom triangle is firmly fixed by the penetration of one of the hooks only in the extreme root of the tail, just where the flesh joins the rays ; then, holding the dead fish firmly between the thumb and fingers of the left hand, so bend or curve the body that the tail assumes a clear and 39 distinct sweep. Keeping it thus, force the point of one of the next set of triangles nicely, and without displacing the scales, into the body of the dace, so that the tail is kept firmly in the position desired. The other triangle is fitted into its place, whilst the small sliding hook is pulled down the gimp, and fixed through the nose of the bait, thus keeping all in the required position. Let us still further suppose, then, that the angler is at the waterside, and about to make his first cast. First, one word of advice as to ap- proaching the side of a weir or river. Wherever you may be intending to angle use extreme caution — it is never thrown away — and tread as though you were in the backwoods and dreaded to hear the twang of an ambushed Indian's bowstring. Rely upon it that fish nowadays are not to be caught as they were in the days of Walton and Cotton ; they get more and more subtle and cunning every day. Where there were ten anglers ten years ago there are now a hundred ; the consequence is that eveiy bit of fishable water is fished to death by anglers of every grade, from the rank duffer with a coarse gut line, enormous cork float and a big hook vsfith a brandling impaled thereon, and sitting right over the water, yet who still, with a true fisherman's soul, hopes to catch that whacking perch that he saw an hour ago chase some gudgeon out of that deep hole and on to the shallows at his very feet, to the real artist, who fishes the hole with fine Nottingham tackle but little later, and takes glorious perch one after the other under "big float's " very nose, much to the latter's astonishment. So he puts his primitive tackle down to wonder at the other's skill, delighted if he can even manipulate the landing-net when an extra " big 'un " comes to bank. Pike in fine open weather lie close in to the side, and under cover of projecting banks, tree-roots, and beds of water- 4° flags and reeds. In colder weather they seek the shelter of the deeps. As a matter of course, if the angler ap- proaches full in view, and with heavy and incautious tread, the place where a fish is lying, it becomes almost equally certain that the fish sees him long before he is close to bis abiding place; and with one stroke of his great tail, he shoots out of the shallows and into the deeper portions of the river. So let us then " softly tread, 'tis hallowed ground," and having gained a likely spot, reel off some loose line, letting it fall clear of roots, grass, stumps, and rushes, to the left hand, and cast quietly, with as little splash as possible, if on a fine quiet day — on a windy day it doesn't matter — first to the right and then left, until converging to the centre. If the water has been fairly covered, and these preliminary casts need never be more than lo or 12 yards from the side, and if further success does not attend you, draw off yard by yard from the reel, until a long cast, yet well within your power of rod and arm, has been attained. Never attempt to overdo it, because it always results in failure, and the tyro who tries to do a tremendous throw, will find that the extra momentum simply brings his line into a glorious tangle, and a very nice thing in fishing is a real, downright tangle — soothing to the feelings, very ! As soon as the bait touches the water after the cast has been made, draw it across and against the current, with long regular strokes, with the left hand, avoiding a jerky motion, and taking care to keep the point of the rod well down, almost touch- ing the water. The moment the point of the rod is raised, it causes the bait to spin nearer the surface, which is not to be desired, save in shallow, weedy waters. Spin the bait right up to your feet, and do not be in a hurry to get it out of the water for a fresh throw, for it often happens 41 that both jack and perch will follow the bait out from the deeps, and take it quite close home ; in fact, within sight. When a jack strikes the bait— of which fact there is usually little doubt on the angler's part, for it is plainly perceptijale to the touch — strike him gently, yet still hard, so as to fix the hooks well within his bony jaws, and, having hooked your pike, it must then be very much a matter of discretion and judgment how you handle him. If you are fortunate enough to get hold of a really big fish, remember that, although pike as a rule do not go with the rattle and dash of a freshly-hooked salmon, or trout even, nor have they the dogged pertinacity of a barbel, they have — and particularly big fish — an immense amount of muscular strength, and no liberties must be taken with a good one "just on." Keep a tight line on your prey; keep him, if it is possible, as far away from the beds of weed as you can, and at the earliest opportunity get his head out of the water, and well up, giving him the benefit of a " back wash," as the rowing men say, down his capacious throat. Watch him keenly and warily, and give him hand and reel instantaneously if he makes a determined rush, taking care that no slack lies loosely about to get entangled in coat buttons or your feet. When your fish shows by his rolling, with his broad flat side to the surface, that he is fairly settled, lead him to a convenient place where the water shallows, and, bringing him to the side by the aid of the reel, and not the hand, get him close in, and gaff him with all speed. Live-Baiting. Under the head of live-baiting, the pike-fisher embraces several varieties of angling, chief among them being the 42 well-known and most common method of fishing with a living fish bait attached to a hook and trace, and suspended in the water by the buoyancy of a big cork float. In large pools or meres, or indeed in any waters where there is little or no current, this style of pike angling is the easiest, and consequently the most idle. After baiting the hook, the angler can put his rod down and leave the bait to play its own part, which it generally does if lively and attractive ; but it always seems to me a far less amusing method, apart from the science displayed, than spinning, or paternoster work, while it cannot be doubted, supposing one has a cold wintry day to fish in, which of the two is better calculated for keeping up the necessary caloric at any rate. A rod for live baiting should be stiffer in its action than the spinning rod, and one of 14 feet, light and handy, will be found long enough for anything, with well-made upright rings of good size, through which the line can run freely. A pike rod with small or moveable rings, is an abomination, and not to be tolerated at any price, and it certainly seems strange to think that nowadays, with all the vast improvements that have been made in sporting tools, one could find any man so conservative in his opinions as to be firmly wedded to the use of one of the old-fashioned rods in preference to a modern one. That there are such men in the world is beyond all question, for it was but the last season that a dear old friend of mine, whom I have preached to any nurnber of times, yet in vain, was out "jacking" with me and lost three or four good fish through using a miserable old rod with moveable rings. The line " kinking "' with the wet, ran freely for a moment or two and then got into a lovely " boggle " round one or other of the rings. A guess at what ensued, with a good fish running, is not difficult. The same dear old "buffer" persists in using a muzzle- 43 loader on " the first," whilst every one else has their Boss or Grant, with breech action, and modified choke, and all the rest of it, and then he grumbles at being left behind ! while the major, as he crams his cartridges in, mutters, politely mufHing his tones, however, something about " D^ — d old muff!" Given, then, a suitable rod, a plain check winch, or, better still, a " Nottingham " holding plenty of line, from 70 to 100 yards at least, is the next desideratum. It will be noticed that I advocate more line on the winch for live- baiting than I do for spinning. Why ? I fancy one of my readers' queries. For this simple reason — a fish striking at a spinning bait is hooked, or should be, there and then ; and, unless he is a veritable mammoth, he will, by careful management, succumb under 30 or 40 yards' run ; but in live-baiting, unless one is using snap-tackle — of which more anon — a fish may run fully that quantity off the reel, before he reaches his sanctum sanctorum, and before absolutely pouching the bait. A much finer line can be used in live- baiting than when adopting spinning measures, because there is far .less friction, hence less wear and tear ; and my idea is that tackle cannot be too fine. Half the fun consists in the satisfaction that ensues in knowing that you have settled a " grouser " with a thread, as opposed to " the barge rope and puUy-hauly system." The next thing to consider, then, is the " trace," which should consist of fine gimp, or better still, stout gut, with three or four swivels in its length, to assist the bait in its gyrations. These swivels, and their free working, are important elements in jack-fishing, so that at the end of a day it is worth while for a piscator to see that they are dry, and indeed all metallic portions of his tackle, before putting them aside. Care in this particular is never thrown away. Touching live-baiting, and when adopting the old-fashioned, and, I am glad to say, nearly played-out 44 method with live-bait and a double hook, it is made so as to lie flat and close to the side of the fish. This is attached to the trace either by a spiral screw or a wire running round a portion of the extremity of the bottom swivel, or by a sort of snap. I certainly prefer the spiral apparatus. With the double hook, the infamous baiting needle comes into operation, and is used by looping the loop of the hook-link into the eye of the needle — the latter being made with a flat sharp point at the other end. Then holding your dace tenderly, " as though you loved him," insert the point of the needle just beneath the skin at the edge of the gills, carry it through, taking care not to wound the flesh under the surface of the skin, and bring the point of the needle out behind the rays of the dorsal fin, drawing the gimp through, noting that the hook lies flat and close to the side of the fish — then pop him at once into the bait can. Jack- men using the single hook simply hook their bait through the upper lip or the back fin ; but this is a style which finds little favour with a good pikeman. All being arranged, attach the hook-link to the gimp trace, and you are ready so far as the baiting is concerned. The trace should, of course, be sufficiently leaded or weighted, to ensure the bait being kept well down, and without giving it an opportunity of rising too often to the surface, which they frequently have an unhappy knack of trying to do. Much depends, with regard to the lead, and its weight, upon the size of the bait used, and also upon the depth and character of the water. Personally I strongly disapprove of side-hook fishing, and only speak of it because fish will occasionally take a bait upon this tackle when they will look at nothing else. The float used must also depend, so far as its size is concerned, upon the buoyant power required, but it is a good maxim never to use one larger than is absolutely necessary, nothing 45 being more likely to scare a shy-feeding fish than to find that he is dragging a lot of unknown apparatus behind him. Besides that, a smaller float, supposing it to be a weedy water, is the less likely to be " hung up " during the pre- liminary canter. I prefer an oval-shaped float, bored, of course, and with a quill through it, through which the running line is passed, and a wooden peg fitting firmly into the orifice of the quill, keeps all tight — particularly as the action of the water causes the peg to swell. Many anglers use the above float and one or two smaller floats, called "pilots," which prevents the line "bagging" im- mediately round the float, and from twisting, and they are doubtless a useful adjunct. In windy, boisterous, and very cold weather, the nearer one's bait swims to the bottom the better, as the fish — ^the larger ones especially — under such circumstances always resort to the deeps, while on fine, mild days they will be found more in the shallows ; and it has seemed to me that on such occasions, when the wind and atmosphere is nipping keen, live-bait fishing in the deepest portions of the river is more likely to command success — from the fact that the fisher goes at once into a likely, stronghold. A big gudgeon, carefully put on the hook, is, when the water is bright, as good and attractive a bait for pike as can well be used — he is, besides, a tough and game little fish, and, if uninjured when thrown into the water, has another qualification, which makes him valuable, — ^he always seeks the bottom. In thick water, he is, from his sombre colour, not so good a bait as the more silvery dace. This latter fish, as well as small chub, are also excellent as pike baits, and good-sized bleak as well, but bleak are an excessively delicate fish, and require most careful handling in any case of live-baiting, and if hurt in the least degree, soon " turo it up." Small carp furnish 46 a good, lasting bait, and in an emergency, the gold-fish bowl may be emptied — this, however, only on high days and holidays, for it will be found an expensive luxury. Nothing can be more certain than that a lively, hard-working bait is immeasurably superior in its killing powers, in opposition to a spent or weary bait, so that the angler should always endeavour to have his lure in the very best possible con- dition. It is equally certain however that there are times when pike are so ravenously " on," that I am almost inclined to believe in a chance of a run if one used an old boot for a bait. Given a run, there is not the least necessity to wait " ten minutes ; " pay out the line freely, and when he stops he'll pouch it in three or four, or not at all. If after stopping he moves on again, strike him at once. A great disadvantage in the method of live-baiting with side-hook is the certain tearing of the skin, and consequent disfigura- tion of the bait, as well as the chance of killing small fish. All this is obviated by the use of snap-tackle, which simply consists of two triangles bound upon the gimp hook-link and about two inches apart. One of these triangles is placed carefully through the root of the dorsal fin, while the other is fixed at the root of the pectoral. Another advantage gained arises from the fact that here there is no waiting for the fish to run to his nook, and then gorge the bait. The instant the float disappears one can make ready to strike, and when the line becomes taut and the angler feels his fish he can do so with the certainty, in nine cases out often, of securing the aggressor. Pike, as is well known, take their prey sideways ; thus it is clear that if a fish seizes the bai^attached to snap-tackle, the triangle must be within his jaws, and the probability is that he is safe, due skill being observed on the angler's part when he is hooked. There is not the least necessity to strike heavily, a smart handstroke is amply 47 sufificient ; indeed, where the line is taut, as it should be, a simple pull on the fish when running fixes the hook firmly. A point that may be mentioned is the likelihood of an inexperienced hand mistaking the efforts of a bait to escape the murderous jaws of a big pike, for "a run." It is astonishing what an amount of strength is shown by an active, lively dace, when he sees, as he doubtless does, the fish poke his shark-like head out from a weed patch or the covef of a bank, before making his fatal rilsh. I have seen a large float go clean down out of sight ; and where the water has been very clear, have traced the white top for some little distance, as the dace shot down-stream. A jack usually leaves little doubt on the subject: down goes the- float clean away, and the ' water frequently eddies and surges round, showing where our friend " Johnnie " has shot out from cover. Paternostering, another class of live-bait fishing, is a method of which I am excessively fond. It is carried out as follows : — Attached to the running line by means of a loop is a yard of good stout gut, the rounder it is the better, with a further loop at the other end. A pater- noster lead, not heavier than is absolutely necessary, shaped like a pear, and with an eye of brass wire, is next fastened to the bottom loop, by simply slipping the loop through the eye and over the extremity of the lead, and then drawing it tight. Personally I prefer a silk loop attached to the end of the gut, and this loop to be put through the eye of the lead. A foot or a foot and a half above the lead a single hook (on gimp) is fastened, and a small dace or gudgeon is lip-hooked as the attraction. Drawing a sufficient quantity of line from the reel, the angler casts out in the most likely place where jack harbour, round the edge of rush-beds and reeds, or in deep still 48 pools ; the lead upon reaching the bottom communicates a distinct jar through the silk, which is easily distinguished. The line, held in the left hand, is then slowly worked in towards the bank or punt, from whichever stand-point the piscator is throwing, the lead being clearly felt as it scrapes along the bottom. I have found it much the better plan, instead of coiling the line at one's feet, to gather it back- wards and forwards in the palm of the left hand, and with a good line, free from knots and kinks, this, after a little practice, is easily done. Those proficient in the use of the Nottingham winch throw from the winch itself, thus have no slack, and work in with the handle, a method, for those who care to overcome its no slight difficulties, far in advance of the other style. Much diversity of opinion exists among anglers adopting the paternoster in jack-fishing as to the correct moment at which to strike when the bite is felt. As a matter of course fish feed differently, and hardly ever two days alike. One day they are ravenous, and prepared to gulp down everything, the next dainty, and wonderfully hard to please ; but I have always found that if small baits are used — and these are more killing than large ones, although the latter are possibly more attractive — few mistakes will be made in striking if one feels a good fair pull, and particularly if momentarily afterwards the fish begins to move off. It should be recollected that supposing a small dace, say of three or four inches long, is on the hook, a jack has a rare width of jaws, and an enormous power of expansion, and with such a cherry, will scarcely make two bites, but gulp it in at once. Thus the hook is very likely to nick him, and once hooked, show no mercy, but reel up at once. Always avoid having more loose line than is really required, and kill your fish, when- ever practicable, with the reel, and not with the hand. If a 49 large bait is in use it is advisable to give him more time, but if they are feeding freely and the bait is taken while the fish is moving off at the same instant, it is only reason- able to suppose that he has turned the bait as he ran, and so the "strike" maybe attempted. In places where it is weedy, it will be found a better plan rather to dip down from the point of the rod, into all likely looking " shops," and abstain from working the bait on the bottom at all, from the likelihood of getting " hung up " in the weeds, and a consequent smash of tackle ensuing. Very much, how- ever, depends upon the characteristics of the place when at the river side, and the intelligent angler will be greatly guided by circumstances. Nine times out of ten when paternoster fishing, the fish will be found hooked at the edge, or just outside the lip, and no difficulty will be experienced in extracting the hook. Beware, however, at all times of putting fingers near a pike's teeth ; he'll bite like a crocodile if he has half a chance, and even a chance scratch is unpleasant. It is far better therefore first to land heavily on his cranium with the toe of your boot, and then — if the hook is gorged, and it is not easily got at with the disgorger — of slipping the hook off the trace altogether, than stand the chance of getting your fingers well scored wjth his grinders, which, to say the least of it, is not a pleasant process, and especially on a cold day. I speak from experience, and therefore feelingly. Perch Fishing. A gloriously handsome fish, perch, when in condition, afford excellent sport, and they are deservedly favourites with each and every fisherman, let him be young or old. One of the very first fish I ever caught in my life was a [27] ^ 50 perch, and to this day I recollect my pride and exultation when I effected his capture. He had located himself near the sluice-gates at the head of a mill-stream, hard by my native vale of Derwent, and day after day I caught sight of him and looked wistfully and longingly, trying him with wasp grubs and brandlings — alas I in vain. One day I met a man chubbing, using shrimps for bait, and watched him roving without float or shot under the high banks of the stream, letting the current carry his bait where it would. Thinks I, — " Shrimps will catch that perch," and so they did, for going to tea an evening or two afterwards I found the clergyman's superior moiety was expected, and amongst other delicacies shrimps were on the festive board. I " went for " that plate, and quick as thought a handful was transferred from it, and during the whole of that warm evening lovingly reposed in my trousers pocket, amongst, I doubt not, alley-taws, peg-tops, bits of string, a broken- bladed knife, a jew's-harp and a paper of eel hooks. Break of day found me on the sluice-gates, and ten minutes after- wards that perch was on the bank among" the dewy grass. What man is bold enough to say that my boy's heart . exulted not, and that my blood coursed not rapidly in my veins, even as the deer stalker's who sees the Monarch of the Glert totter and fall to the crack of his trusty grooved barrel ? Pennant, an excellent authority, thus describes the fish under notice : — " The body is deep, the scales very rough, the back much arched, and the side line approaches near to it ; the irides are golden, the teeth small, disposed in the jaws and on the roof of the mouth, which is large; the edges of the covers of the gills are serrated, and on the lowest end of the largest is a sharp spine." So far as colour is concerned, our friend is perhaps as brilliant an inhabitant of our lakes and rivers as we have, his back being a rich 51 olive-green, deepest in shade at the ridge, and growing gradually lighter in hue as it approaches the belly, which is white, with a faint green tinge ; transverse broad black bars, pointing downwards, mark his shapely sides, while the ven- tral fins are a glowing scarlet, the tail and anal fins being of a like colour, though a shade paler." The distinguishing characteristic of the perch is his formidable dorsal fin, and armed as it is with very long and spinous rays, it makes him at all times an antagonist well capable of taking care of himself It would be just as well, if an angler is fortunate enough to get hold of a big, lusty fellow, to see that this saw-like fin is carefully smoothed down before gripping him to take the hook out, for I have known instances where a man's hand has been badly cut through incautious handling, and it is sometimes difficult to heal. They are thoroughly gregarious in their habits, herding together, and remaining for a long time, unless disturbed, in the same situation. I have watched them repeatedly when the water has been clear in a deep hole, and the larger fish always seem to claim and keep precedence over the smaller. Where such a hole is found, if the tenants thereof are in a feeding humour, it is just as likely that if the angler is wary and noiseless, and hooks and lands them, he may take every fish out of it. Prick, and hold one for an instant, and then let him escape, the probabilities are that every one of the shoal will follow their frightened fellow — then, one may just as well try somewhere else. Perch are found nearly everywhere, all our English rivers containing them — Thames, Trent, Severn and Wye alike holding plenty of this game fish, while the Loddon is famous for bouncers, and nearly all the great inland waters of Britain, meres and lakes, are well stocked. Instances have been quoted to show that they have E 2 52 attained a large size, it being said that a perch of 9 lb. was taken out of the Serpentine in Hyde Park, and another of 8 lb. from Dagenham Reach. The best that I ever saw was one that weighed 4 lb., full weight ; he was a splendid fish, and was caught by a lad with a sixpenny rod, a stout gut-line and a hook baited with worm, from one of the pools of the little Brent at Hanwell. I was a boy at the time, and remember offering him a threepenny bit and my dinner for it ; he didn't see it, and perhaps it was just as well, for I should have assuredly deceived my worthy sire as to who caught it. Deep, quiet water, where there is a gentle eddy, under hollow banks, holes where the roots of trees run down and their pendant branches shade the retreat from the fierce heat of the sun, the piles of locks and sluice-gates, and the back-water of millstreams, are all favourite perch haunts. In navigable rivers and canals he seeks the deeper parts, where barges lie, and about floats of timber, always choosing, if obtainable, a " habitat " where the bottom is sandy and pebbly, I have found it a good plan in wandering about the banks of an unknown river in quest of perch to note where the small fry of dace, roach, &c., most do congregate. Such a place will be a sandy bank at the edge of a bed of sedge and rushes, and where the current forms a little eddy ; here the youngsters get out of the force of the main stream, and if the angler remains quiet, and unobserved by the fish — meanwhile observant himself — it is any odds that he will notice ere long the rush from the deeps, of a perch, with his bristling back fin erect and menacing, and a scatter of the small fry for the shelter of the sedges. Try here, then — it is sure to be good ground and likely to be remunerative. Now for the tackle to be used. Select a nice light cane rod, 12 ft. or 14 ft., with standing rings, and not too pliable ; 53 indeed, the rod previously described for legering will do admirably. Use a Nottingham winch,, with fine running tackle, and first try the paternoster ; this should be a gut length of a yard, round, and good in quality, and mounted with two hooks, the bottom one not more than five or six inches from the lead, the top a foot and a half above it. The lead itself need not be any heavier than is absolutely necessary to find the bottom, and withstand the current ; if there is little or none of the latter, use as small a one as possible. I have seen advocated the desirability of using three or four hooks to the paternoster, but I am inclined to think that all practical men will agree with me in saying that two are ample ; indeed with more, when one is using minnows, it would be found that a large supply of bait would be necessary, from the frequency with which they are jerked off the hook at the moment of striking. Don't use too large a hook — " No. y's " are large enough — and hook the minnows through the side of the lip, it is easier than through the extremity of the nose, and it should be remembered that they are a delicate little fish, and won't bear much pulling about. At a likely-looking place, par- ticularly at a spot where one may see the aforesaid small fry, drop the paternoster quietly in, and keep the line taut from the winch the moment the bottom is felt ; then move it gently along the bottom, lifting it now and again from the point of the rod, until the spot chosen has been thoroughly searched. If they are there, and in a feeding humour, the angler will not be long before he knows it, and at the sharp " tug-tug," indicating the attack, one should strike without loss of time— instantaneously, in fact — and if the fish be hooked, as he will be nine times out of ten, and proves a big one, keep the line taut ; be in no hurry with him ; and after the first few desperate plunges are over, he is, with ordinary 54 care, your own ; then get him to the bank as soon as you can, into your landing net — and mind his fin. It is a curious fact, but nevertheless an indisputable one, that perch will frequently refuse a minnow on the paternoster, and yet take it greedily if put on to a hook, attached to a shotted and floated line ; so that it may be always wisely remembered that if they refuse the one, the other method may be tried with advantage. Small gudgeon are a capital bait for large fish, and if they persistently refuse the paternoster, a light spinning flight may be rigged up and tried, with a possible chance of success. Stone loach will also kill perch, and in waters that are brackish and subject to tidal influences, live shrimps are a killing lure. They are best kept in an open basket in wet sand, and care should be taken that they are never packed close together. Caddis worms, wasp grubs, and occasionally gentles, attract the notice of our striped friend ; but having, done with the subject of live-baits as applied to fish, nothing will be found of greater killing power than the old and well-known bait, the worm of various classes, and first in order I take the lob. No perch angler should be with- out worms, for it frequently happens, and particularly in the autumn, and a little later on, that they will take worms freely, when minnow and gudgeon are totally dis- regarded. Worms cannot be too bright and tough, or too well scoured for perch-fishing, and lobs want a week at least in moss, and well looked after, if the weather is warm, before being fit for the hook. If they are wanted for immediate use, put them in a pot of tea-leaves squeezed dry, and let them remain for a few hours ; it will be found that the tannin, presumably, has had a miraculous effect. In waters where there are deep, slow eddies, with little or no stream, some of the largest perch, and now and again a 55 chub or two, are captured by using a gut bottom, of a yard in length, attached to a running line of the finest Notting- ham or Derby silk. Before attaching the bottom, fit up a long cork float on the silk line, with a small well-drilled bullet below it — the hole through the bullet being suf- ficiently large for the line to run easily and freely. Then, having tied on the gut bottom, a split shot is fixed on the silk, just above the loop, so as to prevent the bullet running over the bow of the silk line. Selecting the place of operation, the float must be so arranged that the bullet just touches the bottom, and the proper depth being thus obtained, select a flat, silvery lob from amongst the stock, and note those with a red vein running down to the tail are the best for the hook, and put the hook point in an inch below the head. Threadle the worm until the shank of the hook is just covered. Worms put on in this manner show far better than when looped up on the hook, or entirely "threadled," and hence must be a more attract- ive bait. Then cast out, and draw the bullet, when it is found to have reached the bottom, towards the point angled from, until the gut length is likely to lie straight on the bed of the river. If there is any current, the float, after righting itself, must be " held back " from the point of tiie rod, the light silk line being clear of the water ; and do not be in a hurry if a dip of the float indicates that a fish is attacking the worm. Recollect that it is likely to be a big one, and, as a consequence, a far more cautious gentle- man than the smaller of the tribe ; wait then, until after the first preliminary dip or two, the float goes down clean out of sight, then strike, not too hard, however, and look out for storms and a long and strong pull at the top joint. Brandlings found in old rotten manure, and red worms, sometimes kill as well as anything, but I must confess to a 56 great fancy for the lob for nearly all big fish — the others are more suitable for the paternoster. If the water is very bright, and the fish are " dead off," take away the float previously mentioned, and, substituting a smaller bullet as a sinker, throw out the lob, across, and up and down the water with a motion similar to that of spinning ; a brace of fish may be taken in this way when they are very dainty. Carp Fishing. The carp is perhaps as handsome a fish as British waters can boast of as a resident, and is without any ex- ception one that will try an angler's skill and resources to the utmost. In colour, a bronze or yellowish olive, deeper in shade towards the back ; and with, when in condition, a splendid burnished sheen diffused over his sides, and great round scales, he looks, when freshly caught, a very noble and handsome fellow. The fins are brown, with a faint violet or purple tinge, the dorsal, in particular, large and well developed, and continued in its rays for some distance down the slope of the back ; he has a large head, but by no means an unsightly one, a small round mouth, tough and leathery to a degree, with two small cirri or beards on either side ; the tail, but little forked, is set firmly on, and denotes great strength, and he is, when large, a deep and thick-set fish. Carp are extremely prolific, and in suitable waters increase and multiply to an enormous extent ; indeed it has been stated upon good authority that the weight of the roe taken from a single female fish exceeded the weight of the despoiled carcase when the two have been weighed the one against the other. A good deal of uncertainty seems to exist as to when carp were first introduced into England ; but we get evidence from 57 the ' Boke of St. Albans ' published in 1496 that they were known then at any rate, while other ancient writers dealing with him establish his place in our native lakes and rivers somewhere about the same period. They attain a vast age, Buffon telling us that he has seen at Pontchartrain fish of this species which were known to be 1 50 years old ; how this age was arrived at is not very clear, but well authenti- cated accounts have been from time to time brought for- ward, proving that they are, under suitable conditions, an extremely long-lived fish. In Prussia and Germany they are cultivated carefully, and there carp of 25 lb. and 30 lb. weight is not of unfrequent occurrence, while in warm climates, India to wit, fish of this species grow to an enormous size, specimens of the family being taken in the tanks and lagoons of 40 lb. to 60 lb. Fancy, brother angler, getting a fellow of this size on a fine gut bottom ! Here, a fish of 10 lb. or 12 lb. is accounted a good one, but there is little doubt that in some of the deep inland meres and lakes they grow to a much larger size. I have myself seen in an extensive sheet of water that I had the opportunity of fishing in Hampshire some years ago, fish basking in the weeds on a hot summer's day, that I have little doubt would have run from 1 5 lb. to 20 lb., and once or twice got hold of one, but never was able to hold him, for he pulled like a donkey, and went straight for the nearest weed-bed, and quietly smashed me up. The rod to be used should not be too long, 12 feet is ample; when it is longer it does but njake it more tiring to the man using it, who, I need hardly say, should avoid laying it on the bank as much as possible, particularly when it is remembered that he is on the trail of the "water fox," as old anglers delighted to call our golden friend. This perhaps is the situation. One's arm gets a bit 58 cramped, and one puts the rod down — ^tired, perhaps, of a long spell with no signs of a fish — and carelessly, of course, with the handle of the winch on the grass ; then, just as one is putting the vesuvian into the bowl of one's pipe, comes a tug at the top joint ; one goes with a dash at the rod, and waits eagerly for the expected pull. No go"; the golden moment is gone, and the chance of a golden prize into the bargain. The finer the running line the better, consistent with the proper degree of strength that is required, supposing a " bonser " is hooked. When baiting with paste or gentles, triangle hooks, not too large, should be used, and the lead, having the hole through it well bored out, so that the line runs very easily, should work on the silk running line or better still a very fine piece of gimp, in preference to the gut bottom, so that friction of the gut is avoided, as well as any possible obstruction from a knot. Carp will sometimes take worms freely ; large red worms, thoroughly cleansed and toughened in moss, being alniost a standing dish, and a bright silver lob is another very attractive bait. Wasp grubs, and the larvae of the insect in an immature state, are another killing lure. I have taken them with green peas, and I have heard of them taking cherries ; but of all the baits that I have ever tried, commend me to a yellow waxy potato, fairly well boiled, but not so as to be too soft, of course, and with a plentiful ground-baiting of the hole where one intends bperating, for a day or two previously, with boiled potatoes and bran, well kneaded and worked up, so that when formed into balls about the size of a billiard ball, they sink at once. The potato should be cut into an oval shape, of the size of a thrush's egg, the gut drawn through its centre by means of a fine baiting needle, and the points of the triangle pushed into the bait until they are fairly 59 embedded. Now cast out a yard or two beyond where your baited spot is situated, and, when the lead has reached the bottom, draw it towards you, so that the hooks lie clear of the lead and line, and straight from the point of the rod. Then hold the rod, with the top joint pointed directly to where your hooks lie, and lower the point, that the line may be straight through the rings (which, of course, should be standing rings), and directly in a line with the thumb and forefinger of the left hand. By adopting these means, one .avoids the fish feeling the pull on the top, which must be felt when the rod is at an angle, and if the line is held very delicately between the fingers, the least motion can be detected. The first indication of a nibble, in nine cases out of ten, will be a tremulous movement, that will, I warrant, send a thrill through the angler's frame ; hold the line as you would a gossamer thread. Niggle, niggle, niggle, again it comes ; then a little pull, and at last the line begins to sneak through one's fingers. Now's the [time ! Strike smartly, not too hard, and if you find that you're home, give him another little tug, just to send the hooks well into his leathery mouth ; keep a taut line, and humour him nicely for a little, until you find out the calibre of the game you have to kill. Bear this in mind, however, that you have no cowardly foe to conquer. A large carp is a gallant fellow, and will resent any untimely indignity in the shape of early " puUy-haulings," by a terrible rush, that may very likely upset all your previous calculations, and free himself at the same moment. Do not, therefore, be in a hurry to get him out — always reflect that, so long as your line is tight, and the hooks hold, he is as much your prisoner as though he were on the bank. If possible, get him away from the hole where you hook him, and play and land him lower down, so as to avoid disturbing others that may be 6o lying in the same locality, and always keep, from first to last, well out of sight of the water. In pond or lake fishing, much the same tactics may be adopted, except that one may use a much lighter leger lead where there is no stream, and indeed I would not use a lead at all if it were possible to get the line out without it. If float-fishing be the order of the day, the float cannot be too light, and a small quill carrying three or four shot only is to be pre- ferred. The bait should always be well on the bottom. I fish with the baited hook at least six inches on the bottom — and the shot may be placed on the hook-link of gut so that they too rest on the ground, and thus there is nothing of a foreign nature to catch the warj' eye of the fish that may be prowling about. Even the gut may be dyed green or of a bluish tint, so as to assimilate as nearly as possible with the tinge of the water. The rod used should be a longer one than the one previously mentioned, for it is a time-honoured maxim in angling for some classes of fishj to " fish fine and far out ; " and the carp is one of them where this maxim should be observed. A good plan, when float fishing, is to have an iron rod rest, or a forked stick, stuck in the ground, so that the rod, in this case, unlike when legering, may be placed in the rest or cleft stick. Throw well out, and, particularly when the water is clear and bright, have no more of the rod than is absolutely necessary projectihg over the bank, then sit well away from the water ; don't move the rod if you see a bit of' a nibble, but if the float, after a preliminary cautious dip or two, sails slowly away and out of sight, then get your line taut, and strike, not two hard, however. The remarks I have just made apply more directly to worm fishing, and it is useless to strike when operating with this bait unless the float begins to slide off", for carp suck the bait in very artfully, and if he is not given 6i time to gulp the whole' of the worm, the chances are that you lose your fish, from the fact that by striking too hurriedly you may have only allowed him to get hold of the tail end. When fishing with paste or gentles, and using triangle hooks, I should strike immediately if the float dipped fairly down ; for these fish are so crafty and wary that they will suck the whole of the bolus of paste away from the hook, and that being effected quietly sail off. Strike gently, however, and should you not succeed in hooking the fish, let the bait drop quietly again, when it is possible, if he is in a feeding humour, he may have another try. Various grubs and caterpillars, caddis and turnip worms, beetles, and a hook baited with a red worm and tipped with a gentle have been from time to time recommended as super-excellent lures ; my experience, however, tells me that if carp will not take potatoes, well- scoured lobs, red worms, or a lively bunch of gentles, they won't take anything, and one might just as well go home and have a rubber of whist and a pipe. Chub Fishing. The chub, another member of the numerous carp family> attracts no inconsiderable share of the angler's attention, and particularly numbering amongst his followers that section who delight in getting hold of something that pulls. Amongst the number is my humble self I know of no fish that I have had at the end of my line that goes with such a devil of a rattle as a big chub, and as he usually when pricked by a hook bolts with the speed of a rocket for the first stronghold he can get to — sunken roots of trees, or pendant boughs overhanging hollow banks — it requires no little skill to keep the line and tackle out of danger. His 62 first rush over, however, he is pretty safe, and, unlike the barbel, who fights with dogged pertinacity to the last, quickly succumbs, and with ordinary care is soon come- atable. Common in most of the English rivers, and growing to a large size, the chub, or cheven, affords endless amuse- ment, for he feeds well at times when other fish refuse a bait. In the summer large flies and beetles of various kinds tempt him ; while in autumn and winter, cheese, greaves, lobs, pith from the vertebrae of the bullock, as well as live bait, such as minnows and small gudgeon, attract his atten- tion. It has always been the fashion to speak of him as " the loggerheaded chub," and well-known angling writers have described him as having an ugly misshapen head, but I utterly fail to see this, and, indeed, consider him, when in condition, an exceptionally handsome fish, with a longer body than the carp, large silvery scales, his back of a deep olive green, the belly white, the irides of the eye a shining silver, pectoral fins, large and well developed, of a dusky, yellow hue, ventral and anal fins a pale salmon red, while the tail, slightly forked, is brown, with a distinct bluish line at the extremity. They are frequently taken both in the Thames and Lea, from three to four pounds in weight, it being asserted that specimens from the former river have come to bank of far greater calibre ; while upon the authority of Dr. Bloch, we are told that fish of 8 lb. and 9 lb. is no uncommon size in some of the continental waters. The Loddon and Mole hold gigantic fish ; from the latter river came the best chub I ever saw in my life. It was taken by my friend, Mr. Callen, of East Molesey — was tempted by a couple of shrimps, and, weighed by myself, bumped down the scale at 7 J lb. Chub usually spawn in the latter end of March, if the weather is open and fine, or in April, and are again in full vigour in June. 63 ' No more cautious, timid fish swims than your chub, and I have frequently seen a shoal of them lying near the top of the water, sink slowly down and out of sight, the only thing that I could discover as likely to alarm them being a crow or two winging their way across the stream. Hence the chub-fisher cannot be too cautious and subtle in his operations. Chub in the summer resort to the deeps, and large still pools overhung by foliage ; here they lie, day after day, if undisturbed, watching for grubs and insects dropping from the sheltering trees ; and at such places the dibber, with his humble bee in the day-time, or large moth in the evening, kills his fish. In the winter they seek places where high marly banks form the sides of the stream, or deep holes, with a sandy or clayey bottom, afford them good harbourage ; and in nooks where this fish are known to resort, they are found at the proper season, year after year. Hence the saying among anglers, " once a chub hole, always a chub hole/" They are a restless fish, however, and shift about in the autumn and winter months, when insect diet has failed them, continually seeking fresh ground. It is advisable, therefore, never to stay long in one spot — ten minutes or a quarter of an hour is enough — for if there are fish there and they mean feeding, they will do so at once, or not at all. For legering for this, and indeed for all other fish, a rod of 12 ft. in length is fully long enough. I don't believe in long rods for general use, and feel assured that if an angler, with a short one, pits his own brains and resources against the craft of the fish he is trying for, he will in the long run succeed. Long rods are cumbersome and tedious to the wielder, and it is only in roach fishing from the bank in a river like the Lea, for instance, wherfe they are practi- 64 cally of any use — for angling in such a water, and for this specified class of fish they are of course indispensable. I recollect, many years ago now, when my passion for the river-side and the " contemplative man's occupation " was just as keen, if not more so than now, I had an impression, and I find that young anglers of the present day indulge in the same idea, that fish can only be found in the middle of a river or pond, or so near thereto as one could throw out. Thus I used to perch myself on the extreme edge of the bank, completely forgetting that fish could see me when I could not see them. As a consequence the bag was nearly always lighter at night than in the morning. Now it is different, simply because I reflect, and reflection and the caution that naturally accrues, is in my view the great secret of success. To return to the rod ; let it be of cane, light and handy, 12 feet in length and fitted with upright rings, moderately stiff" and well balanced. Always avoid a rod that is top-heavy. The winch — and one can hardly improve upon the Nottingham reel for "reel work"-- should be capable of holding sixty or seventy yards of fine plaited Derby silk line ; some prefer a twist line, I don't, while the finer the better if the operator has a light hand, and can hold a " big 'un " tenderly. Besides which, a fine line requires a far less heavy bullet than a stout one — another advantage — and these requisites obtained, one is ready, so far as rod and line are concerned. Now for the leger bottom ; this is an important item, for upon it much of the desired success is likely to attend. Choose it of the finest and roundest natural gut, a yard in length at least (I use them a yard and a half), and always have a length of gimp fitted to them for the bullet to work upon. Other accessories are entirely unnecessary, and the less foreign matter one has, the better. At any 65 of the first-class tackle shops, these bottoms are to be obtained, stained to any desired shade ; it is therefore obvious that, if an angler is fishing a i-iver where the bottom is composed of deep-coloured marly oose or clay, a length of gut assimilating as nearly as possible with the ground on which the wary chub are lying, is far preferable to a shiny piece of white gut, which moves about as the stream catches the line and bullet, and can certainly not look like a piece of weed. Look your gut well over before com- mencing, and reject a bottom that has cracks or flaws. Far better to be particular in the tackle than stand a chance of losing a fish that, if landed and " set up," may, in its case " be a thing of beauty and a joy for ever." If lob worms are the order of the day, use hooks whereon, in lieu of the ordinary length of gut, a small loop of silk is whipped ; they are easily attached to the leger bottom, and do away with the chance of the hook links of gut being stronger or weaker than the remainder of the gut in use. Some have a morsel of bristle whipped on the reverse way from the hook's point ; this certainly prevents the worm from slipping or wriggling down the shank of the hook, and is possibly an advantage, but if chub mean business, they will bolt one's lob before it has the chance of slipping very far down. Being on the bank, keep well out of sight, and avoid shuffling about, or moving unnecessarily. Every move- ment of the feet causes a certain amount of vibration ; and, rely upon it, chub will bolt if they fancy anything is wrong. If you have plenty of lobs, and the stream is not too heavy, throw them in whole, and some little distance above where you are fishing. Cast in down-stream and make sure that your gut bottom lies straight on the bed of the river, by drawing the bullet towards the place where you are sitting. The chub, when he feeds, is nothing like [27] F 66 so distrustful as the carp, therefore the same intent watch is not absolutely needful, and the rod may be placed in the rest or on the bank so long as the line is fairly taut. Given a bit of a tug, up with it instanter, and strike at once, for it is most likely that the fish has taken the bait and gulped it down his capacious throttle. The same tackle may be used in baiting with cheese or greaves, save that the hook should be a triangle, and that of fair size. In fishing with cheese, two or three holes may be baited the night before angling, with some of the most rotten old cheese that can be got at. Samples outside the cheesemongers' shops, smelling strong, full of animal life, and at about '^d. a pound, is the correct thing ; and a couple of pounds of this aromatic variety worked up roughly with some soaked bread makes a highly seasoned dish of a surety likely to please the palate of the loggerhead, wherever he may be, and keep him hanging about the baited place. Once let him get the full flavour of the sunken mess, there he'll stick until every atom is gone. Touching and concerning the paste for the hook, this cannot be too carefully made, for as cheese having a tendency to harden in the water, it is obvious that the material should be thoroughly softened and incorporated, so as to do away with this as much as possible. Select rich old Cheshire, oily, and full of unctuous quality, pare away the rind, not too- sparingly, so as to get rid of the harder portions, then with a bottle, or a rolling-pin, crush the cheese thoroughly upon a table or flat piece of stone, breaking up every hard bit ; when completely rolled out and soft, get a piece of stale crumb of bread — a piece the size of an egg will be sufficient for a good quarter of a pound of cheese— and moisten it thoroughly, then squeeze dry, and with the hands work and mix it up- with the cheese — it will take a good half hour to do well ; when 67 finished, put it in a damp cloth for use. At the water-side it will want working up now and again so as to keep it soft and pliable, and when baiting the hook, take a piece of cheese a little bigger than a thrush's egg — the chub has a capacious gullet, and will easily negotiate this — and make a hole in it with the thumb, inserting the triangle ; then pinch it close round the gut, covering the hook completely. By this method the hook lies encased simply by a shell of cheese, which will break with the strike, when the fish takes the bait. If the paste is moulded round the hook in a mass it becomes very shortly a solid body, hard as a bullet, and the chances are that a fish is lost by the bait being pulled out of his mouth, the hooks being unable to break through the bait and penetrate his leathery muzzle. Strike instantly and sharply when a bite is felt ; if the fish is not hooked, drop the bait ; he' may try it again, if hungry. If hooked, keep him away from roots and sub- merged boughs, for once let him get among them, all the king's horses and all the king's men won't save the tackle unless one is very lucky, and if the hooked fish is lost it is all up with that hole for a time, and one might just as well , seek fresh pastures. Shrimps are another bait that at certain times kill chub well, and I prefer the pink to the brown. I always shell them, saving husks, heads and tails, and putting them with a few whole shrimps into some clay for ground bait ; and then three or four of the shelled crustaceans neatly on a small triangle, casting into likely places. Greaves also are better on a triangle than a single hook, and the whitest and softest pieces should be selected. In preparing greaves the cake should be broken up and put in any old vessel with just water enough to cover the contents, and into a slow oven to simmer and stew until the compound is soft. F 2 68 Never throw much greaves in as ground bait, fish soon sicken of it, so that it should be used sparingly. A baby frog is the grandest bait in the world for a big chub, just at that doubtful period of his existence when even his mother might feel some pardonable uncertainty as to whether he belonged to her family or not ; but it would occupy too much space to dilate impartially upon frogs and black-beetles, cockchafers and slugs, and the beauties of Nottingham fishing with pith and brains under the boughs; so that I must even leave all I would say unsaid. Tench Fishing. With regard to angling for tench there is really little to be said. They are so seldom met with in rivers, and are so uncertain in their biting moods, that it would be simply "waste of time for an angler to devote much, if any, of his leisure to angling specially for them. One hears every now and then of a good fish that has fallen to a skilled rodster, both in the Thames and Lea. But it usually turns out upon investigation that the capture has been one purely of a chance nature, and that the fish has been taken either by a banksman who was roach-fishing, or, in the Thames more particularly, by some angler who is bream or barbel- fishing, and who gets a cautious preliminary nibble or two, puzzling him for a moment from its being utterly unlike any other bite he has had, and who upon striking when he finds his float sailing off, finds that " the doctor " has taken a fancy to his lobworm. Where, however, it is known that tench have chosen some slow, heavy water, and their habitation is a part of a river, I would always advise those who may have a sufficient stock of patience to devote part of their 69 time in pursuit of them, to see that their tackle is of good quality and without flaws, for a river tench of any size, and who being hooked gets into anything like a strong current, will try the tackle as much, perhaps, as a barbel, and that is saying a good deal for his fighting powers. Far and away more likely places will be old clay pits, deep ponds, fleets and meres, and the large ornamental sheets of water that are found in many of our large landed proprietors' domains, and where a request for a day's angling rarely meets with refusal if properly preferred. In such a situation, and supposing the water to be fairly free from weeds, or with large open spaces between the weed- grown places, I would recommend that before fishing, the place should be plentifully ground-baited for a night or two previously. If it is intended to angle with worms, chopped lobs should form the attraction, first selecting from the stock gathered, the flat, silvery and medium-sized worms for the hook. Never bait the hook with those dull, leaden- coloured worms, with a red band running round them, and an orange-coloured belly. I don't mean to say that a tench would never take one if offered him, and nicely put on the hook ; but I think the other worm will kill in the propoition of four to one — at least such has been my experience, therefore I think it proves which of the two is the better. If float fishing is preferred it should be as light as possible, for the tench is a shy feeder, and would infallibly leave the bait if he found that he was dragging at a big cork float on the surface. A small swan or porcupine quill is as good as any ; the gut should be fine yet good, the hook No. 7 or 8, fairly long in the shank and round in the bend, the running line of fine yet strong silk — plaited for choice — while the rod need not be longer than is necessary to reach the place selected. If the water be 70 very weedy and the clear places small and confined, then perhaps a long rod would be serviceable, dispensing with the running line altogether, but taking care that the gut bottom and line at the top-joint be additionally strong. In such a cramped position, should the fish feed and a big one be struck, it will be simply a case of testing the fish and his strength against the tackle ; all I can say is, keep him away from the weed-beds, he'll bolt for them like a ferret after a bunny, and if he gets among them — good-bye. The bait should, if possible, touch the bottom, but inasmuch as tencli retreats are usually muddy in the extreme — which fact is eksily ascertainable by the plummet — it would be useless to put a lively lob well on the bottom, because he would very soon become part and parcel of the mud itself. I have found it a good plan when, as I have said, there are plenty of clear open spaces, and the bottom is sound and hard, to dispense with float, etc., altogether, and first baiting the hook with a picked lob, draw from the reel a sufficient quantity of line to reach the desired spot, and then, coiling this line, let it lie on the bank free and clear of all obstructions. Lay the rod as well on the bank, and take the baited hook in the thumb and fingers of the right hand, cast it out from the hand with a gentle swing, and the line, if sufficiently light and fine (and what big fish can be killed on a fine line if one only knows how to use it), will fly out after the baited hook, which sinks from its own specific weight and that of the worm combined ; give it time to find the bottom and then reel up any slack line there may be. Keep the rod down upon the bank, with the winch handles (and the winch for this work must be a Nottingham with perfectly free action) uppermost, and clear of any twigs or other things likely to impede it, and then take a seat well away from the water, keep perfectly still and motion- 71 less, and await events. A bite is first indicated by a trembling of the line ; give him plenty of time, and presently, if master tench means business, the winch handles begin to slowly revolve and the line to sneak away yard after yard ; then strike, not too hard, for he has a leathery mouth, and the hooks are sure to hold, and the probability is that if he is a good fish there will ensue a " leetle fight " before he caves in. Never be in a hurry when tench-fishing, and the float indicates some hidden^attentions — this fish will mumble and suck at your worm or gentles for a long time in some cases, before he finally makes up his mind to do or die — then the float either goes slowly down, and out of sight, or it may rise up, and seem half inclined to topple over, and then move along the surface, or it may be raised up, and laid flat on the water, indicating that a fish has taken the bait, and has risen to the surface — either are critical moments, and one is warranted in striking at once. Sweet paste, made from stale bread-crumb, and judiciously blended with honey, kills tench well at times, at others they won't look at it. Wasp grubs are another good bait, and caddis worms occasionally make their mark, while gentles are at times taken greedily. Worms, however, clean and well scoured, seem at all times to be the most favourite lure, and although I am aware that many anglers will disagree with me, I prefer the lobworm to any, even to the red worm, or brilliantly striped brandling. Bright, clean and tough, I am inclined to think that nothing beats the lob for big fish, and the bigger the inhabitants of the pool are, the more they seem to like it. 72 Bream Fishing. The fish under notice is tolerably well known to anglers, and yet merits a passing word or two in the matter of description. He grows to a large size, and as he increases in weight becomes a very handsome fellow, requiring no little skill on the part of a fisher to successfully make a large bag. With a high arched back, and deep belly, he is somewhat of a rhomboidal form, his sides being, unless very well nourished, extremely flat in comparison with his great depth. His head is small, with the nose pointed and tapering down to the mouth, which is void of teeth, and not by any means a large one, The eyes are large and full, the irides of a silvery hue, the fins, the dorsal in particular, are small sized, the anal extending from the vent to the root of the tail, which is large, powerful and deeply forked. In colour, bream vary considerably; and there seems to be two distinct classes of the same species, although both inhabit similar localities. The one called the golden, or carp bream, attains a far larger size than his relative, the white bream, the latter never carrying the brilliant bronze tint of his big brother. The golden bream has his back coloured with a deep olive bronze tint, the sides gradually growing lighter in hue as they approach the belly, which is a shining silvery white, the fins of a dusky grey, tinged at the root with the predominant golden cast ; the scales in both species are large, round and well developed. Bream are thoroughly gregarious in their habits, herding together in large shoals, and generally seeking the deepest and widest part of a river, where the stream is slow and heavy, and the sides are fringed with beds of reed and rushes. Such situations are always 73 looked upon as likely habitats for the "flat, unwieldy- bream," but it does not follow that there he will be invariably found, for some of the largest fish of this tribe are taken in the Thames immediately in the boil and rapid water of a heavy weir fall. The river just mentioned, the Thames, holds plenty of bream at certain places, and there can be little doubt that the fish attain a very large size. I have taken them myself close upon 6 lbs., and I have heard of them being landed considerably heavier. Halliford, Shepperton, Weybridge and Penton Hook, of the higher sections, and Teddington and Kingston of the lower parts of the river, are all famous bream waters. The Mole again, from its rise to the point where it empties itself into the Thames, nearly opposite Hampton Court Palace, and the Wey, are both celebrated for their abundant supply, while the Medway, at many of its stations, gives the bottom fisher plenty of sport with large specimens of this class. Then further afield, the Ouse, throughout its entire length, is full of them ; and the Yare, and the contiguous " broads " of Norfolk literally swarm with bream ; while the Trent, at some places, produces large supplies for the Birmingham and Sheffield Angler's delectation. Close home, the Lea holds a few fish in its waters, but they are rarely angled for properly, and hence rarely caught ; three fish, however, may be seen at Mr. Benningfield's house, the Crown, at Brox- bourne, which were taken by Mr. Bradlaugh at Carthagena Weir — fruits of philosophy and good angling combined ; these three specimen fish weighing together 21 lbs. Then, quite recently, a gentleman, whose name I at the moment forget, but who is, or was, attached to the Conservancy Board of the Lea, caught a splendid bream close upon 9 lbs. ; so that it proves that if they are not as plentiful as black- berries in this river, they run large at any rate. The Surrey 74 and Commercial Docks, formerly open to the hard-working London angler, but now unhappily tabooed, unless at a teriribly high price for a season ticket — £$ I am told — holds plenty of them; and the Welsh Harp aiid Dagenham fishery lakes as well, usually returns a take of these fish to one who knows the peculiarities of each spot, and studying them, takes the trouble to fish with caution, suitable bait and fine tackle. Very much depends upon the water to be fished^ upon the method adopted and the description of tackle employed. In the Thames, except at one or two places, where the bank fisher may command one or other of the deep holes which are known to be bream haunts with the leger, it is simply labour in vain to attempt to fish for them from the bank with any chance of making a good catch. They are shy and crafty in the extreme, and take good care to keep well away from the sides of the river — and out in the more fancied security of the deeps ; so that even if the bank- man can throw his leger into the hole, his only chance of success would be at the very earliest peep of " early morn " or at the close of " dewy eve ; " and these two periods of the day may be taken, from first to last, as the best times to endeavour to seduce our slimy friend into appreciating the flavour of a well scoured lob, or, indeed, any other bait with which one may choose to tempt him. In Thames fishing, then, for bream, it is absolutely necessary to fish from a punt or boat, and for this method of angling a Nottingha«i rod, with two tops, of 12 or 14 feet in length, is the best that can be used ; they are wonderfully light, and one may fish all day with one of these rods without tiring the arm, no small desideratum in a long day's work. These rods are besides so nicely adjusted that the change of tops makes a complete change in the character of the rod — with the long and somewhat flexible top, one gets a rod with the 75 most perfect action for either long corking or the sliding float ; affixing the shorter, and consequently much stiffer top, one gets a tool the very beau ideal of what is required for either paternostering or legering ; and, after that, I think I need hardly say more in praise of my favourite, the Nottingham weapon. If the place selected has a bottom tolerably uniform in depth, there is no method more killing than "tight corking," i.e., using a bottom of the finest natural gut, with the shot equally placed along its entire length ; by adopting this method of placing the shot it will be obvious that the line hangs much more true and straight in the water from the extremity of the float than if they were placed all together. The running line, and there should be from 60 to lOO yards on a reel, cannot well be too fine, while the reel itself should be perfectly smooth and easy in its action — in point of fact, so nicely made and regulated that the mere action of the stream on the float, and the weight of the float itself, is sufficient to cause the reel to revolve easily, and without the least stopping or scraping. If the reel acts properly, and the line is sufficiently light, it can be held perfectly taut and straight from the cap of the float to the point of the rod, no matter how long, in reason, the swim may be, and the fish can be struck with almost as great a certainty as the roach fisherman hooks his fish with half a line only of strike line from float to top joint. Five-and-twenty, thirty, or forty yards is no uncommon distance for a swim down from the punt, and the fun that ensues whpn a three or four pounder is hooked on fine tackle at this distance is no little, rely on't ! The hook used for bream should be size No. 7 or 8, round in the bend, and, if for worm-fishing, long in the shank, so that the worm may be drawn neatly up the shank of the hook, and not hang in loops. Supposing then 76 that suitable tackle has been rigged up, we will now proceed to the fishing itself. Ground-baiting, whether in river or pond, is essentially necessary for this fish; for as they frequently shift their locale and rove about in search of food, it is obvious that they are likely to be kept together where they find a supply of palatable rations. Now there is nothing that your river bream, takes so kindly to as a diet of worms, and where the fish run large, lobs well scoured are a very attractive bait ; indeed I don't know anything to beat them for big fish. The hole, or run that is intended to operate upon, should therefore be well baited one or two nights before fishing with a plentiful supply of lobs, either chopped up or thrown in whole .? of the two I think the latter is far preferable, and saves a somewhat unpleasant operation. One thing should, however, be borne in mind, that if there is no clay used when ground-baiting, and it is better without it, the worms should be taken sufficiently above the hole, and the set of the current studied to ensure them sinking, and not being swept away from the chosen place. It is an extraordinary fact, yet none the less certain, that these fish will sometimes refuse to have anything to do with a worm that travels down the stream, no matter how neatly or showily put upon the hook, when the self-same bait, stationary upon leger tackle, kills him instantly ; and again they frequently reverse their tactics, declining the leger business altogether, yet attacking the moving bait the instant it reaches the bottom. The bream-fisher, bearing this in mind, should, then, never despair of filling his basket if the fish seem at first to be " dead off"," but try other methods, and by offering them a suitable bait, he will usually succeed in killing a brace or two of fish, and perhaps a good many more, when, if he had stuck to his original style, he would in all probability have gone home with a very light basket. In legering much the same tackle may- be used as that described in carp-fishing — a fine gut bottom, a bullet no larger than is absolutely necessary to find and hold the ground against the stream, the hook the same as that previously described, allowing the fish a fair time if the bait is a large one, before striking him. A capital bait at times for a bream is a bolus of plain bread paste, made from the crumb of stale, yet perfectly sweet and white bread, just dipped into water, and worked up with scrupu- lously clean hands until it attains a tough and stiff con- sistency. This may sometimes be sweetened with a little honey to advantage, although I have usually found that when they are in a paste-feeding humour, the plain kills just as well as the sweet. Paste will not stand a heavy current long, so that the hook should be frequently looked at, and a small triangle will be found more serviceable than a single hook, holding the paste much better together. Gentles, again, sometimes exercise a powerful attraction ; they are best used on a diminutive triangle, ground-baiting with plenty of "carrion," and using liver gentles for the hook. Bream seek the defep secluded parts of ponds and lakes, and thrive amazingly in favourable waters, such as have a bottom of an oozy, sandy nature, and where the sides have an edging of weed-beds, lilies and water-flags. Here, in the hot weather, they will be found rolling and tumbling about in the weeds, to which they resort for shade and shelter during the heat of the day. In some waters that can be fished only from the side, a long rod is really needful, so as to clear the weeds. At all times, however, cumbersome and heavy, a long rod, where running tackle is employed, becomes an abomi- nable nuisance, from the difficulty in unshipping a joint to allow landing the fish. I should, then, always 78 advise, whenever practicable, the use of a short one — of, say 12 or 14 feet, with strong yet fine-running tackle of plaited silk. When the proper depth has been obtained, a sufficient quantity of line to ensure reaching the desired spot may be drawn from the reel and taken out in a loop from the bottom ring of the rod and the reel itself. It may then, when drawn fairly taut, be hitched over a tiny twig, or a blade of stout grass projecting from the ground, and the piscator, taking up the rod and giving the float and the shotted line a swing in the desired direction, will find that the light line flies easily through the rings after the weighted portion, and, with a little practice, almost any part of a pond may be easily reached. In a gastronomic point of view the bream has always been held up to execra- tion. Here is a recipe for cooking a river fish of, say 3 or 4 pound weight : — Cleanse him and lay him in salt and water one hour ; stuff" with a rich veal stuffing and bake him — plentifully anointed with good butter — in a slow oven, until the meat comes easily from the bones. Serve him up, hot and hot, with cayenne pepper and lemon juice. Carpers may say — I don't mean carp-eaters or carp-fishers — that the' veal-stuffing, lemon juice and butter, are the only parts of the dish worth going in for ; it may be so, but I have found the fish very toothsome. Dace Fishing. Dace are found in most of our English rivers, streams and brooks, and will thrive well in either swiftly running water, or in slower streams, so long as there is a fresh supply coming from the head or from the feeders running into it. To the beginner in fly-fishing, we have no fish indigenous to our waters that gives such good practice 79 to the learner as the one under notice, for during the spring and summer months the dace rises greedily at small flies and insects of various kinds, and is besides so bi'ave and dashing in his attempts to escape when hooked upon fine tackle, that he gets the pupil's hand well in for higher and nobler game. He is an extremely handsome fish, and elegantly shaped, the head small, with the irides of the eyes a pale yellow, the body lengthy and the tail well forked ; the scales are much smaller than those of the roach, and have a brilliant silvery gloss predominating over a cast of yellowish green ; the back is of a dusky green tint, the belly white, the ventral, anal and caudal fins of a pale reddish hue. In the Thames they are seldom taken of any great size, but in the Lea, and particularly above Ware and Hertford, they run much larger ; while in the Lark and Linnet — the former a tributary of the Ouse, of Suffolk and Cambridge, the latter another tributary stream joining, the Lark near Bury — it is said that they attain a pound or more in weight. Personally, however, I have never seen anything approaching this size, and shall be inclined to take such statements cum grano, although Pennant gives an account of one that weighed a pound and a half, and Linnaeus says that it grows to a foot and a half in some countries. The most likely localities in which to find these fish is in the vicinity of rapid curi-ents, sharps and eddies ; the point of junction between two streams is another habitat, while mill-races and the tail of a mill-run are nearly always sure finds, and here they will work up among the sharpest streams, and in the froth and foam of the most turbulent looking water. In cold and stormy weather they leave their favourite gravelly scours, and seek deeper and more subtle water, where the bottom is marly or clayey in character, and here they are 8o more likely to be taken by means of bottom fishing. Spawning somewhere about the middle of March, or the beginning of April, it is a wonderful sight to watch a school of these fish upon the spawning beds, working and burrow- ing amongst the sand and gravel, in active preparation for the deposition of their ova, and upon favourable ground, countless thousands may be frequently noticed by the attentive observer ; while so intent are the little fellows upon the object at issue, that they seemingly take not the slightest notice of lookers on. Always provided they keep tolerably quiet, and don't throw brickbats among them — a little amusement I saw practised some few years ago on the Maidenhead shallows, by some of the thoughtless men who make camping out an amusement upon the banks of the Thames as soon as the sun has fairly made his appearance for the summer season. In bottom fishing for dace, there is little, if any, difference to that practised in roach-fishing ; at any rate the same tackle will kill equally well. It is, however, in the autumn months that the best sport can be obtained, when they, like the roach, have retired to the deeper portions of the river. In the earlier periods of the year dace will feed greedily, occasionally upon worms of all kinds, and the little red worm in particular, as well as the larvae of beetles, grubs, wasps and caddis worms. In the hotter months, such as June, July and August, if the angler chooses to try for them on the bottom, no bait is so killing as gentles, well scoured and cleansed in sand, and thus rendered tough and lasting on the hook. Some pieces of greaves, of which dace are extravagantly fond, are another excellent bait for them, and many an anathema has this fish to put up with from the barbel-fisher when legering with this substance, in return for the multitude of sharp tugging bites — very different, however, to that of a 8i barbel — that he favours the angler with at such times. A capital plan for their capture when they come upon a barbel swim, is to fit up a small hook upon a length of gut, and so affixed to the leger bottom that it hangs close to the larger lump of greaves destined for the bigger fish — thus, when these little pests, at such times, rush at the big piece of greaves, one or other of their number is certain to swallow the small bit, and come to bag, where one might strike all day at their sharp tugs at the larger baits, without once hooking one of them. It is always a good sign when dace on a sudden cease biting on a barbel swim. Rely upon it, that larger fish have hustled the little thieves away, and that the probabilities are that while barbel or chub are on the bottom inspecting your bait, preparatory to a final smack at it, the dace have risen over them as a flight of wood pigeons will watch a hawk. During the summer, supposing the angler to be bottom fishing, it is always advisable to fish rather off than on the bottom for dace ; for, unlike the roach, they seek the swifter runs of water, such as the angle of two sharp streams, or the races of mill- wheels, and tiiere, stemming the current, lie poised and waiting for chance food that may come down. In such a place, where eddies and back currents whirl the waters back and forth in tortuous fashion, drop in the plummet, and set the bait four or five inches from the ground, A light, handy rod is required, a little springy in its action, fine running tackle and a fair sized cork or quill float, well shotted, and yet of such buoyancy as to resist the suction and swirl of the heavy stream ; then let the stream take the baited hook — and the lure may be caddis, red worm, or gentles — right down away among the sharpest whirls and eddies. Here lie the dace, and the instant the bait reaches them away goes the float, and good sport ensues at [72] o 82 once, for dace fight hard and pluckily, and upon such fine tackle as this, and in such a boil of water, will not yield till they've had a sharp fight for victory. For its size nothing plunges more violently at first, and proper care should always be taken in striking a fish at such a place, from the extreme probability that a trout or two may be lying there, and that one of the spotted beauties may have bolted your worm, or bunch of caddis or gentles. In ground baiting for dace I know of nothing better than plenty of carrion gentles, obtained from bone boilers' and crushers' places of business. These, mixed with coarse pollard or bran, and put loosely into balls of clay, will be found as useful as anything ; but care should be exercised in the quantity given, as dace are greedy feeders at all times, and if they get thoroughly gorged with food, will cease biting at the baited hook, as a matter of course. As I have already said, no better practice for the embryo trout-fisher can be obtained than fly-fishing for dace. An ordinary trouting rod will do as well as any ; the cast should be of the finest gut, and two or three flies may be used tied on hooks of small pattern : when, however, a beginner in the graceful art of fly-fishing is desirous of obtaining instruction and accuracy in throwing a fly, one only is sufficient. .Small black and red palmers and black gnats are good and staple flies for dace whipping, and occasionally, if the black flies have a gentle put upon the tip of the hook's point, it seems to possess extraordinary attractive qualities, and the fish will dash at it madly. In lieu of gentles, supposing them to be unattainable, a bit of wash-leather with the point of the hook pushed through it will be found an efficient substitute. The best method of fishing the Thames shallows is to throw from a boat, having a heavy stone, or, better still, a small anchor, so as to effectually moor the craft whenever a likely spot is reached. The flies may then be cast straight down the stream and to the right and left, and it will be soon apparent to the angler whether dace are on the shallows or no, for if there they will likely enough come with a rush at the flies at once, pro- vided the weather is at all favourable ; if they are not there, or none are taken after ten minutes' time, try elsewhere. Capital sport as is obtained with the artificial, I must confess that I think the practice of blow line fishing will beat it hollow, and, at the risk of repetition, I will suggest that whenever shallows and likely looking scours can be reached from -the bank, they should be fished in the following manner : — Use a lengthy, light and stiff rod, with a long line of floss silk, which can be obtained at any of the tackle shops for this particular purpose, and should be two yards at least beyond the length of the rod ; then, with a small hook placed carefully between the shoulders of a bluebottle — at all times a most deadly lure — get the wind at your back, and, sheltered from view by a bit of rising ground, a bush, or the old stump of a tree, let the breeze carry the light floss until it bellies out, clear of the uplifted rod. With the baited hook held between the thumb and finger of the left hand, raise the point of the rod, and at the instant a puff of wind comes, release the fly, gradually lowering the rod until it drops gently and naturally upon the surface of the. stream. It sometimes happens, from some unaccountable reason, that dace will not take the fly when upon the surface. Supposing that this occurs and few fish are observed rising over ground where they are known to lie, and those which do rise refuse to take the fly thrown, perhaps, directly over them, put on the hook-link of gut or hair a single shot, and let the insect sink, gently drawing it backwards and forwards to the surface of the 84 water ; by these means many fish may be captured that otherwise would have gone untouched. The ant fly, a winged insect found in the interior of the anthills, is a splendid natural bait for dace, and Walton thus gives instructions for their capture and subsequent keeping. He gays : — " Gather them alive with both their wings, and put them into a glass that will hold a quart or pottle ; first put into the glass a handful or more of the moist earth out of which you gather them, and as much of the roots of the grass of the said hillock, and then put in the flies, gently, that they lose not their wings ; lay a clod of earth over it, and then so many as are put into the glass without bruising will live there a month or more, and be always in readiness for you to fish with. But if you would have them keep longer, then get any great earthen pot or barrel, or three or four gallons, which is better, then wash your barrel with water and honey, and having put into it a quantity of earth and grass roots, then put in your flies, and they will cover it, and will live a quarter of a year— ^these in any stream and clear water are a' deadly bait for roach or dace, or for a chub.'' So far as culinary properties are concerned, the " silvery dace " has little, if anything, to recommend him, although when fried, crisp and brown, in good oil or lard, and eaten in lieu of anything better, with the appetite engendered by a long ramble, rod in hand, by the brink of some sparkling streamlet, he is not to be despised ; and I can well recollect on one occasion, when cold, wet, and hungry, I got back to a little village " pub.," at which I had engaged a bed for the night, I was met with the comforting assurance, that save some rusty bacon, and cheese like soap, there was nothing eatable in the house. I had, however, some three dozen splendid dace, and these were forthwith consigned to the kitchen for my supper ; presently 85 they appeared, crisp and hot, and with brown bread and butter, pepper, and salt, they made an appetising and savoury meal — better than sprats, at any rate. Carefully wiped dry, and placed in methylated spirits in an air-tight jar, they will keep wonderfully well and make grand baits for winter jack spinning. I will now close my paper upon • Freshwater Fishing, thanking not only my Lord Abinger for his courtesy in presiding, but you, gentlemen, for the attention with which you have listened to me. DISCUSSION. Mr. WiLMOT said he must say a word with regard to the somewhat notorious black bass of Canada as his name had been mentioned. Mr. Wheeldon had rather misunder- stood his feeling towards the black bass, which was not a favourite of his by any means ; and on two or three occasions he had expressed the opinion that it was unadvisable to introduce it into Great Britain, unless it was into waters where there were no other fish of a superior kind. The black bass was a fish of good feeding quality ; not a bad fish to eat ; but not a favourite of his. He fished more for trout and salmon, and a man who was in the habit of doing so, would not fish for bass or any inferior fish. Black bass were a very voracious, greedy fish, and invariably cleaned out any other fish in the same waters, unless it was perch, which sometimes would hold their own, being of a somewhat similar character. Fishing in Canada was quite different to what it was in Great Britain. There they did not have barbel, dace, and roach, nor any fish of that kind. There might be some descriptions of fish of that class ; but at present the sluggish streams 86 had chub, pike shiners, and coarse fish of that sort. These fish were evidently of a low order, because they fed at the bottom of the rivers as a rule, and were therefore not to be compared with those of a higher order, such as trout, which rose to the surface for their food ; in fact you did not find trout in streams which were not limpid and clear, because they must see their food at the top of the water. He could readily understand why in a country like England, and in a city like London, so many people were fond of fish. It was very fortunate that the Thames gave the people residing in London so many opportunities of fishing, even although the fish might be of an inferior order. It was a pleasant healthy pastime, and if they got only one or two fish to eat for their day's labour, it was very pleasant when they came home to Isit down and tell the tale of the day's sport. He thought, therefore, that angling in every possible way should be encouraged, because it could never seriously diminish or destroy the fish in any stream as netting would. If more encourage- ment were given to anglers, it would be beneficial to fisheries as a rule. In Canada no one was allowed to fish for salmon with bait ; the law was very distinct, that it should only be fly surface fishing. The belief there was that salmon did not take food in the rivers at all ; and the government was so particular with regard to the protection of salmon when they passed all the nets and other engines which might be set at the estuaries, the fish having got past those, were only to be caught by the fly. He would suggest that if a law — something of that sort — were passed in England, it would be beneficial, and encourage a higher order of angling than catching salmon with bait. He begged to propose a vote of thanks to Mr. Wheeldon for the instructive lecture he had given. 87 Doctor HONEYMAN, in seconding the motion, said |he did not know much about angling himself ; but he so much admired the enthusiasm of Mr. Wheeldon on the subject that he was very much inclined to wish he was an angler himself. The Chairman, in putting the motion, said he should have been very glad to have heard some further remarks from Mr. Wheeldon more in the constructive line. It appeared to him that his able lecture dealt very much with modes of destroying fish ; but his love for fish was so great that his interest was almost greater in the methods of protecting and propagating fish, and he should have been glad to have heard from Mr. Wheeldon something on that point. For many years, whilst England was a Roman Catholic country, the habits of the fish were doubtless much better known, for it was impossible to go through the country and see all the ruins of ancient Abbeys without being struck with the stews and fish-ponds which were always to be found in connection with them. There was no doubt those brethren, though they lived and^died in the odour of sanctity, were perfectly well aware of the odour of a good fish on Friday ; but since the habits had changed, and fasting was no longer the fashion, the knowledge of breeding and rearing the fish had sunk to a very low ebb. Latterly, he saw indications amongst many noblemen and gentlemen of a great desire to cultivate this art, and he had no doubt, in the course of time, a great increase in the food of the people would be obtained from this source. The motion having been carried, Mr. Wheeldon, in responding, said he was quite sure when the exhibition was over they would all reflect very keenly on the loss they sustained by the absence of their American visitors, who had thoroughly endeared them- 88 selves to all they met by their kindly disposition and dourtesy of manner. He begged to propose a hearty vote of thanks to Lord Abinger for presiding on this occasion. Admiral BERNABfe seconded the motion. He thought there was no doubt that these Papers and discussions would be of great benefit, not only to England but to the world at large, inasmuch as they conveyed a large amount of useful information. They would tend to improvement in the modes of fishing, which would increase the food for the people and also ameliorate the condition of that hardy element of humanity called fishermen. The motion having been carried, The Chairman said it gave him a great deal of pleasure to attend the present conference, and only regretted for the sake of the lecturer and the public that there was not a larger attendance. It always gave him pleasure when he saw a good work in hand like the Fisheries Exhibition to put his own shoulder to the wheel if possible and help it forward. LONDON: WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS. International Fisheries Exhibition LONDON, 1883 ANGLING CLUBS PRESERVATION SOCIETIES LONDON AND THE PROVINCES BY J. P. WHEELDON LATE ANGLING EDITOR OF " BELL's LIFE' LONDON WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, Limited INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES EXHIBITION AND 13 CHARING CROSS, S.W. 1883 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. INTRODUCTION. In writing this handbook it was my original intention to give something like a short history of the formation and present position of some, at any rate, of the chief Angling Societies of the metropolis. Considering that there are certainly over 1 50 of these societies in London alone, I well knew that I had set myself no light task. Mapping the matter over in my own mind, I came to the conclusion that the only course for me to adopt was to seek the co-opera- tion of the societies themselves, asking through their various secretaries for information as to their origin, and also what, if any, good work they were doing in the present. With this view a letter was sent to the secretaries of the various metropolitan clubs, apprising them of my design and intention. I have to thank a small proportion of these gentlemen, and I regret to say a very small one, for the courtesy of a reply. The larger number evidently con- sidered the matter beneath their valuable notice, and so ignored it altogether. The situation hardly requires further comment. B 2 4 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION With regard to the provincial societies, the line adopted has been entirely different — not in so far as I personally was concerned, because the same letter was addressed to each and all, but in the matter of politeness and courteous consideration towards myself The result leaves me little room for doubt that the gentlenesses of modern society are cultivated far more abroad than they are at home. Many gentlemen have taken considerable trouble in affording me especially valuable information ; to all such I tender my warmest and heartiest thanks — not so much perhaps for the knowledge conveyed in their letters, as for the kindly sentiments which accompanied it. Thus much by way of introduction. For the reason stated, I regret very much that my little book does not contain fuller and more concise information. I leave it, however, to the tender mercies of my readers. It would probably be very difficult for the angler of to-day to realise what the Thames and the Lea were like some fifty years ago. Those are the two great home rivers, centres of all the persevering efforts made day by day,-week by week, and month after month, by the London angler, whose great aim it is to catch a big fish of some sort — it matters very little what — and have his name go down to posterity, decked with emblematic laurels as the " champion " in such and such a class of fishing. Such happy fate may be preserved for all time — until at any rate the record is beaten — upon the tablets of fame connected with some small local angling club. But fifty years ago — and what a paradise for sports- men the Thames must have been then ! — swans were kept SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 5 within bounds, and at that time it was not necessary to employ bands of men, as it is in the present day, to drive these handsome but terribly destructive birds from the line of weed-fringed roots dependent from stubbly pollards lining the bank, and upon which spawning perch have deposited their riband-like strings of ova, nor from " the hills " in the weir streams, where the great and bonny mother trout has frequented during that time when she was simply obeying Nature's urgent laws. Steam launches, probably the greatest of all great curses to him who, following the example of a writer of other days, would fain — " Live harmlessly, and by the brink Of Thames or Avon have a dwelling place. Where I may see my quill or cork down sink With eager bite of perch or bleak or dace. And on the world and my Creator think, were then absolutely unknown. In any event, there were none of those thrice detestable " puffers," with silent engines and dull moaning whistle, which daily and hourly tear through the water at the rate of 12 to 20 miles an hour, doing direful and deadly injury every yard they go. It may be said that this language is excessive in its strength, and overstrained in its application. Not a whit, take my word for it. I have seen more damage done to the ova of spawning fish in one season, and particularly perch and pike, by the everlasting swash and wash of these deadly pests, more — aye, far more than an army of poachers and fishermen could do in five years, had they even combined their forces, without absolutely netting the river wholesale every day, and harried every fish to death that came within their ken. At the first glance this would seem to be an overwhelming 6 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION statement, hastily and rashly made. One moment's con- sideration will suffice to impress any thoughtful man's mind with an assurance of its truth. A pike wirer, it is true, may kill a female fish, ripe and full of ova, and hence many thousands of future pike are lost to the fair fisher. But where he kills one or two fish without detection, the steam launches are perpetually and everlastingly ploughing through the water, not only washing away the ova de- posited upon the weeds and sheltering roots, but destroying thousands upon thousands of tiny just-hatched fry, which would otherwise have probably grown up, and made in time mature fish, the source and foundation of good sport to the fair fishermen. In those far-off days of the past there were such delight- ful and fishful nooks as one misses nowadays. Com- paratively speaking the Thames was a great stretch of maiden water, where the unharried fish dwelt in a sense of the most perfect security. Their chief enemy was then, probably, the village poacher, with his rude, yet none the less dangerous, ash pole and bit of dangling copper wire. Lazy and idle — as indeed some few perhaps of the village loungers of to-day may be — this worthy would stroll down to the- river side, where mayhap, amongst bonny sweet-smelling hay-fields lined with meadow-sweet, and where glorious purple loosestrife bounds the river's marge, he met not a solitary living soul the whole summer's day. Here he would pry about, until he might haply descry, basking amongst the water weeds, a big pike, with the tip of his nose and tail clear of the water, or the dorsal fin of a great lumbering carp. Then the fatal noose would be brought into play, and towards night, when reeling home from " The Haymakers," the gloriously happy fellow might possibly reflect, and withal possessed of an infinite sense of SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 7 satisfaction, that he was a very lucky dog indeed to be able to get such a skinful of good old ale with so little real trouble. But the injury done to, the fisheries of a river in such a case — and examples of it are now happily almost extinct — is increased a millionfold every year by that wrought by the terrible rate at which traffic up and down the stream is permitted. I have seen, for instance, the wave raised by a fast launch or heavy steam-tug rushing along the bank nearly a yard high, sweep up some little inland bay where the water perhaps shallowed from a foot or so at its mouth to only a few inches in depth in its interior. That little bay, and all such like it, is full to this day, I hope, of tiny mites of baby fisL I have seen, as I have said, the wave sweep across it, and as it receded it left hundreds, possibly thousands, of little fish to die amongst the pebbles and rank grass growing along the shore. Talk about the destruction effected by a pair of otters, talk about the war waged by the idle village lout upon the finny inhabitants of a river — why, the argument falls flat and becomes both baseless and ridiculous as opposed to the terrible havoc wreaked by these puffing pests, deter- mined enemies as they are to good sport, peace, and quietude. It may be in the recollection of some few of the readers of this little book that I have for years waged war, with both voice and pen, for the suppression of what I cannot help seeing is the chief enemy to the fisheries of the river. My work has borne at least some little fruit, inas- much as a Bill for the better regulation of steam traffic upon the river has gone through a select Committee of the Com- mons, and is now before the House of Lords ; and all good anglers will, I am convinced, say amen to my prayer for its 8 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION success. But suppose it passes and becomes law, as I earnestly hope it may do, it will still be an abortive and useless measure, unless the " Angling Clubs of London " — and here I strike the key-note of my book — help it by their united support and assistance. It is useless for Tom to wait while Jack or Harry strikes, in the event of any outrage upon propriety. Tom, being the spectator of an abuse of the existing law, should strike at once, and then perhaps others will follow his example, so that in the event of any breach of law in the future, the result, affecting, recollect, the angler's dearest and nearest interests in con- nection with his sport, rests with the angler himself As there are twenty " clubmen " fishing the Thames to one unassociated with any such body, this warning, and it is a very grave one, is addressed particularly to them. Practically, I think, or at any rate to any great extent, poaching on the fisheries of the Thames is very nearly extinct. Now and again there is a raid made, it is true, by some of those determined spirits always to be found in villages and large towns, and who would, every man-Jack of them, infinitely prefer one poached hare or pheasant, obtained at the price of a little adventure and devilry, to a brace got by fair means ; but I hardly fancy that the extent of the mischief done is very great. The reason Jies in the fact that a very large proportion of the river is now pro- tected either by the keepers and ofiicers of the Thames Angling Preservation Society or by the officials of some one or other of the local associations, all of whom are in reality offshoots from the parent-tree just named. There can be little doubt that the growth of the angling clubs of London has been largely fostered by the efforts maide by the " Thames Angling Treservation Society " in the con- servation and preservation of its fisheries. In tracing, SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 9 therefore, an imperfect history of the growth of the angling clubs, due credit should be given to the leading Preservation body, which exercises such an important control over the interests of the great home river. It may therefore, at this point, be a fair opportunity for a short description of establishment and progress up to the present time. The Thames Angling Preservation Society was, I believe, first established in the year 1838. Somewhere about that time, a report was certainly promulgated to the effect that "the Fisheries of the River Thames had of late afforded so little sport, owing to incessant poaching and the destruction of the young brood and spawn during the fence seasons, that it was almost useless to attempt angling in certain districts at all." Fortunately, that report found its way to a sympathetic quarter, and it occurred to those into whose hands it fell that if a proper representation of the facts were made to the Lord Mayor of London (then Sir John Cowan) he might probably be induced, in his official capacity as Conservator of the River Thames, to help those early pioneers of fish preservation in the course they were endeavouring to take for the good alike of anglers and the river itself Acting upon this view, a meeting was convened on the 17th of March, 1838, and was afterwards held at the " Bell Inn," Hampton. It was attended by the following good anglers, most of whom, I am afraid, have gone to that shadowy bourne, from which no angler, however good he may have been, ever returns — Mr. Henry Jephson, Mr. C. C. Clarke, Mr. Henry Perkins, Mr. W. H. Whitebread, Mr. Edward Jesse, Mr. Richard Kerry, and Mr. David Crole. These gentlemen having met, fully discussed the important issues brought before them, and that meeting was the groundwoi-k upon which the present important work of the Thames Angling Preservation Society was founded. lo THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION They therefore resolved themselves into a Society for " the protection of fish from poachers ; " and one of the earliest steps taken was the appointment of a staff of river-keepers, selected principally from amongst the professional fishermen who gained a livelihood upon the Thames. The valuable action of this small preservative body was from the outset fully recognised by the Lord Mayor, and warrants were then granted to the river-keepers to act as water-bailiffs, while certain bye-laws were framed for the better protec- tion of the fisheries of the river. Under these by-laws the position and power of the river-keepers is thus defined : — They are empowered " to enter any boat, vessel, or craft of any fisherman or dredgerman, or other person or persons fishing or taking fish or endeavouring to take fish, and there to search for, take and seize all spawn, fish, brood of fish, and unsizable, unwholesome, of unseasonable fish, and also all unlawful nets, engines, and instruments for taking or destroying fish as shall then be in any such boat, vessel, or craft in and upon the river, and to take and seize on shore or shores adjoining to the said river all such spawn, fish, and also all unlawful nets, engines, and instruments for taking and destroying fish as shall there be found." The extent of water taken under control was from Richmond to the City Stone at Staines, and immediately efforts were made to preserve the various deeps in tiie course indicated, thus making them " harbours of refuge " for the fish. The position of such preserves may be shortly pointed out as follows. Richmond. — The preserve is westward of the bridge to the Duke of Buccleuch's, 700 yards. Twickenham. — The preserve is the west end of lawn. Pope's Villa, to the ait, 400 yards. Kingston. — The preserve is from the Lower Malthouse at Hampton Wick to the east end of Mr. J. C. SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES, ii Park's lawn at Teddington, including the back-water known as the Crolock, 1060 yards. Thames Ditton and Long Ditton. — The preserve is from Lord Henry Fitz- gerald's, running eastwards, 512 yards. Hampton. — The preserve is from the. west end of Garrick's Lawn, including the Tantling Bay, to the lower end pile below Moulsey Lock, 1 5 14 yards. Sunbury. — The preserve is from the weir westward to the east end pile of breakwater, 683 yards. Walton.^The preserve is at the east end of Tankerville and west of Horse Bridge, called Walton Sale, 250 yards. Shepperton. — The preserve is, Upper Deep, 200 yards ; Old Deep, east of the creek rails, 240 yards ; Lower Deep, east of the drain, 200 yards. Weybridge.- — The preserve is from the weir to Shepperton Lock, 830 yards. Chertsey. — The preserve is the weir to 80 yards eastward of the bridge, 445 yards. Laleham and Penton Hook. — The preserve at Penton Hook is from the guard piles eastward round the Hook to the east end of the lock. Staines. — The preserve is the City boundary stone to 210 yards eastward of the bridge. From time to time these preserves have been rendered more efficient by the sinking of old punts, brick burrs, and by driving stakes into the river bed, as a protection against netting operations. The last of such established preserves was that at Kingston, which was made in the year 1857. Upon application being made to the Lord Mayor, the move- ment was opposed by some of the professional fishermen, but such opposition was overruled, and the following is a list of the obstacles sunk : — " Five old punts, two iron waggons, 7 feet 3 inches in length by 4 inches, and 2 feet 6 inches in height, open at one end ; 450 stakes driven ; six 2-horse loads of large brick burrs ; twenty egg chests with tenter hooks ; fifty large flint stones ; ten tar-barrels, tenter- 12 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION hooked ; two large sugar casks, tenter-hooked ; two punt loads of old iron gas lamps and other useful things ; and' three sacks of tin cuttings for the landing-places along the shore." In December 1857 the Board of Thames Conservancy- became invested with fuller powers in its' government, and an application made by the Thames Angling Preservation Society for a continuance of the powers vested in their bailiffs or water-keepers was at once granted. The next step taken for the further preservation of the fisheries of the Thames was in 1869, when an application was made for the whole abolition of netting between Richmond Bridge and the City Stone at Staines. This was supported by the entire body of Thames fishermen, and in consequence of the Conservancy Board acceding to the application the following notice was inserted in several of the London papers : — " Be it ordered and established that the i6th item of the rules, orders, and ordinances for the fisheries in the Thames and Medway, made on the 4th day of October; 1785, be repealed, and that henceforth no person shall use any net for the purpose of catching fish in the River Thames between Richmond Bridge and the ' City Stone ' at Staines, except a small net for the purpose of taking bait only, of the following dimensions — namely, not ex- ceeding 13 feet in circumference, and an angler's landing net, under penalty to forfeit and pay ^5 for every such offence. The seal of the Conservators of the River Thames was this 23rd day of January, i860, affixed by order." But the most important work, after all, effected by the Thames Angling Preservation Society was perhaps the abolition of snatching and laying night lines. It is SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 13 absolutely impossible to overestimate the destruction effected amongst spawning fish, or to others flocking to certain places where a sewage discharge induced them to harbour, than was effected by the detestable and unsports- manlike practice of snatching. The sewer at the foot of Richmond Bridge was a noted place where the so-called angler was in the habit of exercising his unworthy craft. The modus operandi was very much as follows : an angler — heaven save the mark ! — perhaps pretended to be fishing for dace, and attached to his tackle he had a dozen stout hooks set at intervals on his line, some of them baited — others with not even that shallow pretence — with a fragmen- tary portion of worm. All day long these delightful gentry kept dropping a heavily shotted line into the swim, and instantly jerking it upwards again with a powerful stroke. Thus many a great carp has been impaled, many a lusty bream dragged nolens volens from his watery home. The same kind of thing was done openly and in broad daylight, along the parade at Kingston, and the operators pretended they were fishing — legitimately fishing ! Now and again a bold sportsman, rendered hardy and brave with impunity, disdained to use the shallow artifice of the bit of worm at all, and boldly lowered amongst the gathering shoals of bream or dace a cruel implement of sport, consisting of a bunch of bare triangles weighted with a sinker. It may well be in the recollection of a great many disgusted spectators, even as the memory is likely to abide with me for all time, of the shameful and detestable scenes that were wont to be enacted day after day at many of the accessible weirs, when the dace were heading up. I have seen them slaughtered in scores, and scores of hundreds ; and this little game went on day after day, for weeks. It was stopped at last, and high time too. The only wonder 14 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION I have, thinking back upon such scenes, is this : How was it that many a good angler, who must have shuddered with indignation at the cruel, shameful waste of life, the pain inflicted upon the hapless fish, escaped trial for man- slaughter at the Old Bailey, consequent upon trying to effect the death by drowning of one or other of the manly and noble crew ? I know not. As to the practice of laying night lines, its results were all too palpably apparent to him who reads by the wayside as ^he runs. Many and many a grand Thames trout, the pride and crown jewel of some deep reach, has met his death ignobly at the end of a night line, ostensibly laid for the capture of eels.' Then it was that the lucky captor would knock his prize on the head, and straightway take it up to the village house of a well-to-do and worthy inhabitant, who had probably tried a round dozen of times to effect his capture legitimately. Some such scene and dialogue as this then followed : — A trim and natty servant-maid appearing at the door, honest old Bill Boozier, the hard and horny-handed, who never told an untruth in his life, or pretended to bait a barbel swim when he had not had a worm near his premises for a month, rush basket in hand, thus addresses her : — " Mornin', Mary, my dear. Why, Lard a mussy, what cheeks them is o' yourn, surelie. Redder 'n the best Ribson pippen as I ever seen. Lard, ef I'd only bin a younger man." " Go along with you ; a married man and all. You oughter bin ashamed o' yourself," is naturally red-cheeked Mary's retort. " Well, so 'tis, Mary. Mortal 'shamed of myself I is, and so I don't deceive you. Muster Fubsy in? But, theer, I needn't SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 15 arst. Aint them his brekfus' things agoin' in ? Course they is ; new laid heggs there is, which they're werry good at times, and a leetle bit o' bacon frezzled crisp. Tray bung, as the Frenchmen says, and now, Mary, my dear, will you be so good as to give Muster Fubsy ole Bill Boozler's compliments, and say he's sorry to say as that theer trout has a-come to a huntimely hend at larst." The natty one, having delivered her message, is nearly upset by the anxious Fubsy, who rushes out, spec- tacles on nose, the Times in one hand, and loosely arrayed in his dressing-gown. He opens upon William at once. "William — ^William Boozier, you don't mean to say that you've er — er — caught that trout, after all the number of times I've been out with you, and the pounds and pounds I've spent 1 " " Suttenly not," cries the worthy William, with an air of mingled grief and astonishment. " No, sir, suttenly not. But this blessid momin' as ever was, I'se a goin' down to Bun- kin's Ait in the little skiff, to see about the eel barskits, and I hears a floppin' and prancin' about in my old punt — that one what the Westa, confound her ! stoved in — and so I sculls across softly, thinkin' it was rats. Soap me never, marster, I was that knocked-a-cock as I could ha' drunk arf-a-pint o' ole ale quick, just as I could at this heer minnit, fur theer lay that theer loverlly trout, a nine-pounder ef he weighs a bounce, wi' just a kick and no more left in him ; and I takes him in my two hands tenderly as ef I was a lefting a babby, and 'olds his 'ed up stream. But it worn't a mossel 'o use, he was stone gone ; and I says to myself, I does, ' Bill, this punt is yourn ' — which it is, cause why, my own brother's sister's husband built her, best pine deal and oak stretchers, which well it is beknown down at the bridge, i6 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION and at the ferry ; but, ' Bill,' says I, ' this trout ain't yourn, and for why, cause Muster Fubsy bin a fishin' wi' you, Bill, off and on, a matter of a score o' times, ole days and arf uns ' — though I never was the man to arst for a ole day's pay for a arf un — ' and that theer trout, , Bill,' says I, ' is Muster Fubsy's fish by rights ' ; and so I brings him straight up to you, sir, and theer he lays — a beauty as he is — wi' spots on him as big as a crown piece, werry nigh." " But, in the name of fate, William," cries Fubsy, carefully putting his spectacles on the bridge of his nose, "how did the trout get into your punt ? " " Chucked hisself in, sir — chucked hisself in, which it is well known they will do arter a bait, or else a leaping out o' the water arter a butterfly or what not, and so the pore Greater hadn't the sense to chuck hisself back again, and theer he is. Blessed if I ain't as dry as bones, a-talking so much." " William, you're a very worthy and honest fellow — a very worthy fellow indeed, William. There's a sovereign for you, and I'm much obliged to you, while Mary will .draw you a jug of ale. Good morning, William. Good morning." The end draws nigh. William at any time during that day may be discovered at the bar of the " Angler's Rest," where for the hundredth time, at least, he tells the story of " that theer trout a-chucking hisself high and dry into the old punt." The trout goes to Cooper, and when it comes home, at the expiration say, of six to twelve months, it may perhaps bear an inscription to this effect : " Thames Trout caught by A. J. Fubsy, spinning. Weight, nine pounds." In my own opinion the abolition of night-lining is the SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 17 sole and only reason for the immense increase in late years of the stock of trout in the river. The new by-laws as to snatching and night-lining were approved by Her Majesty at the Court of Balmoral on the 28th of October, 1879. They are as follows : "Snatching of fish. — It shall not be lawful for any person to fish for, or to take, or attempt to take, any fish by using a wire, or snare, or hooks (baited or unbaited), or any other engine for the purpose of foul hooking, commonly called ' snatching or snaring.' " Night lines. — ^^It shall not be lawful for any person to lay night hooks or night lines of any description whatever between the ' City Stone ' at Staines and Kew Bridge ; and any person laying fixed lines of hooks by night or day (commonly called night lines), or taking, or attempting to take, eels or fish of any description by such means, shall be deemed as committing a breach of this by-law." The Thames Angling Preservation Society continues its jurisdiction as far as Staines, and at that point the first of the local associations for the preservation of the river commences its work. This is the Windsor and Eton Society, which is supposed to look after something like about twelve miles of water extending from Staines Bridge to Monkey Island. Throughout that stretch, some of the finest water in the Thames is to be found, and if this society were more thoroughly supported by the public, it is probable that no similar length of water would be more splendidly productive. It is the fashion, however, to rail at the promoters and managers of any incorporated body whose objects may not appear to be carried out well and to the point. It escapes probably the notice of those who gibe and speak harshly about the work done by the Windsor and Eton, that it is simply impossible for the C 1 8 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION Society to keep going unless the angling public provides the sinews of war. This section of the public will know in an instant whether they have done so or not. It is at once an injustice and a wrong to brand a body of men with shortcomings in their work, when Ihe very work itself is dependent upon the help which a local association like the Windsor and Eton receives from the public who fish its waters. I venture to think that few, if any, of the hundreds of men who yearly go to Windsor and its charming environs from London, sometimes taking good bags of fish home with them, ever subscribe, or ever did subscribe, one single penny to its funds. The Maidenhead, Cookham, and Bray Angling Society, whose headquarters are at Skindle's Hotel, and whose excellent secretary is Mr, W. G. Day, takes up the work of preservation at Monkey Island, continuing their operations over an important section of the Thames. There is pro- bably none other of the local associations which has done such wonderfully good work. But then the reason is not far to seek ; they are not only supported fairly by the local gentry and inhabitants, many of whom are themselves keen lovers of angling, but also by a considerable number of London anglers, principally members of the leading clubs. That just makes all the difference, and although I do not pretend to say that the Windsor and Eton has not done all in its power with the funds which it had at command, the Maidenhead and Cookham sets such a brilliant example, by stocking their waters with splendid Wycombe trout, and that too in the most liberal manner, that their example possibly commanded the support they have unquestionably received to a certain extent from a small section of the angling public. I say a small section advisedly, because where a society, SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 19 like that under notice, proves that it is doing a valuable and extensive work, it ought to be recognised, in no matter how small a degree, by every angler who fishes its waters. Now is this the case, or anything approaching to it ? I say no — emphatically no. I have seen scores and hundreds of men, during the many years which I have fished the Thames, pursuing their sport on the Maidenhead waters, and but very few of them ever contribute a single farthing. If this state of things were confined solely to the coarse fish of this or any other section of the river, it would not possibly matter so much — but then it is not. Trout fishers come and take fish — not confining themselves in some instances very strictly to size — and those very trout represent so much hard cash deducted from the Society's income. Still the Society goes on its way quietly, and year by year does good and worthy work. They are assisted by an excellent body of keepers, under the command of Harry Wilder, who is himself a rare good fisherman, and year after year show an admirable return for their labours. In justice to Harry Wilder and Captain A Styan, one of the early founders of this Association, it should be added that they were really the first to start the Society. Wilder informs me that he originated the idea of stocking this part of the river with Wycombe trout, and that he and Captain Styan raised a subscription for that purpose. Such a subscription was raised, and in the year before the Associa- tion was really started over 50 brace of fine Wycombe trout were turned into the river opposite the Ray Mead Hotel. It may now be interesting to trace the absolute history of the Society itself. The Maidenhead, Cookham and Bray Thames Angling Association was started so recently as 1874. The objects C 2 20 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION in view were, generally speaking, to preserve and improve the fishing from the Shrubbery to Monkey Island, that is to say, the water between the Great Marlow and the Windsor and Eton Districts. Prior to their establishment poaching and illegal fishing were rampant in this district ; and I am informed, by those who speak from personal knowledge, that netting on the meadows adjacent to the river during flood time was carried on wholesale, and large quantities of all kinds of river fish, the greater part undersized, were captured and sold. Wiring fish in the ditches, where they had retreated for spawning operations, was also a very common practice. Ten years ago trout had become, comparatively speak- ing, a very rare fish in these parts, and a young trout of greater rarity' still. Angling was almost at a standstill, and anglers were seeking other waters which promised greater success. Several gentlemen belonging to London, and to the locality of Maidenhead, feeling that a great deal could be effected in the way of improvements at a comparatively small cost, if a good system were pursued, took the matter in hand. Support was solicited from the various classes of the community interested in the results, and it ended in this Association being formed. Their first step, after forming a good working committee, was to make arrangements with the several riparian owners in the districts, by which the Society obtained the rights to drag their ditches and prosecute poachers, and I am pleased to say that they found little difficulty in obtaining these powers. The Society then took into its service several of the fishermen of the district, and at their request the Thames Conservancy granted deputations for each, by which they SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 21 were empowered to enter boats to search for fish unlawfully taken, and seize any unlawful net, &c. The Society also had an understanding with its water-bailiffs, that they were to net the ditches adjacent to the river immediately after floods, and that they were to be constantly On the watch for any infringement of the Thames Conservancy By-laws. During the nine years which have elapsed since their establishment, a number of prosecutions have resulted from the vigilance of their officers, and several convictions have been obtained. The Society has also, after floods, dragged the ditches in their district, from whence large quantities of fish have been returned to the river. The water-bailiffs have also taken a number of night-lines at different times, and I feel, I may say without fear of contradiction, that the Thames Conservancy By-laws are now far more respected in this district than they ever were before. With a view to improve the fishing, the Society turned in,» by way of experiment, a large quantity of golden bream, which were kindly placed at their disposal by the Bedford Angling Association, but the fish appear to have left this locality altogether, probably because the water, except in certain places, was entirely unsuitable to their habits. From time to time a large quantity of good sized Wycombe trout have been turned in, running from half to five pounds in weight. I should mention that this Society wisely recog- nised from the first that it was worse than useless to turn in fish below half a pound in weight ; and if one may judge from the quantity of trout of that breed now taken, and the numbers of young fish seen in the Maidenhead waters, the Society has been successful in that branch of their under- taking, or at any rate so far as the limited means at their disposal would permit. The difficulty experienced in purchasing trout of the 22 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION right sort and size induced the Society, some time since, to obtain competent advice as to the practicability of breeding and rearing them. With this view one of the vice-presidents, Mr. W. H. Grenfell, of Taplow Court, who has always shown a lively interest in the success of the Society's undertaking, expressed his willingness to place at their disposal a likely place for the purpose. In every respect but one it was pronounced suitable, but it was soon found that the con- stantly recurring floods would render attempts at breeding useless, and hence the scheme was not prosecuted farther. The Great Marlow Thames Angling Association does capital work, and is thoroughly well officered. The honorary secretary is Major Simpson Carson, who most efficiently helps the Society in their effiorts for the general good of the river. Here again a large share of the Society's income is laudably spent in the purchase of trout of . excellent size from the Wycombe waters, which are turned into the Thames at an age, and when they have attained such a size, as enables them to take care of themselves. The Reading and District Angling Society comes next, and in the hands of its worthy and efficient secretary, Mr. Arthur Butler, of Zinzan Street, Reading, prospers exceedingly. This Society has made the most strenuous efforts to re-stock that portion of the river more immediately under their own control, and I have little doubt that their effisrts have met with the success they deserved. It was only a few years ago that the fisheries of the Reading district bore a most unenviable reputation from the extent of netting going on. To my certain knowledge now there is no section of the river which is better looked after and where I think less netting or poaching is prosecuted. Much of this happy state of things is due to Mr. Butler, who is not only a hard practical worker, but a man, moreover, who never walks SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 23 about the world with his eyes shut. Such a man is bound to do good, and Mr. Butler does it without stint This flourishing Thames Preservation Society — 'One of the most useful and influential on the river— was formed in December, 1877, at a meeting at the Queen's Hotel, Reading, at which upwards of 100 gentlemen of position were present. The intention at first was to protect and improve the fishing in the fine stretch of water between Mapledurham and Sonning — then so denuded of fish that even the poachers let it alone. Henry John Simonds, Esq., J. P., was appointed the first president ; Charles Stephens, Esq., J.P., treasurer ; and Mr. Arthur Butler — the originator of the movement — ^honorary secretary, an office he still holds. Mr. Stephens still acts_ as treasurer. It was soon found desirable to ex- tend the operations of the association both up and down stream, and its district now reaches from Goring Lock to Shiplake Lock. The first president resigned in February 188 1, and James Simonds, Esq., J.P., who still occupies the position, was chosen in his stead. The association has done a really great work for the public, and all its operations have been attended with success. Since its formation about 60,000 trout have been turned in, a large proportion having been reared in a stream belonging to the association ; and, as a result, trout fishing has vastly improved. Six years ago the trout were very "few and far between;" this season at least 150, ranging from two to nine pounds in weight, have been landed in the immediate neighbourhood of Reading. Coarse fish have by no means been neglected. Tens of thousands of pike, perch, roach, dace, &c., have been recovered from the ditches after floods, &c., and restored to the river; and several reservoirs and lakes have from time to time been netted, by the kind permission of the owners, and great 24 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION numbers of perch, carp, tench, rudd, &c., thus added to the stock. Coarse fish culture has this year been undertaken with surprising success. Two large " Lund " hatching-boxes — stocked with fine Kennet perch — have been filled with spawn, all of which hatched out ; and since the perch fry- were liberated, a great quantity of carp spawn has been hatched. No less than eleven bailiffs are employed by the com- mittee, and their work has been so effectual that illegal practices have been, practically, entirely stamped out. It is gratifying to be able to state that every prosecution undertaken by the committee has resulted in a conviction. Extensive private rights of fishing have lately been acquired for the members (an annual extra charge of five shillings being made). From these waters, fish may not be taken under the following sizes : trout 2lbs., pike 3lbs., tench 2lbs., perch Jib., barbel 3lbs., carp 3lbs. — a sportsmanlike standard, which the committee recommend for observance also in the public fisheries. The minimum subscription to the association is ioj. 6^. ; but subscribers of ;^i is. and upwards have the privilege of cheap railway tickets to 28 fishing stations. There are at present 117 subscribers (elected by ballot) on the books. Last year's income was £ 109 igj. "jd., and the expenditure £'&\ 5j. \\d. The Henley and District Thames Angling Association does no doubt excellent service, and certainly not before it was wanted in that much be-poached district. The honour of originating this Society belongs to the late honorary secretary, Charles H. Cook, Esq., whose bad health unfortunately compelled him to retire. They preserve the Thames between Temple and Hurley Locks, SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 25 and have turned into the river considerable numbers of trout. Hardly is this a very satisfactory district, I am afraid, but certainly the improvement made in the fisheries of the neighbourhood redounds very much to the credit of the Association. The president of the Association is the Right Hon. W. H. Smith, M.P., while the present secretary is Mr. J. W. Knight. The Wycombe Angling and Preservation Society is another body of, shall I say, private conservators, from whom the Thames itself derives a very large amount of good. All the splendid trout which have been turned into the river at Maidenhead, Marlow, and other places, come from the water under the control of this association, and the following short particulars embody nearly all that is necessary to say about a Society whose reputation as trout preservers is a very great one. It has been in existence for nearly four years. It originally commenced with about one hundred members, who paid a low annual fee, but it was found necessary to gradually reduce their number and raise the subscriptions. At present it consists of 30 members who each pay an annual fee of from three to five guineas. This number also includes six artisan members at a nominal subscription. The club preserves a mile and a half of the Wycombe stream, and possesses a magnificent stock of trout. The president is the Rt. Hon. Lord Carrington ; honorary seci'etary and treasurer, J. Thurlow, Esq. The last of the Preservation 'Societies of which I shall have occasion to speak in connection with the Home District is the Newbury and District Angling Association. The following short history of its position at the present time is full of interest to anglers frequenting the lovely Kennet Valley, over which this Association has jurisdiction. 26 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION This very young association was started on the i8th of June, 1878, with the object of protecting the rivers in and about Newbury — putting a stop to poaching which had been going on for years, and also the practice of taking fish out of season, which was very rife. After considerable trouble on the part of its chairman and committee it succeeded in obtaining leave to exercise its protective right over the whole of the waters under the control ofthe Mayor and Corporation of Newbury, also more than seven miles of the Kennet and Avon Canal ; and it also rents on a long lease about one mile of the river Lambourne, abounding with trout, and on which stream only the fly is allowed. The streams over which this association exercises con- trol are the Kennet and many of its back streams, the Lambourne, and the Kennet and Avon Canal, The fish found in these streams are all very fine, and comprise trout, pike, perch, chub, barbel, roach, dace, carp, tench, eels, gudgeon and — last, but by no means least — very famous crayfish. Indeed, not many miles up the stream there is an old saying concerning them, running as follows — " Hungerford crayfish, Catch me if ye can ; There's no such crawlers, In the o-ce-an.'' In a short sketch like this it is impossible to do more than glance at one or two of the notable fish for which this neighbourhood is celebrated. Its trout are beaten nowhere, having been taken up to 20 lbs. While Pope pleasantly says of its eels — " The Kennet swift, For silver eels renowned." And travellers of a nearly bygone age in the old SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 27 coaching days could tell of the great gastronomic attractions of the Kennet eel, " At the house below the hill.'* There it was that, in the days when the "Pelican" did flourish, seventy coaches in the day and night passed through the good old town. But I must pass to the present time and the working of the Association. Well, from small beginnings it has grown so much that at the meeting previous to the next angling season this question will have to come to the fore — either the Committee must raise the price of the tickets or place a restriction upon the number of the members. It may be as well to add that no profit whatever is made out of the Association, as it is only in existence to preserve the water and improve sport, and all its Committee of Management wish to see is enough to pay the outgoing expenses. They are of necessity large, when consideration is given to keeping up a stock of fish, by turning in hun- dreds at the proper season, the pay of the keepers all the year, and the constant supervision that is required. Many fine specimens of Kennet fish may be seen in the Western Quadrant of the Fisheries Exhibition now open at South Kensington. It only remains to add that all particulars may be obtained of the worthy chairman of the Association, Mr. John Packer, 87 Northbrook Street, Newbury, who will forward rules and all needed information upon application, and from whom alone tickets can be had. There is yet another Society doing good work upon the Thames, called the Oxford Angling Association, but I regret that I received no particulars as to its constitution until too late for insertion in this book. Finding it to be a matter of exceeding difficulty to 28 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION obtain reliable information as to the origin and growth of the various preservation societies scattered about the country, I was compelled to fall back, either upon the horns of a dilemma, or upon the charity of my very good friend, Mr. R. B. Marston, the editor of the Fishery Gazette who has very kindly placed at my disposal " The British Fisheries Directory," a valuable little book of reference, dedicated to Mr. Birkbeck, the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the International Exhibition. From that little volume I extract much of the following information with regard to the London and Provincial Preservation and Angling Societies of this country. METROPOLITAN AND DISTRICT ANGLING CLUBS AND FISHERY ASSOCIATIONS. The Fisheries Preservation Association, 22 Lower Seymour Street, Portman Square, London. The National Fish Culture Association of Great Britain and Ireland, Royal Courts Chambers, 2 Chancery Lane. Thames Angling Preservation Association. Thomas Spreckley, president; W. H. Brougham, secretary. Office, 7 Ironmonger Lane, E. C. Thames Rights Defence Association, Francis Francis, chairman; J. M. R. Francis, hon. sec. Office, 11 Old Jewry Chambers, E.C. United London Angling Associations Fisheries Society, Star and Garter, St. Martin's Lane, Charing Cross, W.C. West Central Association of London and Provincial Angling Societies, P. Geen, president; T. Hoole, hon. sec. Club-House — The Portman Arms, Great Quebec Street. LONDON CLUBS. Albert .... The Crown Coffee House, Coronet Street, Old Street. Alliance . . . Clerkenwell Tavern, FarringdonRd., E.C. Alexandra . . . Crown and Anchor, Cheshire St., Bethnal Green, SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 29 Amicable Brothers . Amicable Waltonians Angler's Pride Acton Piscatorial Society Albert Edward Anchor and Hope . , Act on the Square . Admiral Brothers , Acorn . . . . Acme .... Bostonian Battersea Friendly . Bloomsbury Brothers Bermondsey Brothers Brothers Well Met . Beresford Burdett .... Bridgewater Brothers Brunswick Brentford Buckland Barbican Battersea Piscatorials Cadogan City of London Cavendish Clerkenwell Amateurs Convivial Carlisle . . • • Clapham Junction . Bald Faced Stag, Worship. St., Finsbury. Horse and Groom, St. John's Street, Clerkenwell. Five Bells, Bermondsey Square, S.E. George and Dragon, High ^t., Acton, W. Tile Kiln, TuUerie Street, Hackney Road. William the Fourth, Canal Bridge, Old Kent Road. , The Ferry Boat, Tottenham. Admiral Hotel, Francis Str,eet, Woolwich. Duke of York, Gloucester St., Clerkenwell. Weaver's Arms, Drysdale Street, Kings- land Road. Dalby Tavern, Prince of Wales Road, Kentish Town. Queen's Hotel, Queen's Road, Battersea. Rose and Crown, Broad St., Bloomsbury. Alscot Arms, Alscot Road, Grange Road, Bermondsey. Berkeley Castle, Rahere St., Goswell Rd. Grove House Tavern, Camberwell Grove. Joiners' Arms, 118 Hackney Road. Three Tuns, Bridgewater Gardens, Bar- bican. Brunswick Arms, Stamford St., Black- friars. Angel Inn, Brentford End, Brentford. Middlesex Arms, Clerkenwell Green. White Bear, St. John Street, Clerkenwell. Queen's Head, York Road, Battersea. Prince of Wales, Exeter Street, Sloane Street, S.W, Codger's Hall, Bride Lane, Fleet Street. Duke of York, Wenlock Street, Hoxton. George and Dragon, St. John Street Road. Bull and Bell, Ropemakers' Street, Moor- fields, E.C. Hall of Science Club and Institute, Old Street, E.C. Lord Ranelagh, Verona Street, Clapham Junction. 30 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION Canonbury Cambridge Friendly . Cobden .... Clerkenwell Piscatorials . Crescent Critchfield Crown .... Crown Piscatorials . Dalston . De Beauvoir . Duke of Cornwall . Duke of Norfolk Ealing Dean . Excelsior Excelsior Eustonian Edmonton and Tottenham Friendly Anglers Foxley .... Golden Tench. Golden Barbel Good Intent . Grafton .... Grange .... Great Northern Brothers Globe . . . , Gresham Hammersmith Club Hammersmith United Hearts of Oak Monmouth Arms, Haberdasher Street, Hoxton. Rent Day, Cambridge Street, Hyde Park Square. Cobden Club, Landseer Terrace, West- bourne Park. Horse Shoe, Clerkenwell Close. Giraffe Tavern, Newington Crescent, Kennington Park Road. Myddleton Arms, Queen's Rd., Dalston. Crown and Sceptre, Friendly St., Dept- ford. Crown Tavern, Clerkenwell Green. Hope, Holies Street, Dalston. Lord Raglan, Southgate Road, Islington. Duke of Cornwall, Lissmore Circus, Haverstock Hill. Ledbury Arms, Ledbury Road, Bayswater. Green Man, Ealing Dean, W. The Hope, Bird Street, Kennington. Palmerston, Well Street, Hackney. King's Head, Swinton St., Gray's Inn Rd'. Three Horse Shoes, Silver St., Edmonton. Albion Tavern, Albion St., Hyde Park. Foxley Arms, Elliot Road, Brixton. . Somers Arms, Ossulton St., Euston Rd. York Minster, Foley Street, Portland Rd. Crown Inn, Church Street, Shoreditch. King's Arms, Strutton Ground, Wesmins- ter. Grange Club and Institute, Bermondsey, S.E. Robin Hood, Southampton Street, Penton- ville. Bank of Friendship, Blackstock Road, Highbury Vale. Mason's Hall Tavern, Basinghall St., E.C. Grove House, Hammersmith Broadway. Builders' Arms, Bridge Road, Hammer- smith. Dolphin, Church Street, Shoreditch. SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 31 Highbury Hoxton Brothers Hanipstead , , Isledon Piscatorials Izaak Walton . Jovial . . . . Junior Piscatorial , Jolly Piscatorials Kentish Perseverance Kenningtonian , Knights of Knightsbridge King's Cross tJnited . Kingfishers , Kentish Brothers L. & S. W. Railway Larkhall Limehouse Brothers Little Independent Metropolitan . Marylebone , Nautilus Norfolk . North London North Eastern North Western New Globe Never Frets . PlimsoU Arms, St. Thomas's Road, Fins- bury Park. Cherry Tree, Kingsland Road, Shoreditch. Cock and Crown, High Street, Hamp- stead. Crown and Anchor, Cross St., Islington. Old King John's Head, Mansfield Street, Kingsland Road, Jolly Anglers, Whitecross Row,Richmond, Surrey. Duke of Cornwall, South Island Place, Clapham Road. Sugar Loaf, Great Queen Street, W.C. Corner Pin, Cold Bath, Greenwich. The Clayton Arms, Kennington Oval. Grove Tavern, Grove Place, Brompton Road, S.W. - Prince Albert, Wharfdale Road, King's Cross. Oliver Arms, Westbourne Terrace, Har- row Road, George and Dragon, Blackheath Hill. Brunswick House, Nine Elms. The Larkhall, Larkhall Lane, Clapham. Dunlop Lodge, 70 Samuel St., Limehouse. Russell Arms, Bedford Street, Ampthill Square. The Rose, Old Bailey, Prince Albert, Sherbourne Street, Bland- ford Square, W. British Lion, Central Street, St. Luke's. Norfolk Arms, Burwood Place, Edgware Road. Prince Albert, Hollingsworth St., Hollo- way. Shepherd and Flock, Little Bell Alley, Moorfields. Lord Southampton, Southampton Road, Haverstock Hill. Albion, Bridge Road, Stratford. Crown and Shuttle, High St., Shoreditch. 32 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION Nelson . t Odds and Evens Original Clerkenwell Original Alexandra . Peckham Perseverance Pictorial) . Penge . Phoenix . Prince of Wales Portsmouth Waltonian Peckham Brothers . Princess of Wales . Perseverance . Pike and Anchor Queen's . Reform . Royal George . Richmond Piscatorial Royal Piscatorial Rodney . Second Surrey South Essex . Sportsman Suffolk . South Essex . St. John's Savoy Brothers Silver Trout . St. Alban's Nelson Working Men.'s Club, 90 Dean St., Soho. Albion, East Road, Hoxton, N. White Hart, Aylesbury St., Clerkenwell. Duke of Wellington, Three Colt Lane, Bethnal Green. Eagle, 118 Trafalgar Road, Camberwell. King's Arms, Tottenham Court Road. Lord Palmerston, Maple Road, P.enge. Tavistock Arms, Wellington St., Oakley Square. Victory, Newnham Street, John Street, Edgware Road. Golden Fleece, High Street, Landport. Prince Albert, East Surrey Grove, Peck- ham. Prince of Wales, Gt. Barlow St., Man- chester Square, W. The Perseverance, Pritchard's Row, Hackney Road. Pike and Anchor, Ponder's End. Queen's Arms, Bomore Road, Notting Hill, W. Jolly Coopers, Clerkenwell Close. Hope Tavern, Tottenham St., Tottenham Court Road. Station Hotel, Richmond. Foxley Tavern, Elliott Road, Brixton. Albion, Rodney Road, Walworth, S.E. Queen's Head, Brandon St., Walworth. The Elms, Leytonstone, E.. Lady Owen Arms, Goswell Road. Suffolk Arms, Boston St., Hackney Rd. Victoria Dock Xaveri}, Canning Town, E. Three Compasses, Cow Cross Street, Farringdon Street. . Green Man, St. Martin's Lane. Star and Garter Hotel, St. Martin's Lane, W.C. Royal George, Great New St., Kenning- ton Park Road. SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 33 Sir Hugh Myddleton South London. St. Pancras Club Stanley Anglers Star .... Stepney .... South Belgravia Surrey Piscatorial . South Eastern. Sussex .... Sociable Brothers . Social Brothers St. James's and'Soho Stoke Newington St. John's Wood . Society of Caxtonians The Piscatorial Trafalgar True Waltonians . Three Pigeons United Brothers United Essex . United Society of Anglers United Marlboro' Brothers Woolwich Piscatorials West Ham Brothers Woolwich Invicta . Waltonians Walton and Cotton . Walworth Waltonians Empress of Russia, St. John Street Road, ClerkenweU. George and Dragon, 235 Camberwell Rd. 2 Crescent Place, Burton Crescent. The Lord Stanley, Camden Park Road Camden Town. King's Arms, Charles Street, City Road. Beehive, Rhodeswell Road, Stepney. Telegraph, Regency Street, S.W. St. Paul's Tavern, Westmoreland Road S.E. Prince Arthur, Stamford Street, S.E. Sussex Arms, Grove Road, HoUoway. Princess, 237 Cambridge Rd., Mile-End. ' Prince Regent, Dulwich Rd., Heme Hill. 39 Gerrard Street, Soho, W. Myddleton Arms, Mansfield St., Kings- land Road. Queen's Arms, Lower William Street, St, John's Wood. Falcon Tavern, Gough Square, E.C. Ashley's Hotel, Henrietta Street, Covent Garden. Star and Garter, Green Street, Leicester Square. White Horse, 80 Liverpool Rd., Islington. Three Pigeons, Lower Richmond Road, S.W. Druid's Head Tavern, Broadway, Dept- ford. Dorset Arms, Leyton Rd., Stratford New Town. Duke of Wellington, Shoreditch. Hercules' Pillars, 7 Greek Street, Soho. Cricketer's Arms, Sand Street, Woolwich. Queen's Head, West Ham Lane, E. Golden Marine, Francis St., Woolwich. Jew's Harp, Redhill St., Regent's Park. Crown and Woolpack, St. John's Street, ClerkenweU. St. Paul's, Westmoreland Rd., Walworth. D 34 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION West Central . . . Cross Keys, Theobald's Road, High Holborn. Woolwich Brothers . . Prince Regent, King Street, Woolwich. Westbourne Park . . PeUcan, All Saints' Road, Westbourne Park, W. Walthamstow . . . Common Gate, Markhouse Road, Wal- thamstow. West London . . . Windsor Castle, King St., Hammersmith, Watford ... . . Leathersellers' Arms, Watford, Herts. Wellington . . . Prince Regent, Beresford St., Walworth. ENGLAND. Bedfordshire. Bedford Angling Society, Bedford. Blunham Angling Association — C. Forge, il and 12 Addle Street, Wood Street, secretary. Berkshire. '' Maidenhead, Cookham, and Bray Thames Angling Association—- W. G. Day, secretary. CIub-House — Skindle's Hotel. Newbury and District Angling Association — J. Smith, 62 North- brook Street, Newbury, secretary. Reading and District Angling Association — Arthur C. Butler, hon. sec. Club-House — Great Western Hotel, Reading. Windsor and Eton Angling Club. Club-House — Royal Oak Hotel, Windsor. Windsor and Eton Angling Preservation Association — Rev. E. James, Eton, secretary. Buckinghamshire. Great Marlow Thames Angling Association — Major Simpson Car- son, Great Marlow, hon. secretary. High Wycombe Angling Association, High Wycombe. Marlow Angling Association — A. Maskell, Great Marlow, secretary. Cambridgeshire. Cambridge and Ely Angling Society — W. Purchas, secretary. Club- House — Lio7% Hotel, Cambridge. Cheshire. No. I Crewe Angling Society — John Dickens, secretary, Club- House — Dog and Partridge Inn, High Street, Crewe. SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 35 Cumberland. Carlisle Angling Association— J. B. Slater, Carlisle, secretary. Derbyshire. Aquarium Angling Society — T. Winfield, secretary. Club-House — The Three Crowns, Bridge Street, Derby. Burton-on-Trent Angling Association — Sir M. A. Bass, Bart., M.P., president; John C. Perfect, hon. sec. Club-House — Midland Hotel, Burton-on-Trent. Castle Fields Angling Club, Messrs. Beden's Factory, London St., Derby — M. Bland, secretary. Chatsworth Angling Club, Chatsworth. Chesterfield Angling Association — G. R. Hornstock, 26 Durrant Road, Chesterfield, secretary. Excelsior Angling Club — J. Hibbert, secretary. Club-House— Lamb Inn, Park Street, Derby. Mazeppa Angling Club, Traffic Street, Derby — F. Bond, secretary. Melancthon's Head Angling Club, Park Street, Derby — W. Peet, secretary. Pride of Derby Angling Club— W. Tunnicliff, secretary. Club- House, Old English Gentleman, Normanton Road, Derby. Red Lion Angling Association, Bridge Street, Derby — Joseph Selvey , secretary. Devonshire. Avon and Erme Fishery Association, Plymouth. Culm Fishery Association— C. J. Upcott, Shortlands, Cullompton, secretary. Exe Landowners' Salmon Fishing Association — Mr. Whippell, Rudway, Silverton, secretary. Exe Occupiers' Trouting Association— W. C. James, Thorverton, secretary. Lower Exe United Fishing Association, Exeter. Tiverton Angling Association, Tiverton. Upper Culm Fishery Association, Exeter. Upper Exe Angling Society, Exeter. Gloucestershire. Avon and Tributaries Anghng Association — E. B. ViUiers, 26 Bath Street, Bristol, hon. secretary. Bristol Golden Carp Angling Association— Lewis Wride, Digby House, Barton Hill, Bristol, secretary. D 2 36 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION Bristol United Anglers' Association'— R. D. Frost, 48 Victoria St., Bristol, secretary. Cheltenham Angling Society — W. H. Davis, 7 Priory Terrace, Cheltenham, secretary. City of Bristol Angling Association — H. Lewis, Morton House, Barton Hill, Bristol, secretary. Hampshire. Portsmouth Waltonian Society — F. Tranter, secretary. Club-House —Golden Fleece, Commercial Road, Portsea. Stockbridge Angling Club, Stockbridge. Titchfield Angling Club — E. Goble, solicitor, Titchfield, secretary. Herefordshire. Bodenham Angling Club, Bodenham. Leominster Angling'Club — V. W. Holmes, National Provincial Bank, Leominster, secretary. Hertfordshire. Harefield Valley Fishery, Rickmans worth. Watfield Piscatorial Society — H. A. Vincent, kon. sec. Club- House — The Leathersellers' Arms, Watford. Kent. Maidstone Angling and Medway Preservation Society — David Pine, Maidstone, kon. secretary. Stour Fishery Association- — Club House — Fordwich Arms. Tonbridge Angling Association — Edwin HoUomby, secretary. Club- House — Bull Hotel, High Street, Tonbridge. Lancashire. City of Liverpool Anghng Association, 19 West Derby Road, Liverpool. Liverpool Angling Association — Richard Woolfall, hon. sec. Club- House — Strawberry Hotel, West Derby Road, Liverpool. Liverpool Central Angling Association, i8i Dale Street. Manchester Anglers' Association — Abel Heywood, jun., hon. sec. Manchester and District Anglers' Association — J. Vrocter, president ; Edwin Hicks, 6 Belmont Street, Eggington Street, Rochdale Road, secretary. The Association comprises sixty-six different Clubs. Stalybridge Anlging Society— J. B. Udale, secretary. Club-House —The Q. Inn, Stalybridge. SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 37 Stamford and Warrington Angling Club. Club House— G«zV« Post Tavern, Stalybridge. Wigan and District Amalgamated Anglers' Association — Levi Booth, presidents John Stones, secretary. This Association consists of twenty- six different Clubs. Leicestershire. Leicester Jolly Anglers' Club. Qub-House— 7%« Earl of Leicester, Inn, Infirmary Square, Leicester. North Britons' Angling Association. Club-house— 7%« York Castle, Northgate Street, Leicester. Lincolnshire. Boston Angling Association— Mr. ^Day, Boston, secretary. Great Grimsby AngUng Association. Club-House — Masons' Arms Hotel, Great Grimsby. Market Deeping Angling Association — S. B. Sharpe, Market Deeping, hon. secretary. Monmouthshire. Abergavenny Fishing Association — C. J. Daniel, Cross St., Abergavenny, treasurer. Usk Fishery Association — Charles R. Lyne, Tredegar Place, Newport, secretary. Norfolk. Bure Preservation Society — C. J. Greene, London St., Norwich, secretary. East Anglian Piscatorial Society — R. Palmer, Great Eastern Wine Vaults, Norwich, secretary. Great Yarmouth Piscatorial Society — James Lark, St. George's Tavern, 162 King St., Great Yarmouth, secretary. King's Lynn Angling Association — Frederick Ludby, presidents H. Bradfield, hon. secretary. Norwich Angling Club — R. Moll, hon. sec. Club-House — Walnut Tree Shades, Old Post-0 ffice Yard, Norwich. Norwich Central Fishing Club. Club-House — Old Oak Shades, Lower Goat Lane, Norwich. Norwich Champion Angling Club — G. Daniels, /r«zV&«/. Norwich Piscatorial Society — Mr. Capon, secretary. Club-House — Walnut Tree Shades, Old Post-Office Yard, Norwich. Wensum Preservation Association — E. H. Horsley, Fakenham, hon. secretary. 38 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION Yare Preservation and Anglers' Society — C. J. Greene, London St., Norwich, secretary. Northamptonshire. Northampton Working Men's Angling Club. Club-House— Bridge Street, Northampton. Wellingborough and Higham Ferrers Angling Club — E. Brummitt, Wellingborough, secretary. Nottinghamshire. Lenton Anglers' Association — George Tilley, hon. sec. Club-House — Black's Head Inn, Lenton, Nottingham. Newark Piscatorial Society. Club-House — Horse and Gears Inn, Portland St., Newark. Nottingham and Notts Anglers' Preservation Association — Mr. Clarke, secretary. Club-House — The Minstrel Tavern, Market St., Nottingham. Wellington Angling Association — Club-house — Wellington Hotel, Station St., Nottingham. Oxfordshire. Henley and District Thames Angling Association — Mr. Cooke, Henley, secretary. Oxford Angling Society. Club-house — The Pheasant Inn, St. Giles, Oxford. Oxford Thames Angling Preservation Society — ^W. T. Mayo, 13 Commarket Street, Oxford, hon. secretary. Rutlandshire. Oakham Angling Society, Oakham. Shropshire. Plowden Fishing Association (River Onny) — A. B. George, Dodington, Whitchurch, hon. treasurer. Shrewsbury Severn Angling Society — F. H. Morgan, hon. sec, Club-House — 57 Mardol, Shrewsbury. Somersetshire. Kingswood and District Angling Association, Kingswood. SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 39 Staffordshire. Cobridge Angling Society. Oab-HoMse—Wedgewood Hotel, Waterloo Rd., Burslem. Isaac Walton Angling Club — William Gregory, secretary. Club- House — Coach and Horses, Stafford St., Longton. Isaac Walton Angling Club — Frederick Higginson, secretary. Club- House — Dresden Inn, near Longton. Longton Excelsior Angling Club — Thomas Morris, secretary. Club-House — Crown and Anchor, Longton. Stoke-upon-Trent Angling Society— J. HoHins, hon. sec. Club- House — Pike Hotel, Copeland Street. Suffolk. Gipping Angling Preservation Association — George Josselyn, president; W. C. S. Edgecombe, National Provincial Bank, Ipswich, hon. secretary. Norfolk and Suffolk Fish Acclimatisation Society — Edward Birk- beck, M..V ., president J W. Oldham Chambers, Lowestoft;, .^(?«. sec. Surrey. Godahning Angling Society — F. Dowse, High Street, hon. sec. Club-House — Sun Inn, Godalming. Richmond Piscatorial Society — F. Gaunt, secretary. Club-House — Station Hotel, Richmond. Sussex. Brighton Anglers' Association, Brighton. Chichester Angling Society — W. Cooke, secretary. Club-House — Globe Hotel, Chichester. Ouse Angling Preservation Society — Hector Essex, Hillside, Lewes, hon. secretary. Rother Fishery Association — D. N. Olney, Blenheim House, Robertsbridge, secretary. Warwickshire. Birmingham and Midland Piscatorial Association — James Gregory, 39, Vyse St., hon. secretary. Westmoreland. Kent Angling Association — G. Fisher, Kendal, hon, secretary. Milnthorpe Angling Society — W. Tattersall, Milnthorpe, secretary. 40 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION Wiltshire. Bradford-on-Avon Angling Association. Sarum Angling Club— H. Selby Davison, 40 King St., London, E.G., secretary. Worcestershire. Evesham Angling Club, Evesham. Isaac Walton Angling Society — Club-House, Plough Inn, Silver St., Worcester. Teme Anghng Club — ^W. N orris, Worcester, secretary. Yorkshire. Aire Fishing Club — ^T. H. Dewhurst, Whin Field, Skipton, secretary. Burnsall, Appletrewick, and Bar.den Angling Club — T. J. Critchley, Brook St., Ilkley, secretary. Costa Anglers' Club— J. H. Phillips, 22 Albemarle Crescent, Scar- borough, secretary. Derwent Anglers' Club. Address — Mr. Patrick, gunmaker, Scar- borough. Hawes and High Abbotside Angling Association — B. Thompson- Hawes, secretary. Knaresborough Star Angling Club. Club-House — C. M'Nichols, Knaresborough. Marquis of Granby Angling Society — T. H. Settle, hon. sec. Club- House — The Marquis of Granby, Leeds. Middleham Angling Association — J. E. Miller, Middleham, secretary. Otley Angling Club — Mr. Pratt, Otley, secretary. ' Rockingham Angling Society — E. F. Atkinson, president. Club- House — The Fox, Leeds. Ryedale Angling Club, Hovingham. Sheffield Anglers' Association — Charles ^ifum.'g, president ; Messrs. Baker, GiU, Greaves, Guest, Jenkinson, Leonard, Sheldon, Stuart, Swinden, Thompson, Unwin, and White, committee; Thomas Walker, 24 Blue Boy St., Sheffield, secretary. This Association comprises 232 Clubs in Sheffield and district. Wilkinson AngUng Association, Hull. SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 41 ANGLING CLUBS AND FISHING ASSOCIA- TIONS IN SCOTLAND. Aberdeenshire. Dee Salmon Fishing Improvement Association — William Milne, C.A., 147 Union St., secretary. Berwickshire. Berwick Anglers' Club — Robert Weddell, solicitor, Berwick, secretary. Coldstream Angling Club — John Tait, High St., Coldstream, secretary. EUen Fishing Club, Duns — The Hon. Edward Marjoribanks, presidents G. TurnbuU, 58 Frederick St., Edinburgh, secretary. Greenlaw Fishing Club — David Leitch, Greenlaw, secretary. Dumfriesshire. Esk and Liddle Fisheries Association — The Duke of Buccleuch, K.G., president; Robert M' George, writer, Langholm, secretary. Edinburgshire. Cockbura Angling Association — George E. Y. Muir, I West Cross- causeway, Edinburgh, secretary. Edinburgh Angling Club — William Menzies, 18 Picardy Place, secretary. Edinburgh Amateur Angling Club — J. Gordon Mason, S.S.C, secretary. Midlothian Angling Club — ^Joseph A. Cowan, 53 Rose St., secretary. Penicuik Angling Club — James Foulis, clothier, Penicuik, secretary. St. Andrew Angling Club — Professor Williams, president; J. Young Guthrie, S.S.C, 29 Hanover St., Edinburgh, secretary. Walton Angling Club — Professor Williams, president; James Grant, S.S.C, 12 Howard Place, Edinburgh, secretary. Waverley Angling Club — John M'Dougal, 3 Rutland Place, Edinburgh, secretary. 42 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION FiFESHIRE. Dunfermline Angling Club — James Mathewson, Dunfermline, secretary. Kirkcaldy Angling Club — Patrick Don Swan of Springfield, president; Thomas Johnston, solicitor, Kirkcaldy, secretary. Forfarshire. Alyth Angling Club — Major Japp, president ; James D. Murdoch, Alyth, secretary. Arbroath Angling Club — David A. Wilson, Kirk Wynd, Arbroath, secretary. Brechin Angling Club — James B. Hodge, 2 Swan St., Brechin, secretary, Canmore (Forfar) Angling Club — David Maxwell, 16 Watt St.; Forfar, secretary. Dundee Angling Club — David Ireland, Calcutta Buildings, Dundeej secretary. Dundee West End Angling Club — Alexander Mitchell, Roseangle, Dundee, secretary. Dundee Walton Club— W. Mudie, 3 Athole Terrace, Maryfield, Dundee, secretary. Forfar Angling Club — James Dall, joiner. Market Place, Forfar, sec. Strathmore (Forfar) Angling Club — ^James Paton, 10 Arbroath Road, Forfar, secretary. Haddingtonshire. East Linton Angling Club — The Rev. Thomas Stirling Marjoribanks, Prestonkirk, president; George Smellie, East Linton, secretary. Haddington Fishing Club — Captain Houston of Clerkington, presi- dent; George Angus, 35 Court St., Haddington, secretary. KiNROSS-SHIRE. Kinross-shire Fishing Club — Thomas Steedman, Clydesdale Bank, Kinross, secretary. Loch Leven Angling Association (Limited) — ^Sir J. R. Gibson-Mait- land, Bart, of Craigend, president; George Bogie, solicitor, Kinross, secretary. ^ Lanarkshire. Abington Angling Club — David Oswald, teacher, Abington, sec. Buckland Angling Club — WilUam Cross, 41 York St., Glasgow, secretary. SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 43 Coatbridge Angling Club — David Girdwood, Langloan, Coatbridge, setritary. Echaig Angling Club — John Clark, 17 Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow, secretary. Glasgow Dodgers. Glasgow Junior AngUng Club. Lanark Amateur Anghng Associaljon — David Gourlay, Bannatyne Street, Lanark, secretary. Lanarkshire United Anglers' Protective Association — Crawford Brown, no Garthland Drive, Gizsgaw, secretary, (Nine associated Clubs.) Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association — ^Alfred Brown, 163 West George Street, Glasgow, secretary. Motherwell Star Angling Club — James Brown, Braidhurst Colliery, Motherwell, secretary. ' Stonehouse Angling Club — A. Hamilton, Stonehouse, secretary. St. Mungo Angling Club — W. Craig Ramsay, writer, Glasgow, secretary. Trout Preservation Association — David B. Macgregor, 51 West Regent Street, Glasgow, secretary. West of Scotland Anghng Club — David B. Macgregor, 51 West Regent Street, Glasgow, secretary. Western Angling Club — John Wilson, 59 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, secretary. Linlithgowshire. Armadale Angling Club — Robert Kerr, South Street, Armadale, secretary. Avon Conservancy Association — ^W. Horn Henderson, Linlithgow, secretary. Bathgate Angling Club — Robert Bryce, Bridgend, Bathgate, sec. Peebleshire. Peebles Vigilance Trout Protection Association — Charles Tennant, M.P., The Glen, president J James Anderson, Peebles, secretary. Peebles Angling Association — James Wolfe Murray of Crihgletie, president ; Alexander Pairman, grocer, Peebles, secretary. St. Ronan's AngUng Club — James Cossar, Innerleithen, secretary. Perthshire. Aberfeldy Club — James Forbes, Chapel Street, Aberfeldy, secretary. Aberfoyle Angling Club. 44 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION Blairgowrie Angling Club. Perth Anglers' Club— P. D. Malloch, 209 High Street, Perth, secretary. Perthshire Fishing Club— Robert Keay, City Chambers, Perth, sec. Roxburghshire. Kelso AngUng Association— Sir G. H. S. Douglas, Bart., of Spring- wood 73xk, president J Archibald Steel, Bridge Street, Kelso, secretary. Upper Teviotdale Fisheries Association — The Duke of Buccleuch, K.G., president ; Walter Haddon, Royal Bank of Scotland, Hawick, secretary. Selkirkshire. Caddonfoot Fishings— H. W. Cornillon, S.S.C, 139 George Street, Edinburgh, secretary. Gala Angling Association — Robert Hall, 131 High Street, Galashiels, secretary. Selkirk Angling Association — John Anderson, Elm Row, Selkirk, secretary. Stirlingshire. Bonnybridge Angling Club — Alexander Mitchell, Greenbank Cottage, Bonnybridge, secretary. Callander Angling Club — D. Melrose, Callander, secretary. Denny and Dudipace Angling Club — Robert Shearer, Well Strand, Denny, secretary. Dollar Angling' Club. Dollar and Devondale Angling Club — Peter Cousins, Dollar, sec. Doune Angling Club — W. H. Hogg, Lanrick Castle, Doune, sec. East Stirlingshire Association of Anglers — John Hogg, writer, Lar- bert, secretary. Falkirk Anghng Club — J. A. Miller, 144 High St., Falkirk, secretary. Forth Angling Club, Stirling. Haggs Angling Club — George Mirk, Haggs, by Denny, secretary. Muiravonside and Polmont Angling Club — ^A. Campbell, Blackbraes, Falkirk, secretary. Sauchie and Whins of Milton Anghng Club — Sir J. R. Gibson-Mait- land, Bart., of Craigend, /rf«yi?«^y Wm. Reid, Whins of Milton, by Stirling, secretary. Skinflatts Angling Club— William Russell, Skinflatts, by Falkirk, secretary. SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 45 Stirling Forth and Teith Angling Association — ^Alexander Moffat, Clydesdale Bank, Stirling, secretary. Stirling Fishing Club — Sir J. R. Gibson-Maitland, Bart., of Craig- end, president; Robert M'Luckie, Stirling, secretary. The following short descriptions of some of the most prominent Angling and Preservation Societies of the Provinces are compiled mainly from the information kindly supplied by the secretaries of each Association. They are placed as nearly as may be in alphabetical order, the particulars being summarised as much as pos- sible, so as to come within the scope of this little book. Aire Fishing Club. This club, which has been in existence some [forty-five years, was founded and fostered by J. R. Tennant, Esq., of Kildwick Hall, Skipton. It consists of twenty members, paying an entrance fee of ten guineas, and an annual subscription of the like amount, who preserve the river from Cargrave to Eastbuns Brook. It has also a number of subscribers, limited to thirty, paying an annual subscription of thirty shillings, who are allowed to fish the river from Carleton Stone Bridge to Eastburn Brook. The Hon. Secretary is T. H. Dewhurst, Esq., of Whinfield, Skipton, while the President is J. R. Tennant, Esq. Abergavenny Fishing Association. This Association was founded in i860, and has been carried on from that time with fairly good success. The number of salmon and trout season tickets is limited to 20, the holders of such tickets in the previous years having 46 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION the option of renewing them. Five of these tickets are reserved for persons living twenty miles from the town. Rule 6 provides : That the price of salmon and trout season tickets be 40/-, except to persons who, in the judgment of the committee, are professional fishermen, who will be charged £'i-0; season tickets for trout, 20/-, to admit the use of fly, worm, minnow, or gentle; season tickets for trout, if fly only be used, 10/-. Day tickets for salmon and trout, 5/-, to be restricted to persons residing 10 miles or more from the town ; day tickets for trout, fly only to be used, 2/6 ; or 5/- to admit the use of worm, minnow, or gentle. None of these tickets are transferable, except as provided for in Rule 8. Also that tickets for clodding for eels shall be issued at 5/- ; and that tickets for dace fishing during the trout closed season shall be $/- ; or to include both eels and dace, 10/-, such fishermen to be subject to Rule 10, as to time of fishing. Ladies may be allowed to fish on the payment of half the price of any of these tickets. The Association has about two miles of water, most of which can be fished from both banks. The Marquis of Abergavenny gives the right of fishing from his property on the left bank, while the Association rents the right bank from a local landowner. The Birdsgrove Fly-fishing Club, Mayfield, Ashbourne. This club, which is limited to twenty members paying an annual subscription of five pounds each, was formed by J. H. Villiers, Esq., and fishes four miles of the river Dove situate about a mile from Ashbourne, and lying between the Okeover and Norbury Fishing Clubs. The river SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 47 abounds in trout and grayling, and runs through some very fine scenery. The members at present consist of eighteen gentlemen, thus showing a vacancy for two more rods. Bradford-on-Avon Fishing Association. This Association was formed about ten years ago with the object of putting a stop to the poaching, netting and pollution which was then going on in the Avon. The principal supporters of it were W. Stevine, Esq., of Warleigh, the Rev. George Baker, of Manor House, Freshford, and Captain Sainsbury, of Bathford. It pre- serves the river from Holt to Stoke, which distance is divided into three sections. The charge for a yearly ticket for the whole of the water is ;£'i, and such ticket is transferable to any member of the owner's family. For half the water the cost of a ticket is los., and for one of the sections it is 2s. 6d. per month. In 1876 the water was handed over to an association fornied at Bristol, of which Mr. E. W. B. Villiers, of 26 Bath Road, Bristol, is secretary. Boston Angling Association Was established in 1871, having for its object the pre- vention of the wholesale destruction, by netting, of fish in the river Witham and its tributary streams, so that good angling might be provided for the inhabitants of Boston, its visitors, and the neighbourhood. This object the Asso- ciation has undoubtedly attained, and is now one of the largest and best free fisheries for coarse fish in the kingdom, being bountifully supplied with pike, perch, roach, rudd, chub, ruffe, bleak, bream (two kinds), tench and eels. Burbot are occasionally taken. It is 148 miles in extent, comprising the river Witham, and the drains in the East, 48 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION West and Wildmore Fens, under the jurisdiction of the River Witham Drainage Commissioners, and under whose by-laws the B. A. A. have power and act. At the present time it is the principal resort of the Sheffield anglers, it being nothing uncommon to witness two thousand in a single day. It is computed by competent authorities that there were not less than 30,000 visitors last season. It is regulated by a code of rules twenty in number, and supported by voluntary contributions. The officers consist of patrons, a president, vice-presidents, treasurer, secretary, and a committee of management. The officers are appointed annually by ballot, on the first Monday in July. The committee meets monthly on the second Wednesday in every month, having power to call special meetings. The quarterly meetings are held the first Monday in October, January and April. Besides the above there is the North and South Forty- foot drains, about forty miles in extent, under the juris- diction and management of the Black Sluice Drainage- Commissioners. The latter drain is large and deep, with excellent water, and though it has only been preserved three seasons it abounds with most kinds of the fish previously mentioned, but is particularly noted for its pike and perch. There is a small annual fee of 2s. 6d. charged by the Commissioners on these waters. Bristol Golden Carp Angling Association. This Association was founded in September 1879, and is limited to 200 members. The subscription for the first year is ^s., and 2s. 6d. per annum afterwards. General meetings are held the last Monday in each quarter, and committee meetings last Monday in each month. SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 49 Secretary, Lewis C. Wride, Digby House, Barton Hill, Bristol. Carlisle Angling Association. This Association was formed in 1852 to preserve the River Eden and its tributaries. Up to that time a great amount of poaching had- existed, there being no regular watchers on the river. In the first year of its existence the bailiffs seized thirty-two illegal nets, in most cases securing convictions. Up till 1870 they were the only preservers of the river, then, however, the Eden Board of Conservancy was formed, having a staff of ten men and an inspector, whose salaries were paid out of the funds arising from the sale of net and rod licences. The number of salmon and trout has steadily increased since the Association was formed. In 1878 the salmon disease broke out amongst the fish, and has continued more or less ever since, showing itself principally in the spring and autumn. The Eden is one of the finest trout and salmon rivers in Eng- land, abounding in fishy streams and runs with occasional rocky pools. There are netting-stations for fifteen miles from the outlet, but in spite of these salmon and grilge run tip the river in large numbers. The Hon. Sec. is J. Bedwell Slater, Esq., of Chatsworth Square, Carlisle. The Chichester Angling Society. This Association was established in 188 1. Its Patron is His Grace The Duke of Richmond and Gordon, while the President is W. W. Baker, Esq., and Vice-President, W. Kerwood, Esq. ; Treasurer, Mr. A. Purchase ; Hon. Sec, Mr. G. F. Salter. The head-quarters are at the " Globe Hotel," Chichester. This Society numbers over 100 members, and has a fine E so THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION stretch of water within a short distance of the club-room, well stocked with carp, bream, perch, roach, and a few tench and eels. Pike are also fairly represented. The canal from the basin to the lower lock is over three miles, and since the weed clearance by the Society in 1882 is in fine angling condition. The Costa Anglers' Club. The River Costa at Keld Head runs in considerable volume at the foot of the oolitic limestone moorlands, lying north of Pickering, in the North Riding of the County of York, In many respects it is a remarkable stream. It is of high uniform temperature, rarely below 37 degrees, consequently it never freezes, and in cold winters the condensation of vapour is a striking phe- nomenon, rising, as it frequently does, high into the air, and may be seen for many miles. This high temperature naturally promotes the rapid growth of weed, and is one of the annoyances which the managing committee have to contend with in being com- pelled to cut and keep it under so very frequently in the height of the fishing season. On the other hand, this weed forms a capital shelter for fish, and produces a vast amount of insect food, on which young fish rapidly increase in size and condition. The club is only a youthful institution ; nevertheless, the managers have already a breeding establishment in operation, and are able to turn out annually from 15,000 to 20,000 fry, consequently the stream is becoming fairly stocked with both trout and grayling. Those killed last season, and so far as this one has progressed, have been of an average weight of i^ to 2 lbs., and a few 3 lbs. Each member is limited to ten brace a day, not less than SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. %i lO inches in length, and to 20 days, angling during the season, for which he pays four guineas subscription and an entrance fee of five guineas. There are 40 subscribing members, under the presidency of the Rev. J. R. Hill, of Thornton Hall, near Pickering, a thorough sportsman and a county gentleman of the truest Yorkshire type. The Costa receives the Pickering Beck near Kirby Misterton, and two or three miles below the united waters are discharged into the Derwent. J. H. Philips, Esq., of Scarborough, is the honorary secretary, and it was mainly through his exertions that the club was re-established some four years ago. Derwent Anglers' Club. This Club preserves a stretch of water extending from two miles below East and West Ayton, near Scarborough, through the celebrated Forge Valley, thence past the highly picturesque village of Hackness, the seat of Lord Derwent, to Hill's Green Bridge at the entrance of " Barnescliffe," a wild gorge of surpassing beauty, running up and forming the eastern side of the lofty "Langdale Rigg," from the summit of which there is a magnificent view of a large expanse of country. On the east the cliffs of the sea coast, with the baronial castle keep of Scarborough standing out like a sentinel to guard that ancient borough and queen of watering places — on the south are the Great Wolds, with the bold promontories of Filey Brigg and Flamborough Head formihg striking objects, whilst on the west the eye stretches away to Malton and the Howardean Hills, with the Hambleton plateau in the far distance. On the north is large expanse of moorland lying in the direction of Robin Hood's Bay, and the Peak, flanked by the railway from Pickering to Whitby, emerging from Newton Dale on to E 2 52 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION the heights above. It is here on high ground, under the shadow of " Lilla's Cross," that the " Derwent " takes its rise ; and, descending in a meandering form, with many a pretty waterfall, it traverses the monotonous expanse of moor in a south-easterly course until it meets at the' foot of the upper end of Langdale Pike the " Luggerhowe " stream coming from Harwood Dajle, and unitedly they enter the Barnescliffe Valley, From this point to Hill's Green Bridge is a nice stretch of stream, full of small yet toothsome trout, of which Lord Derwent is • the owner, and who liberally grants permission to honest anglers. That portion of the Derwent which is presei-ved , by the club is a pleasant fishable stream, with abundance of trout and a few grayling, ^hough neither of them are of large size, averaging about three to the pound. The stream ma.y be briefly described as one of alternate pool, with here and there gravelly streams, fringed on both sides with trees and bushes where trout love to hide and dwell and to watch for their daily ephemeral food. Through the Forge Valley the stream runs deep and sluggishly, but many a lusty trout lies there in ambush, only to be interviewed when there is a wind blowing up or down the valley. A practical hand then may readily fill his pannier. Lord Derwent and Lord Londesborough are the chief proprietors, and are the liberal patrons of the Club, though there are other riparian owners, all of whom generously place their respective waters at the disposal of the members. The Derwent being at such a convenient distance from Scarborough and easily accessible by rail, are great facilities for the members reaching the stream. The Club was formed upwards of forty years ago, namely in 1839, and, from its many surroundings, has always been a popular SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 53 one, especially with the gentry residing in Scarborough. The managers have a breeding establishment at the Forge Cottages, and for many years past have turned out from 10,000 to 20,000 fry, so that the stream is kept constantly replenished with an abundant stock of fish, to supply diver- sion for its many members, who occasionally jostle each other — as for instance in the Mayfly season,, when every one is anxious for the fray and to secure a basket. If, however, the angler should fall on an untoward day, when trout decline conclusions with his " gentle art," he has before him magnificent scenery which will well repay him for his outing, though he may have to return home with an empty creel. T. B. Etty, Esq., of Scarborough — a relative of the dis- tinguished painter — is the acting and obliging honorary secretary of the Club, which consists of 40 members, subscribing two guineas each annually and three gufneas entrance. The Dart District Fishery Board Exercises certain powers of control over a defined district, the limits of which were settled by a certificate from the Secretary of State dated 26th of March, 1866, under the powers conferred by the Salmon Fishery Acts ; and under the same powers the members of the Board are appointed by the Magistrates at Quarter Sessions. The Board has the power to issue licences, without which no person (not excepting owners of property) can fish. The Chairman is Jeffrey Michelmore, Esq., of Totnes, while the Hon. Secretary is Anthony Pike, Esq., of the same place. Derwent Valley Angling Association. At a public meeting held at the Town Hall, Shotley Bridge, on Tuesday, March 9th, 1865, to consider the 54 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION propriety of forming an association for the protection of fish in the River Derwent, the late Thos. Wilson, Esq., of Shotley Hall, in the chair, it was resolved : I. That the above Association be formed for the above object. II. That it be governed by a president and a committee of not less than six members, with secretary and treasurer. III. That Mr. Wilson, of Shotley Hall, be president, and that the provisional committee to carry out the resolutions of meeting should be composed of the following gentle- men, viz : Mr. John Armandale, Mr. Thos. Ramsay, Mr. Geo. Peile, Mr. Thos. Richardson, Mr. (now Dr.) Renton, the Rev. W. CundiU, Mr. Featherstonehaugh, and Mr. Thirlwell, Mr. A. Town (Hon. Treasurer), the Rev. F. B. Thompson, and Mr. Booth (Hon. Sec). IV. That such committee be authorised to communicate with the landed proprietors along the bank of the river, asking their co-operation, &c., and report to future meeting, together with proposed rules and regulations for working of the association. V. That a subscription list be now opened and sub- scriptions solicited towards funds of the Association. At a public meeting held on Monday, 30th October, 1865, the report was presented and rules adopted, while it was settled that fishing should commence on the i6th of March, 1866, and close on the ist of October. Tickets \Qs. each. The first subscription amounted tO;fj32. Since March 1879 the tickets to new members have been Si'., to old members 2s. 6d. From report of annual meeting held in February last I 'find that the Society commenced earlier, viz., on March ist instead of i6th. Since its formation 6,000 fry {fario and SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 55 levenensis) have been introduced in the river and tributaries. (Fishing in the latter is strictly prohibited.) The subject of introducing grayling is postponed for the present. The East Anglian Piscatorial Society. This Society had its origin in the City of Norwich, and was founded by Mr. Alfred Palmer, the then proprietor of the Great Eastern Hotel. It was first started in the year 1879, and up to the present time has had a mast successful career. The society consists of, and is limited to thirty members, besides several honorary members. Prominent amongst the latter is the nanie of Edward Birkbeck, Esq., M.P., as also the names of W. H. Grenfel, Esq., M.P. for Salisbury, and Edward Fanshaw Holley, Esq., of Gunyah Lodge, Norwich. The above gentlemen have taken a keen interest in the welfare of the Society. The members meet once a month for the transaction of business, special meetings for readings, and " Social Board meetings are held at intervals. The society has done much in prohibiting netting and other unfair fishing both in the rivers Yare and Bure. The Eaton Fishing Club. The club preserves about three miles of the rivers Lugg and Arrow, commencing a mile below the town of Leominster, Herefordshire. The water which runs through land belonging principally to the Earl of Meath Is well stocked with both trout and grayling. This society was originally formed some thirty-five years since, and is limited to fourteen members. Since then it has passed through various changes in rales and con- 56 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION stitution, and is now managed by a committee of local gentlemen. The Esk Fishery Association Was founded in the year 1866, and consists of the land- owners consenting to the preservation of their portion of the stream by the club, and persons who subscribe to the whole of the club waters. This Association has done good and important work in breeding salmon, having turned into the river not less than 100,000 fish. Last season more salmon were taken with the rod than sea-trout or bull- trout. The Grassington', Threshfield and Linton Angling Club Was commenced in 1855;, for the purpose of preserving a length of about three miles of the river Wharfe near Grassington and between the Kilnsey and Burnsall angling waters. The fishing is almost entirely for trout and grayling. The present subscription is \os. for a season ticket, and 2s. 6d, for a day ticket. The Club is managed by a committee consisting of a president, secretary, and three other members of the club. Tickets may be obtained from the secretary, Mr. William Harker, Grassington, near Skipton, Yorkshire. Great Grimsby Angling Association. This Association was formed a short time back by Mr. Hollingsworth, " Mason's Arms Hotel," Grimsby. It now numbers 100 members, and has secured by rental a great part of the " South Navigation Canal." The society rents several fishing streams. The river Ancholme is within SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 57 easy reach of the vicinity of Grimsby, and contains numbers of bream, roach, perch, pike, &c. It is the property of the " Ancholme Commissioners," who issue a season ticket at the moderate charge of t,s. ; it is strictly preserved, and affords excellent sport. From the docks a stream called the " Haven " runs for miles through several adjoining villages, and contains plenty of trout and roach ; it is preserved in some parts by the owners of the land through which it passes. The docks abound in roach, pike, &c., and the fishing is free. The Association is managed by a president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and a com- mittee of twelve members, and is in a very flourishing condition. Their head-quarters are the "Mason's Arms Hotel," Grimsby. King's Lynn Angling Association. This society was started in December 1880 — the origi- nator being H. Bradfield, Esq. It preserves the Gaywood river, and hires the Middle Level Main Drain, the Hundred Feet river, Roxham Drain, and the Drain — Downham or St. John's Eau — the Walks rivulet. Long Pond, and Lake, the latter being provided for the fishing of the inhabitants of the borough free of charge. The Association rears large numbers of trout fry, part of which are procured from parent fish in the neighbourhood. The greater portion of the ova is hatched in the Lynn Museum — entrance to which is free — and the operation is one of great attraction to the inhabitants. The young fry is afterwards transferred to a nursery pond. Last year 1 5,000 fry were hatched, and this year 20,000. The annual subscription is 5j., honorary members £1 is. and loj. 6d. The Hon. Sec. is H. Bradfield, Esq., of Gay- wood Road, Lynn. 58 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION Liverpool Angling Association. — Head-quarters, "Strawberry Hotel," West Derby Road, Liverpool. Some four years ago a number of anglers who were in the habit of meeting at the above hotel conceived the idea of forming an angling association, and after some difficulty succeeded in their endeavour. The number of 'members at first was thirteen, but this has now increased to lOO, with about twelve hon. members. They had great difficulty in obtaining or renting fishing waters, but have now secured the right of fishing in the reservoir of the Ruabon Water Company, which is well stocked with trout averaging half a pound each. About 2000 Lough Neagh trout have been placed in the brook leading into the reservoir as a trial, with the intention of placing some 10,000 more there if this attempt is successful. They have also got permis- sion from the Parks Commissioners to fish in the Park lakes. The President is James Wilkinson, ^Esq., while the Hon. Sec. is Mr. R. Woolfall, of 27 Troughton Road. Lower Monnow Fishing Club. This Club is limited to twenty-five members, paying an annual subscription of £'i, each, and has the fishing for about nine miles on the lower Monnow. The trout average three to the pound ; fish of three and four pounds are, however, frequently caught. There are vacancies for more members. The Hon. Secretary is R. Wrightson, Esq., Newport, Monmouth. Lower Teicn Fishing Association. This Association was formed in February 1876, after a public meeting held at Newton Abbot on the 24th of that month. All the principal landowners on the Teign and its SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 59 tributary the Bovey gave up their fishing rights to the Society. Since then part of the Bovey has been withdrawn, and the Association right now extends for about nine miles up the Teign, and about two miles up the Bovey. Tickets are issued to the public at los. 6d. for the season, S-y- per month, 2s. 6d. per week, and is. per day ; a trout licence of 2 J. 6d., and a salmon licence of ;^i is., is also imposed by the board of conservators. The Secretary is the Rev. J. Yarde, of Culver House, Chudleigh, while the Treasurer is Sidney Hacker, Esq., of Newton Abbot. The Market Deeping Angling Society. The right of fishery in the river Welland at Market Deeping extends from a point at the end of Mr. Thorpe's mill-stream to Kenulph's Stone, a distance of six miles, and formerly belonged to the Crown as Lord of the Manor of East and West Deeping. It was let until 1872 to a fisherman who netted it at all times and seasons, sparing nothing. Mr. S. B. Sharpe represented the matter to Mr. Gore, Commissioner of Her Majesty's Woods and Forests, who accordingly discharged the tenant and accepted Mr. Sharpe, in company with Mr. Holland and Mr. Molecey, of that place, as tenants. In 1875 the manor was sold, and in 1877 the right of fishery was purchased by a few local noblemen and gentlemen, consisting of the following : — Lord Kesteven, Lord Burghley, William Holland, William Beadzler Deacon, George Linnell, John Thorpe, John Mole- cey, Twigge Molecey, Edmund Lawlett, and Samuel Bates Sharpe, Esqs., and an angling society formed which has been eminently successful. The Welland is a very good breeding river, running over a gravel bottom, the lower parts running through low-lying lands which in winter become flooded, 6o THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION and form what is called Crowland Wash, a few miles below Deeping, and there the fish, especially pike, breed in great numbers. The dace in the higher waters about Deeping are very fine and rise freely to the fly ; large numbers have been caught from eight to fourteen ounces. Through the efforts of the proprietors, aided by the untiring exertions of the Hon. Sec, Mr. S. B. Sharpe (who is also on the Council of the National Fish Culture Association), the river Welland at this portion literally teems with fish. The object of the Society being "the preservation of fish for legitimate sport," and that alone, the rules are extremely liberal to anglers — the annual subscription of five shillings, for example, including the head of a family and his young children. The Middleham Angling Association. This Society was founded in 1880, and preserves the fishing on the river Cover (a tributary stream of the Yore). The water contains trout and grayling, and is rented from the lord of the manor, J. Wood, Esq. The members at present number about twenty, and pay an annual subscrip- tion of;^i \s. with an entrance fee of a like amount. The President is S, T. Scrope, Esq. of Danby Hall, Bedale ; Secretary and Treasurer, J. E. Miller, Esq., Middleham, Bedale. The Nene Angling Club. This Club was established in 1856, Dr. Webster being the first President and J. Hensman, Esq., Hon. Secretary. They preserve from twelve to fourteen miles of the river Nene. The water contains jack, bream, perch, carp, &c., and large bags are frequently made. A bream of 6 lbs. and a carp of 9I lbs. were lately taken from the water. SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 6i The annual subscriptions are ;^3 3J. for the whole fishery- extent ; from the Paper-mills to Castle Ashby, £\ u. ; and \os. 6d. for the third fishery, from the Paper Mills to Billing; there being also an entrance fee of loj. 6d. for the whole water, and ^s. for the;^i \s. preserve. President, the Rev. H. Smyth, Little Houghton ; Hon. Sec, H. P. Hensman, Esq. Norwich Piscatorial Society. This Society was originated by Mr. W. Capon, of Norwich. It numbers 50 fishing and a large number of honorary members. The annual subscription is ioj., hon. members 20J. The Club gives a very fine Challenge Cup, to be won twice before becoming the property of any member. Hon. Secretary and Treasurer, Mr. W. G. Capon, Mar- ket Street, Norwich. The Northampton Working Men's Angling Club Was formed May 22nd, 1876, and now numbers 80 members ; fishes about 8 miles of private water in the Nene. Annual subscription 8j. 6ti., hon. members lOJ. 6d. The Society has several prize competitions during the year. Its head-quarters are at the ' Half Moon ' Inn, Bridge Street. Hon. Sec, Mr. J. James, 10 Pike Lane. Newark and Muskham Fishery Association. This Association was formed 1868, it has about 4J miles of private water rented from Lord Middleton and H. Manners- Sutton, Esq. The number of members is about 70, paying a subscription of 15 J. per annum for a single ticket, and £1 IS. for a family ticket. The limits of the fishery are defined as follows, and include some of the veiy finest 62 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION lengths on the river Trent. The "Muskham Fishery" extends on the north bank of the river from the "Fir Trees " in Kelham Lane to the fence dividing the parishes of North and South Muskham, two fields below " Toder's Holt ; " and on the south bank, from the fence dividing the parishes of Kelham and South Muskham, nearly opposite the aforesaid " Fir Trees,'' to the fence dividing the same parishes opposite the Bottom Lock. The " Dead Water " and " Muskham Fleet " are also included in the Fishery. The Hon. Secretary of the Association is J. Neal, Esq., of Mount Schools, Newark-on-TrenL Otley Angling Club. ' The Otley Angling Club was formed in 1 876, principally through the kindness of Ayscough Fawkes, Esq., of Farnley Hall, who gives to the Club about six miles of fishing on one side of the river Wharfe. The number of members is limited to 30, paying an annual subscription of £2, and an entrance fee of ;^2. The society batches about 26,000 trout fry annually and places them in the river. The President is Ayscough Fawkes, Esq., while the Hon. Sec. is R. M. Pratt, Esq., Otley. The Redditch Piscatorials. The Club was established a short time ago to meet the requirements of the working-men anglers (who are mostly engaged in the Redditch hook, &c., manufactories). So far it has been a decided success. The subscription is is., with id. for a book of rules. The Club has been greatly assisted by several of the manufacturers giving prizes to be fished for. SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 63 President, Mr. George Welch ; Secretary, John E. Wilkes, 31 Edward Street, Redditch. Ryedale Angling Club. The Ryedale Angling Club was formed June ist., 1846, and consists of 20 members paying an annual subscription of £4 4J. and £2 2s. entrance fee. They rent from Lord Feversham the length of water from Helmsley Bridge to Newton, a distance along the stream of about 4 miles ; the fishing is restricted to artificial fliy and dead minnow. The river Rye is a good trout and grayling stream, and is strictly preserved both above and below the Club water. The Honorary Secretary is Bryan Ed. Cookson, Esq., of 40 Holgate Road, York. Shrewsbury and Severn Angling Society. This Angling Society was started in March, 1883, having then 70 members, which have increased to no at the present time. The honour of originating it belongs chiefly to T. H. Morgan, Esq. The annual subscription is 2s. 6d., with IS. entrance fee ; hon. members 10s. 6d. The Society has promoted an Act of Parliament to do away with netting in the part of the Severn within the limits of the borough. President, James Watson, Esq., of Berwick Hall ; Hon. Sec, T. H. Morgan, Esq., Shrewsbury. The Spalding Angling Club. This Club was formed in the year 1864. The fishing exists in the Drains belonging to the Deeping Fen Drainage Trustees and extends over some 25 miles of water, the Society also has a reach of about four miles of the River Glen. 64 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION Tickets are issued to subscribers at the rate of £\ is. for double tickets and lOJ. 6d. for single. The Hon. Secretary is J. G. Calthrop, Esq., of Spalding. The Stour Fishing Association. This Association was formed in January 1866, in the place of an old private club which had almost become extinct. They preserve part of the River Stour, containing some of the finest trout in England, and also breed artificially with success. The number of members is limited to 100, paying an annual subscription oi £l is. to ;^5 5^. and an entrance fee of £\0 \os. Hon. Sec, Captain Lambert, Stanmore, Canterbury; Assistant Sec, Mr. F. G. Haines, 9 Watling Street, Canterbury. St. John's Amateur Anglers' Association. This Association was formed about five years ago by several anglers residing at St John's, Worcester, with a view to securing for themselves good fishing waters and to encourage sportsmanlike angling. The number of members is limited to 30, paying an annual subscription of 2s. 6d. Hon. Sec, Arthur Hill, Fern Villa, St. John's, Worcester. Upper Exe Fishing Association. This Association was formed in February, 185 1, by the owners and occupiers of land on the river Exe, and was then called " The Occupier's Exe Fishing Association," but has since been altered to the above title. Cards for the season are issued at £1 is. ; monthly, ioj. ; weekly, Sj. ; day, 2s. 6d. The extent of fishing is about five miles up the river Exe, SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 65 from Thorverton Bridge to near Beckleigh Bridge, and comprises the best fishing in that river. The Hon. Secretary is W. C. James, Esq., Thorverton, Collumpton, Devon. Trent Fishery Board of Conservators. The chief honour of the establishment of this important Board belongs unquestionably to Thomas Worthington, Esq., solicitor, of Derby, who in 1863, by means of a series of letters addressed to the Derby Mercury, called public attention to the fact that no proper steps had been taken, under the Salmon Fisheries Act of 1861, for the preser- vation of the Trent. At a public meeting which followed, Mr. Worthington and another gentleman, on the motion of the late Sir Oswald Mosley, Bart., were appointed the first conservators under the act. The movement greatly inte- rested the then Lord Vernon and other fishery proprie- tors, amongst whom was Mr. Dennison, the then Speaker of the House of Commons. In June 1864 a meeting of fishery proprietors was held at Mr. Dennison's residence, when . an association was formed, and called the " Trent Fishery Association." Mr. Thomas Worthington, and Major Scott, of Knaith Hall, near Gainsborough, were appointed joint honorary secretaries. In 1865, the Salmon Fisheries Amendment Act having been passed, the Trent Fishery Association was duly formed into the "Trent Fishery Board," in pursuance of the act. Major Scott resigned the honorary secretaryship, and Colonel G. M. Hutton, of Gate Burton, Gainsborough, was appointed in his place, and still remains hon. secretary. In December 1880 Mr. Worthington, in consequence of ill-health, was compelled to resign the hon. secretaryship, F 66 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION and Mr. C. K. Eddowes, solicitor, Derby, was appointed clerk and solicitor in his place. ToNBRiDGE Angling Club and Fish Preservation Society. This Society was established at Tonbridge about eight years ago to preserve the upper reaches of the Medway, and put a stop to the continuous poaching and netting which was then going on. The Society received great assistance from the riparian proprietors, and is now in a very flourishing condition. They have recently acquired " The Ballast Pit," a lake of about six acres, which it is the intention of the association to stock with trout. The annual subscription is los. 6d. for the whole fishery, and 5j. for part ; day tickets, is. President, A. T. Beeching, Esq. ; Hon. Sec, Mr. E. HoUomby, Quarry Hill, Tonbridge. Universal Angling Society. This Society was formed in 1S72, and was principally composed of the former members of the "Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Angling Association," which had ceased to exist as a club in the preceding year. The association owes a great deal of its present success to the good services and management of Mr. Thomas Maplebeck, who was for several years their president. The number of mem- bers at present is eighty, paying an annual subscription of Ss. with an entrance fee of is. Secretary, Mr. W. H. Barker, High Street, Hull. The Watford Piscators. This Society was established in March 1882, for the purpose of putting a stop to the poaching which was going on in the public waters of the neighbourhood, and to rent SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 67 fishing for the exclusive use of its members. In May the club got under their control about half a mile of the river Colne from the railway arches to the Leathersellers' Arms, and some time afterwards secured a reach of the canal from Cassio Bridge to Eeasley's Lock. The number of fishing members is limited to 50, with numerous hon. members. The annual subscription is Jj. Hon. Sec, Mr. H. A. Vincent, 4 Carey Place, Watford. LONDON ANGLING CLUBS. I now come to an entirely distinct consideration of the " Angling Clubs " of London pure and simple. It is very likely that a certain class of unreflecting people, or people who don't know any better, may imagine that the sole aim and ambition attendant upon the formation or weekly gathering together of the members of an angling club is centred in the consumption of a good deal of fourpenny ale, unlimited grogs, and the strongest sort of tobacco. Now and again it is possible, but they are very isolated instances, that this view of matters represents something like the facts of the case. More frequently such an un- generous reading is as far wide of the mark as the North Pole is to California. Then, again, it may be asked ' What good do angling clubs effect ? what are they really doing that is worth doing ? and what might they not do > Truly three such queries open up a terrible vista of argument, and although the first question may be, and is, easy enough to answer, the two following must inevitably place the ma- jority of the angling clubs, to speak simple truth, in a by no means complimentary or particularly enviable position. What good do angling clubs effect ? Well, by way of F 2 68 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION answering that question I will endeavour to show the difference between angling clubs past and present. At a date by no means very far antecedent there were, comparatively speaking, only a very few angling clubs in existence. Such as they were, they embraced all the best and fongest-lived societies then in being, with some few of the now rapidly springing body of piscators, constantly resolving themselves into some new club, and which might, under proper skilled management, become in time a mighty host, powerful to do good. Such angling societies as existed then, or many of the members at any rate, were anglers only in name. They re- cognised, save with rare exceptions, no fence seasons at all, and as to size, bagged every living thing in the shape of a fish that they could entice with either worm or gentle. It was no disgrace then for an angler proudly to display in the club room, as the result of his day's sport, such a col- lection of fish as nowadays he dare not even bring home. It was literally shocking in those degenerate days to see what baby fish were slaughtered. It was sad to think that men were amongst us calling themselves sportsmen — Heaven save the mark ! — who were content to base their claim to the title upon the wretched laurels they might win' by the production of such a tray of fish as would have almost disgraced the doughty deeds done in the days when the embryo angler sallied forth armed with a pea- stick, bent pin, some stolen cotton, and a borrowed pickle bottle. However, such were the facts, and I turn gladly to a contemplation of the picture in our own day. That resolves itself into a totally different one. Anglers nowadays are, in the first place, restricted by most wholesome rules, which bar them from showing anything but fairly good sample fish, and in the second, I fully SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 69 believe that their latent sportsmanlike feeling has been so thoroughly developed by good example, that in many cases they would not exhibit poor specimens even if they had the chance. A very strong feeliijg, emanating it is only right to say with the " Gresham Angling Society," has sprung up of late years against the promulgation of " gross weight competitions,'' and in favour rather of specimen fish. The scale of weights has been fixed in all cases at a fair size, and in many instances some of the clubs — and notably those old Societies, " The Piscatorial Society " and " The Friendly Anglers " — fix their weight at a very high standard indeed. How different from the old days, when everything in the shape of a fish was bagged, and the waters north, south, east, and west of the compass, were slowly, it is true, but not the less surely, depleted and gradually fished out. I may ask now. What are the London Anglers doing for the common good of their brethren ? and the answer, without giving offence, which I should be sorry enough to do, is one especially difficult to shape nicely. In the first place they have established by joint effort, spread over certain districts, three institutions by means of which cheap railway facilities have been obtained from all those companies whose permanent way leads to well-known angling resorts. These are the West Central Association of London and Provincial Angling Societies, The United London Anglers' Central Committee, and the Central Association. In the next place, they have founded what should be known as the best and most important work that the London anglers, as a body of sportsmen, have ever at- tempted to give root and birth to, in the shape of "The Anglers' Benevolent Association." This, has for its main object the assistance of anglers who through declining 70 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION years, or the working of that strange unwritten law which would seem to hamper some unfortunates with the unvari- able and accursed sting of poverty, sink gradually into a pitiable state. Before, its institution, and when a properly accredited member of an angling club fell into distress, there was nothing by way of relief save the " whip round " with its open declaration of distress, sometimes especially hurtful to a man's feelings, but which, to the credit of his comrades, they were never disposed to shirk. Now a dis- tressed angler simply makes his case known to the Com- mittee of that institution, and he is instantly relieved to the best of its ability. But is this institution, which should be one of the first and most important, properly supported ? No, I answer — emphatically no ; yet the very men probably who hesitate in the time of prosperity to put their shilling into its funds are the very men who would think they were hardly dealt by if, in the hour of need, they were not offered pounds. My friend Mr. Geen, the hard-working practical " anglers' friend," if ever man deserved the title yet, has lately written a paper, which has been read before various Angling Societies, upon "The better Organisation of the London Anglers." I had not intended to trench upon the ground he, in that admirable and sensible essay, has taken up, but he speaks so much more powerfully than my feeble pen is capable of expressing, that I shall not hesitate, with many apo.logies for so doing, to quote here and there his opinions, mainly as a means of strengthening my own. Hear what he says, ye London Anglers, concerning this same " Anglers' Benevolent," and mark, learn, and inwardly digest the wisdom of his repeated warnings. " Another fault, and not a small one, is the difficulty of getting members to join. One of the chief reasons which SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 71 caused me to work for the society was the hope that begging would be done away with. I feel certain that there have been more journeys undertaken, and more earnest pleading, and eloquent speeches made to get members to join the Anglers' Benevolent than was ever made for the needy angler under the old system. " And what does all this begging for members produce ? £l'j 8j. yd. — actually a smaller sum than they took out of it. No one could possibly take exception to a single item of the expenses, yet they amount to ;i^3 1 3j. 4d., which is O'^ly £S 1 5-y. less than the members' subscriptions." The last good working of the London anglers, or at any rate its outcome, is the establishment of the " United London Fisheries Association," having for its object the renting and stocking of various waters for the use and pleasurable enjoyment of its members. Now the business working of these five associations means simply and totally, apart from their admirable objects, a sheer waste of both time, labour, and money, Mr. Geen's great idea, and in this I fully and entirely join issue, is that all might be comprised under one general head, and that in lieu of five sets of officers, embracing three presidents, two vice-presidents, five chairmen, five treasurers, fifteen trustees, five committees of twelve each, and five secretaries, all might be well and efficiently done by one set of officers alone, and that in opposition to the ridiculous issue of three sets of privilege tickets for rail- way purposes, all might be easily comprised in one, saving trouble, expense, and a lot of entirely unnecessary round- about business. What would be the result ? There would be more money at command to help the various Preservation Societies, at present greatly neglected ; there would be still 72 THE ANGLING CLUBS AND PRESERVATION more to help to stock the waters, at present absolutely in the London anglers' hands, and get them more efficiently protected and watched, and there would be still more left vested, and ready when needful, to help and assist the sacred cause of charity. I quote Mr. Geen again, because no language of my own could make the question of how is this desirable result to be obtained more clear than he does. He first of all tells us that there are 41 17 enrolled members of one or other of these split-up associations. Some belonging to one, some to another, but few to all three combined. Upon the question of ways and means he says :— " I have left the important matter of ways and means until the last, as I thought it best you should first be informed as to the nature and extent of my other sug- gestions. " At present we pay \s. to the association of whom we get a privilege ticket, and \s. to the Fisheries Society ; so that the yearage is now is. Then the Benevolent steps in and asks us to voluntarily pay them is. Six hundred and ninety-one out of the 41 17 responded to that appeal, and paid over £'^1 8j. "jd. How much easier, how much fairer and more satisfactory that we should all pay 3^. ! I hope no one will accuse me of being unmindful of my poorer brother anglers. I would not be a party to taking a single penny unnecessarily from their pockets, and before I could bring myself to consent to make this suggestion, I had ascertained that it is the poor angler that is paying the 3^. now. I have also asked myself the question, ' What do I offer in return .■" ' The answer is, your railway concessions shall be guarded, and, if possible, extended ; your free rivers shall be protected, and private waters shall SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 73 be rented for you ; the needy and distressed among you shall be relieved. " Three shillings per year means a trifle more than one halfpenny a week. Many of you must have been struck with the wonderful penny's-worth offered. Cheap tra- velling, good sport, pleasure and charity for one half-penny per week. Small as this sum is, it would produce £6iy lis. The donations and annual subscriptions to the Benevolent amount to £6^ 17 s. 8d., making our gross income £68 ;i 8s. 8d. Out of this sum we must pay our secretary and bailiff, vote a sum to the Benevolent committee, and provide for printing, stationery, stamps, and general expenses. " Much will depend on our getting a good practical secretary, whose salary I fix at ;^I50 per annum, payable monthly, not yearly .. .. .. .. .. ;^I50 o o Head bailiff, 30J. per week . . . . 78 o o Benevolent vote (the amount expended last year) . . . . . . . . 50 o o Present amount paid for printing, station- ery and stamps, ;£'i33 15^. S " He drove the swans away, went in and sifted the gravel, and there was not one-tenth part of the ova left ; they had gobbled it up by pints, and what was the result ? Later on the same nobleman granted him a day's fishing, and, instead of catching fifteen or sixteen pounds of trout, he killed only five takeable fish, and in two years the stream would not be worth throwing a fly upon. They had heard from Professor Huxley that the destruction of man did not matter, and that nature would balance itself He was willing to grant that with regard to the herring and the cod it might be so, but with regard to the Crustacea inshore and trawl fish, which they were not now discussing, he entirely denied it from his, own practical observation. He knew of one ledge of rocks on which a family could once gain a livelihood of £6 a week, and it was now not worth fishing. Mr. Wheeldon, while thoroughly indorsing what had been said with regard to the Paper, confessed to some dis- appointment that Mr. Marston had not suggested some practical scheme which might be placed in due time before the National Association of Fish Culture, of which he had the honour to be on the Council. He should like to have heard of some thoroughly well-developed scheme for which they might have asked the co-operation and assistance of the Legislature. He had very little belief personally in the idea that the angling clubs of London would be the greater sup- porters to this scheme, because, unfortunately, however hearty 24 their sportsman-like spirit might be, they did not develop the great spirit of co-operation. If they did, they might be the most powerful body of men in the kingdom. There was very little doubt that the anglers would be found in overwhelming numbers compared to fox-hunters, pigeon- shooters, coursers, or any other description of sportsmen, and it was inevitable that it should be so, because in a great manufacturing country like England, it was certain that the men who had to spend their lives in hard work, would devote their leisure more frequently to the sport of angling, which had a peaceful tendency. With regard to the intro- duction of the black bass, he did not gather from what Mr. Goode said, that he desired it to be introduced into any body of water containing salmonidse, because such a course would be simply suicidal. They might as well let out all the pike and perch of the Avon into some of the Hamp- shire trout streams, or other waters tenanted by trout, and hope to have the race of trout prosper. He recognised most fully the fact that the black bass was a grand sporting fish, and a good food fish, and a fish which might be of essential use if introduced into such waters as the Serpentine, or some of the ornamental park waters, such as the Welsh Harp and other places of like character. Why the powers that be should debar London anglers from fishing in the Serpen- tine and other waters of a like character, he did not know, and if they had the black bass thoroughly established, in due time they might have as many black bass clubs as there were in America. With regard to the question of swans on the Thames, he would say a word or two. The previous day he went out fishing on the Thames, and saw to his great regret, that in spite of the immense amount of damage done by swans, not only were the swans on the Thames increasing, but there were absolutely bills 25 posted prohibiting any one taking the eggs or destroying the young birds. Perhaps that might be necessary, but he did really think the Legislature should be asked to cause the number of swans on the Thames to be reduced to some extent, because they did an immense amount of evil. With regard to the traffic on the Thames, he hoped a bill would soon be passed in Parliament for its better regu- lation ; but he did not think it applied exclusively to launches. No doubt they did a large amount of harm, but it was certain that every boating season, although the anglers of London have very few rights, they were cer- tainly despoiled of them by boating crews continually prac- tising on the Thames. On the previous day he was fish- ing, when an eight-oared boat of some kind came down, manned by a crew of College boys ; Eton boys were grand young fellows, but they were a very great nuisance on the Thames, and to anglers generally all oarsmen were of the same character. These young fellows came down the stream, and though they were not in the -syay, de- liberately rowed smack into the punt, nearly cut their own boat in two, broke two outriggers, and then assailed them with a volley of Eton abuse. It was quite certain the question of anglers' rights and privileges and coarse fish culture was one which ought to receive more attention. The Chairman informed the Conference that a bill for regulating steam-launches passed both Houses of Par- liament, as he had just been informed by a letter from the Solicitor tp the bill. He must say he should like to see the discussion get more practical. If they could persuade the owners of waters to do all they could to produce fish for the pleasure and food of man, it would be a great thing, and his opinion was, that you could fish as much as you liked, provided you fished fairly. With respect 26 to Mr. Wheeldon's remarks about the swans, there were only three and a-half swans per mile between Richmond and Staines bridge, and he did not think that was a very- great excess. They might do some harm of course, as they always would. He looked forward to the time when there would be a society formed, when their own keepers would have authority from the Conservancy to watch and see the boats and launches maintained a fair speed only. He remembered a good many years ago fishing in some splen- did waters about five miles from Nuneaton, some hundreds of acres altogether, and saw there lots of small fish which had been taken out with the net lying on the bank dead. It was simply murder, because if that water had been pre- served, it would have been a source of pleasure to thou- sands. He only wished he had that water under his control. If this Paper could be made more public, and the lessons it contained impressed on the minds of those who owned the waters, what a grand thing it would be. He had no hesitation in saying that he could make it pay splendidly, simply by charging a small sum for the privilege of fishing, dealing fairly with people, and laying down proper regulations, Mr. Geen had also listened with great pleasure to the Paper ; but could not help expressing regret that it did not lead up to some practical issue. No doubt it was Mr. Marston's intention and desire that the discussion should lead to some resolution which would bear fruit, otherwise it would be like many other meetings of anglers, which left the question precisely where they found it. The first thing was, whether it was desirable to cultivate coarse fish. If it was, the next question arose, was it possible ; and thirdly, if it was desirable and possible, what were the most practicable means of carrying it out. He did 27 not think there could be any question in any one's mind who'had heard the eloquent speech of the gentleman from Ireland, who referred not only to the importance of these fish as a means of sport, but as food. As to the first point, they were told that the man who made two blades of grass grow where only one grew before, was a benefactor, and the same principle applied to those who not only provided food, but also provided another great need of the labouring classes, and that was some health-giving sport or recreation giving them absolute relaxation from the turmoil of their every day life. He did not think there was any sport within the reach of the working-classes so innocent and health-giving as that of angling, and if it were possible to stock the numerous depleted waters in and around all our large manufacturing centres, it was certainly desirable to do so. As to the question if it were possible — he could not help fancying that people who wrote and talked so much about the Salmonidae, thought it was equally practicable to reproduce artificial coarse or summer spawn- ing fish ; but it was not so. Some four years ago, it was brought forward at a meeting of the Thames Angling Preservation Society by Mr. Benningfield, who asked him (Mr. Geen), to consider it, and it was to be brought foi-ward at the next meeting, but to his surprise the subject dropped ; but from a conversation he had had with him, the result was, that it was perfectly practicable to artificially spawn perch ; but no other summer spawning fish. The reason was this, the Salmonidae gave a solid egg, which you could handle, and send to the uttermost parts of the world if necessary ; but the spawn of the coarse fish was something you could not handle without destruction. The roach, for instance, deposited their spawn with the greatest care in suitable spots ; they would go up day after day with the 28 intention of shooting the spawn ; biit if the weather turned dark and cold they would go back again into deep water. Mr. Marston had said that the eggs took seven or eight days to come out ; but that was not so. They came out in twenty-four hours in favourable weather,* and that was an instance which showed how impossible it was to deal artificially with these fish except perch. Still, Nature might be assisted, and if they could possibly get a series of ponds partaking somewhat of the nature of a fish farm (because small meddling never came to any good), some- thing might be done. It was all very well to talk of fishery associations, and Mr. Marston had given the tremendous success which attended his box, but it was only a success so far, that the female was there without the male. They must have them both there, or it would not be any good, and that was very much the result with all other boxes. They must put them in the boxes, and a certain proportion would vivify ; but they would come out of the holes where the water went in. The only effectual means would be a system of ponds, and it must be taken up by somebody besides the anglers of London. They might give it their support, and no doubt they would ; but he should like to see the National Fish Culture Associa- tion take up the question. If they would not, what on earth were they constituted for i He hoped that Mr. Marston and others, himself included, would be able to induce the Council to take the matter up, and then the * I doubt this assertion. I have made inquiries in various direc- tions since. I read this Paper, and the result has been to confirm my own statement. The fish do not all spawn at once, and the eggs first deposited of course hatch out soonest. I fancy this fact has misled Mr. Geen, who may have seen the eggs of a first deposit hatching soon after a second or third deposit had taken place. — R. B, M, 29 anglers of London must put their hands in their pockets and give them proper support. Mr. Senior remarked that some gentlemen seemed to forget that the National Fish Culture Association was at the present moment only in its infancy, and although it was really established to do what they had heard should be done and must be done, up to the present it had had no possible time for formulating a scheme. He must differ from his friend who had preceded him as to Mr. Marston's paper. There was nothing easier than to criticise a paper written and read by another man, but he considered they were all much indebted to Mr. Marston for what he had done, and it was not for him to put his head into a hornet's nest by formulating a scheme for other people to pick to pieces. If there was anything which he hated more than another it was a long speech or a long sermon, and it was a very admirable rule that papers read there should not exceed half an hour. Now in his half hour paper Mr. Marston had given the result of a good deal of study ; he had told them what had been done on the continent, and what had been done in this country. There were other papers which would deal with the scientific possibilities of the question of fish culture, and he thought it very wise in Mr. Marston not to attempt a scheme, but to allow scientific men of greater age and experience to put their heads together and furnish the scheme. He had been asked by Mr. Oldham Chambers, secretary to the Fish Culture Association, to apologise for his inability to be present, he having had to go down to Norfolk in order to arrange for a little excursion for the Foreign Commissioners and others to the broads of East Anglia, which teemed with coarse fish, and which he hoped some day would be stocked with black bass. The Angling Preservation Societies, the parent 30 of which the Chairman represented, had done a great deal towards the culture of coarse fish. Preservation meant culture to a great extent, and the splendid takes of trout registered in the Thames during the present season, of a grand total quite unprecedented, might be considered to be due entirely to preservation. There were some grounds therefore to go upon. The Marquis of Exeter had done something towards the acclimatisation of the bass, and others had acclimatised other kinds of fish. Notwithstanding what Mr. Geen had said he still believed it was as possible to cultivate the carp and tench .in ponds, lakes, or rivers, as the perch. The first thing wanted was that the public mind should be educated on this question, and such papers as that now read and as had been read at angling clubs during the past winter, would prepare the ground for the seed which would be sown. The next thing wanted would be the sinews of war, and with regard to that he would only say that Mr. Oldham Chambers would be very happy to receive cheques or con- tributions, and it would then be for those who had sub- scribed to the society and supported it to complain if it did not make some progress towards realising what had been promised. Mr. Crumplen wished to add a word or two with regard to the breeding boxes which had been described by Mr. Marston, and had been used by several anglers. The Fisheries Society resolved to take up the question, and a certain number of the Lund breeding boxes were dis- tributed. One which was tried at Ponders End had proved a perfect success, but he differed from Mr. Geen when he said it was artificial, there was nothing artificial about it beyond this, that it rendered assistance to nature ; and ' if you gave other fish the same assistance — it might not be in a box— but if you provided proper receptacles, and placed 31 food for the spawn, and took care to give them what nature would give them, he had not the slightest doubt but that similar results would be obtained. To the limited extent to which the culture of coarse fish had been attempted it had been successful, and they should be encouraged to persevere. It was not altogether a question of cost ; Lon- don anglers had not much to spend, and they might be careful what they spent, but if their money was well spent in an experiment which might not he successful this year, but was likely to be successful in another, he was sure they were sufficiently intelligent to be satisfied with the result. With regard to the black bass, he was not at all opposed to its introduction under certain circumstances, but until their knowledge of it was more complete he thought it desirable* to proceed with extreme caution before introducing it to any large extent. His impression was that in this matter they should be very conservative, and not run a risk which at present they were not prepared for. He would warmly advocate the introduction of any fish likely to be useful, but never until it was perfectly certain that it was not going to injure the existing stock. Dr. Seymour Haden said a very good illustration of the extreme facility with which coarse fish were bred was shown by the way in which the town of Lyons was furnished with coarse fish before the time of railways. As a boy he was well acquainted with the neighbourhood of Lyons, and in the immediate vicinity there were six lakes one above another. They were never known to have been stocked with fish by anyone, but they were treated in this way. After a certain number of years the lower lake was dragged, and the fish sent to market. The next year the lake above it was drawn, the next year the one above that, and so on until the whole six had been drawn in turn. In every case 32 the lakes stocked themselves with fresh ova, and kept the whole of these six lakes perpetually stocked with vast quantities of coarse fish, carp, bream, tench, and jack, which were taken to Lyons market, and in fact the people of Lyons had no other fish supply whatever. There must be some mistake on the part of those who said that there was great difficulty in propagating coarse fish. Mr. Brady, Inspector of Irish Fisheries, then pro- posed a vote of thanks to Mr. Marston for his very able paper, the importance of which was shown by the lengthy discussion which had arisen. His countryman, Mr. Bloomfield, had shown how important fish culture might be made in certain parts of Ireland as food for the million, and also for the recreation of the large classes of people which could not afford the sport of salmon fishing. Whatever difference of opinion there might be with regard to the difficulties of culture, there could not be any as to the importance of it as a question of food. Mr. Bloomfield had spoken of the spot from whence he could see 27 lakes ; he could go to hills from which you could look on 1027 lakes, the whole of which did not provide £ 5 worth of food, which might be made very valuable if only there were greater facilities for transit, for after all this was the great difficulty. Mr. WiLMOT, Superintendent of Canadian Fisheries, said it afforded him great pleasure to indorse the sen- timents contained in the Paper. If anything, it was more desirable to cultivate coarse fish than the higher orders, for, speaking from an experience of 16 or 18 years, the higher orders of fish could not exist without 'the lower orders. The Almighty, in His providence, had thought proper to put into the same waters fish of high order and of a low order, and it was invariably 33 found that the high order lived on the low order. If the latter were exterminated, the former would disappear. AH the finest salmon rivers had in them certain species of fish of a very low order ; they entered the river at a different period to the salmon, to reproduce their species, and the young went down the rivers to the sea, and there in turn were fed upon by the salmon which frequented the same river. It was said by some gentlemen that you could not produce the lower orders of fish, but he maintained that you could produce a thousand to one of the lower orders, because they deposited their ova in the spring months, when the weather was warm, whilst the higher orders de- posited theirs in the autumn months, when the weather was cold, and took from three to six or seven months to reproduce, whilst the lower orders were hatched in from three days to three weeks. Consequently nature had given the lower orders the greater preponderance. Throughout nature, as a rule, the lower orders supported the higher, and therefore it became the duty of man to carry out that which Providence had ordained. Carp was a poor man's fish altogether ; it could be produced in ponds and small preserves, and ought to be protected and cultivated almost above every other, whilst the salmon and trout were the rich man's fish, because those who sought them had to spend a large amount of money on the sport. With regard to bass, it was a very bad voracious fish to introduce amongst others of a better quality, and he said this coming from a country where it was more famous than in any other part of the world. Where they found the black bass they never found the salmon or trout. There were lakes innu- merable in Canada, where the bass, the pike, and other fish of the same character abounded, but they never found in those lakes any of the higher orders of fish. There were [i8] D 34 also magnificent rivers, teeming originally with salmon and trout, and they never found black bass in them until lately, when, in consequence of man having killed all the salmon and trout, black bass had been introduced, and in conse- quence there was nothing but black bass there now. Black bass was a good game fish and a food fish, but they should be put into waters by themselves, or where there was plenty of inferior fish for them to feed upon, but not where they could interfere with better kinds. There was a lake in Canada which teemed with black bass, pike, perch, sun- fish, and other of the lower orders, and being a small lake, the temperature in summer was 80° to 90°, and there the black bass abounded ; but the inhabitants fished it to such an extent that they exterminated the bass. A petition was sent in to the Legislature about it, and an order was passed that there should be no netting for three years. When that period expired there was an abundance. No one was permitted to spear in it or to net ; none but anglers fished it, and there was abundance for all. You never could destroy fish by angling, but in one year they could be destroyed by netting. Still it was no use for an intel- ligent man to read such an instructive Paper as they had heard to-day, or for other people to discuss it, if men of science, holding the highest positions in the country, told them that it was useless ^to protect the fish, and that they could take care of themselves. He could only say, if such views were to prevail, the time would come when there would be no fish in Great Britain or any other part of the world. The resolution having been carried unanimously, Mr. Marston, in reply, said there was no intention whatever to introduce the black bass into trout or salmon streams, any more than they thought of putting the pike 35 into a trout stream ; but there were thousands of acres of water where there were no fish at present, where bass could be put, and would afford magnificent sport. The Sheffield anglers had to go about 30 miles to get their fishing, and every year paid about ;^ 15,000 for it, when they might have abundant fishing in their own neighbourhood, if only the streams were populated. With regard to the point mentioned by Mr. Mann, he believed that pine branches were used because they were found to answer admirably, and did not rot ; but his suggestion was a very good one, and he hoped next year to try it. Mr. Wheeldon and Mr. Geen had been somewhat disappointed that he had not set forth a more complete scheme, but the scope of this Paper only allowed him to give an outline of the subject. He took it that they considered the matter even more urgent than he did, and no doubt they would help to formulate a scheme and support it. Mr. Geen was right, to a certain extent, in saying that coarse fish could not be cultivated artificially ; but in his Paper he had insisted on this fact, and had referred particularly to pond culture, by which means any of these fish could be cultivated. Carp was cultivated to a great extent in Germany, and fetched more money even than sea fish, but he believed other kinds had not been cultivated there, because they were not wanted. There were not many anglers in Germany, and it was for anglers principally that he suggested these fish should be cultivated. Mr. Grossman moved a vote of thanks to the Chairman, who had been the principal agent in persuading the Con- servators of the Thames to prevent the capture of small immature fish. Mr. Wilmot had referred to the opinion expressed on the platform by a gentleman high in the scientific world, but he would say that the great object of D 2 36 these conferences was to bring together men who were not only scientific but practical, to hear their opinions expressed in the boldest manner possible, so that they might be able to arrive at the truth with regard to any subject connected with fisheries. The salient points in connection with all the fisheries would be thoroughly considered by the most competent men, and he trusted the results would be of the most practical kind. Whoever stood on that platform, whether he were a scientific man, a practical, or a theo- retical man, would not, he hoped, be afraid of expressing his opinion on any subject, however antagonistic it might be to the one which seemed to prevail at the moment, because in the end the truth must prevail. The subject brought forward by Mr. Marston was one in which he had taken a great interest, and he might say that the only prize offered at the Exhibition for the cultivation of fish in fresh-water ponds was offered by himself. He saw in Germany and Austria the importance of that cultivation, and in all these matters history seemed to repeat itself. They knew that the ancient Romans were famous for fish culture in ponds. Their tables were provided with carp and every kind of fresh-water fish, and so valuable were they that it was said that one of the fish-ponds of the poet Lucullus actually realised ;£■ 20,000 after his death. Dr. Seymour Haden had shown what was actually carried on in Lyons, and the same system could be adopted in this country. Wherever there were low-lying meadows, with streams or rivulets running through them, these ponds could be easily con- structed. The monks in the olden days, who knew how to place their abbeys in the mcst lovely spots in creation, also knew which were the most valuable fish, and they always had carp ponds, because they knew it was about the best fresh-water fish, the one most tenacious of life, not carnivorous, but living on weeds and insects. There were 37 in this country canals of several miles in length, and numerous lakes, utterly devoid of fish, and there were ponds in nearly every field which could, under a wise system, be stocked with fresh- water fish. He was sure this Paper would draw the attention of those who took an interest in these matters to the necessity of cultivating these kinds of fish, and there was no country in the world where it could be cultivated to a more profitable extent than in England, Scotland, and Ireland. Mr. C E. Fryer seconded the motion. He did not wish to import a note of discord at the last moment, but he could not miss the opportunity of saying that Mr. Wilmot seemed to have slightly misunderstood the position which Professor Huxley had taken with regard to the question of fisheries. He did not come there as the apologist or defender of Professor Huxley, who was perfectly capable of taking care of himself, but it was most undesirable that any misconception should exist. Professor Huxley held the opinion that, as regards the power of man to interfere with fisheries, they were divisible into three distinct classes ; those which might be destroyed, those which could be partially destroyed, and those which we have no proof that it was possible for man to destroy. With regard to the special subject under discussion to-day. Professor Huxley joined the National Fish Culture Association on the ground that it would afford the opportunity of taking up fish culture, more especially with regard to fresh-water fish, that branch being more susceptible of assistance than deep sea fisheries ; the fresh-water fish would come under the general category of fisheries that were capable of being destroyed ; the littoral fisheries would come under the second category, which it was possible for man to interfere with and seriously injure, if not altogether to destroy, such, for instance, as Lobster, Crab, and Oyster fisheries, and 38 with, regard to Lobster fisheries, Professor Huxley had himself within the last y6ar recommended that very stringent regulations should be enforced on the coast of Norfolk, in the hope that, all the circumstances being very favourable, some general idea might be arrived at as to the effect of restrictive legislation, whether it was really beneficial or not. Coming back to the subject of the Paper, and he regretted he had not been able to attend early enough to listen to it, it appeared to him they should run before they walked, arid before taking up difficult and intricate systems of ponds and boxes, and apparatus of various kinds, a great deal might be done by inducing the owners of fish-ponds to treat those fish-ponds exactly as they found them ;* not * I regret that Mr. Fryer was not present in time to hear my paper, because he would then have seen that my object in advocating coarse- fish culture is, that we can only by this means re-stock the rivers, canals, lakes, ponds, &c.. Which have been depleted by unfair fishing, over-fishing, and poaching. It will not much assist the thousands of working-men anglers if those gentlemen who have ponds cultivate them again in the way their ancestors did, as referred to in my Paper ; how will that help the many thousands of club anglers ? They find it usually most difficult to get permission to fish in a private pond, which is often not worth fishing ; it would be more hopeless stiU if the owner of the water had spent money on it in cultivating it. Nor wiU I admit that the Lund-box, the hurdle, and the system of ponds I described can in any way be fairly designated " intricate." Their simplicity is obvious, for they merely aid nature. Finally, it will be seen Mr. Fryer recommends the German pond system, which in my Paper I had referred to as being by far the best way in which to cultivate coarse fish of all kinds, where some primary expense was not an object (see p. ii et seg.'). Of course I do not suppose Mr. Fryer intended to knock my skittles down merely to set them up again himself in this way ; but I think it was a pity he deprecated my suggestions without having heard what I had said about them, and then proposed as a substitute the very thing I had advocated most strongly— except that my pond farm would be less " intricate." than those he proposed. I proposed one pond for one kind of fish ; his suggestion would require three ponds, for each kind offish. — R. B. M. 39 to leave them fallow, and utterly ignore them, but to cultivate them as they would a field. A man who owned a field did not leave his sheep and cattle to run wild and starve, but fed them, and killed them when necessary ; so with fish, a man who owned a fish-pond had a source of food supply which was inexhaustible if properly managed. Fresh-water fish were not like salmon ; salmon lived in the sea, and in the head waters of rivers, but coarse fish were always on the spot. You had a pond with fish in it, and they did not want to run away ; they were not eels who climbed out and ran over the grass. They would remain there and breed and fatten if properly treated. Without going minutely into the question, he might throw out the suggestion that gentlemen having ponds should, without going to any great expense — for the idea of expense and scientific apparatus frightened many people — endeavour to cultivate the fish as they found them, dividing the pond into one or two portions, keeping the breeding fish in one portion, the yearling fish in another, and fattening and feeding them in another. They might be netted if thought desirable, only taking care that' a proper proportion were left for breeding. In saying this he did not wish to throw cold water on any scientific attempt to increase fresh-water fish in any way whatever, because the further they went in making scientific and practical investigations in this matter, the better it would be in the end ; but without going to the trouble of making special ponds and apparatus, many gentlemen had the opportunity of doing a great deal towards increasing the food supply, simply by utilising the stock of fish they had in their own private grounds. The resolution having been carried unanimously, The Chairman in responding said it was a fair answer 40 to a great deal that had been said, that a few years ago between London and Staines scarcely a fish was to be caught in the Thames. This year there had been the finest takes of trout ever known. Within the last fortnight more fish than ever had been taken in the Thames. This was accomplished simply by preservation, care, and attention. He hoped the time would soon come when children would be taught not to kill young fish, just as they were taught not to kill a calf or a lamb directly it was born. LONDON: PKINIED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND t^ONS, LIMITED, STAMFORD STKEET AND CHARING CROSS. International Fisheries Exhibition^ LONDON, 1883. PROPAGATION OF FRESHWATER FISH EXCLUDING SALMONID^. BY W. OLDHAM CHAMBERS, FL.S., F.R.I.B.A. [PRIZE ESSA K] LONDON: WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, Limited, J3 CHARING CROSS, S.W. 1884. LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, Limited, STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS. THE PROPAGATION OF FRESHWATER FISH. The measures by which our food fishes can best be Introduction, multiplied have more or less from the earliest periods of time received the consideration of mankind. The first attempts at breeding, rearing and cultivating Early history, fish were made by the Chinese, and can be traced back to periods of the greatest antiquity ; it was a national source of wealth, and proved of great value in the supply of daily food and in relieving distress in time of famine. Several instances are mentioned in the Bible as far back as 2000 years B.C. The Romans spent large sums of money in the culture Roman works. of fish and construction of ponds and lakes, notably that bon vivant Lucullus, history informing us that he bored through the sides of a mountain to introduce sea-water into his fish-ponds. During the middle ages pisciculture had many patrons. Ponds of and the monks contributed in no small degree to its ™ * ^^^'" success, as it presented them with the means of food during their religious feasts and ordinances. In many parts of the country very fine examples of ponds or stews are visible, showing great engineering skill in their construction. 4 THE PROPAGATION OF FRESHWATER FISH. No trace of Although means have been adopted for the- artificial modem propagation of salmonidae during comparatively modern ^^"° ^" periods, we are devoid of any reliable data as to practical endeavours in this country to cultivate any of our national coarse fish for the purpose of restocking our depleted rivers and food-producing acres. The science of fish culture is now no longer a question of experiment based on scientific results, but one of national economy in the production of a cheap and whole- some aliment for our densely populated cities and manu- facturing towns, and in this respect we are bound to consider the science. Harmony of The laws effecting the harmony of nature are governed nature. not only in view of the countless dangers fish in their embryo and alevin condition have to encounter before being able to contribute to the reproduction of species, but also to the innumerable difficulties attending the fecunda- tion of the eggs in their natural condition. Impregnation. The direct cqntact of the milt with the ova is of course necessary to create the development of the germ. Eggs, therefore, failing to receive this impregnation soon de- compose in ordinary or natural spawning, and a very high percentage of loss may from the above cause be antici- , pated. Enemies. After the eggs are hatched, the enemies that prey upon the young are very numerous. The natural desire to feed on each other, the attacks of fish-eating birds, water insects, crustaceans, &c., all tend to retard reproduc- tion. Fish have, therefore, to contend against all these calamities before being able to take their place in the repopulation of our waters. The purport of this essay is to show how we can assist THE PROPAGATION OF FRESHWATER FISH. 5 nature in the restocking of our waters by the adoption of Assist nature certain simple measures tending to that end. '" ^ °'^ ™^' The species of our national coarse fishes best adapted Species to for cultivation must be well considered, and the writer would venture to suggest, inter alia, the following, not only in giving sport to the angler, but in furnishing food to the people, namely, pike, perch, carp, roach, tench, bream, dace, &c. These may be divided into carnivorous and herbivorous feeders, and an undue increase of the former will, in the ordinary law of nature, represent a corresponding decrease in the latter. To meet this, we find a greater fecundity is given to herbivorous fish than to their carnivorous confreres ; while ' the latter in their turn prevent a too great increase over the former ; so is the balance of nature preserved. In considering the question of the restocking of rivers, Food fishes, this feature must not be lost sight of, that as food fishes the carnivorous species are infinitely superior to the her- bivorous : great care must be exercised in selecting a fair proportion of each species, in order to retain an equitable balance. The spawning of British coarse fishes varies from the Spawning. salmonidse in this respect, that whereas the latter shed their ova in the winter free, or non-adhesive, on gravelly bottoms of streams, the latter yield their ova in the spring or summer nionths, and select stones, trunks of trees, weeds, rushes, &c., upon which to attach the eggs, which are adhesive in character. They delight in moderately still waters, and select shallows for the better incubation of their eggs ; also on ^ account of the minute insectile life found therein, for the young fish to feed upon when hatched. E, 19. B 2 6 THE PROPAGATION OF FRESHWATER FISH. Artificial fecundation Propagation. jn considering the question of propagation, it has been shown in the former part of this essay that the natural enemies of our fishes are multitudinous, not only in their ovum and embryo stages, but also in their alevin condition, and measures should therefore be adopted, as far as possible, to guard against the difficulties that are known to exist in carrying out a scheme for the cultivation of our coarse fishes. Experiments have been made in the artificial fecundation of the eggs of coarse fishes, and apparatus have been con- structed for the hatching of adhesive ova upon wooden frames over which linen has been stretched ; also upon sheets of glass placed in boxes with water allowed to pass through, until the eggs are hatched, when the young fish are removed, as may be desired ; but these experiments are not to be relied upon in leading to results of a satis- factory nature, for unless a uniform and natural temperature of soft water is obtained, considerable disappointment will follow. Reference must be made to a German invention, known as the wooden " hurdle," through which branches of the fir tree are intertwined, and the framework is then sunk in suitable places for the fish to spawn upon. Hatching box. Special reference must be made to an apparatus which forms a leading feature in this essay ; it is so designed that fish may be placed in it to spawn, after which the ova can be either left to hatch in the natural course, or removed to distant waters. Such an apparatus the writer of this essay has had the honour to invent, a drawing of which is given on the other side. By reference thereto it will be seen that the structure is oblong in form, the length being about five feet, the width two feet six inches, and the depth two feet. The hurdle hatcher. Form of the apparatus. XI -19. PUvU, 1. ■<5 O O > m TO ■n r l> o > H o I m 7i XI .-19. THE PROPAGATION OF FRESHWATER FISH. 7 The outer framework has strips of perforated zinc inserted, three inches in width, for the free passage of the water. In the centre of the box is a division for the purpose of separating the species if desired. Round the interior of the box, including the bottom, are provided light frames, upon which is stretched galvanized netting of i^ inches mesh ; into this netting are intertwined young fir branches, and a lid formed with galvanized-wire netting closes the whole of the apparatus, which is then ready for use. Previous to spawning, the box is secured on the margin of How to use the apparatus. a lake, small tributary, or other approved position ; a few pairs of carefully selected ripe fish are then placed in the box, and in due course the spawn is deposited on the fir branches ; if it is intended to stock the water in which the box is situated, it is simply retained in situ until the young fish are hatched ; a small door in the side is then removed, and in due course the fish find their way into the waters ; but supposing the intention is to transfer the eggs to a distant part of the country, the frames are then drawn out, with the fir branches and deposited spawn, and placed in a carrier filled with water, and forwarded to their ultimate destination. The frames are taken out, and sunk in the new waters until the eggs are hatched. The whole of the woodwork used in the construction is charred, to prevent fungoid growth. In Sweden for more than a century there has been an The Lund apparatus in partial use, known as the " Lund " hatching- box. The writer claims for himself the originality of design in the above-described box, both in the construction of the invention, and also for the purposes to which the same can be applied with so much simplicity. 8 THE PROPAGATION OF FRESHWATER FISH. Artificial ponds. Nursery ponds. This essay upon the cultivation of fish can hardly be considered complete without a few words on the formation of artificial ponds. In designing and superintending the construction of fish ponds, the writer has always upheld the principle that the most convenient and profitable form is to have a series — namely, nursery, yearling, and stock ponds. The whole should be designed so aS to enable the water to be easily drawn off by means of sluices, thus placing under entire control the whole of the ponds, as may be required from time to time. It is highly desirable, where space will admit, to have more than one nursery pond, in order to separate the herbivorous from the carnivorous fishes, and thus regulate the number in each species in stocking waters. The nursery pond should be shallow ; three feet wide at the bottom, six feet at the top, and about fifty feet in length. Gravel should be spread along the bottom to six inches in depth, weeds and drain-pipes may be dispersed about for shelter ; the depth of water should vary from four inches at one end to ten inches at the other. A very slight current of water will be sufficient to retain life ; a few bushes planted round the edges will be of service for shade. When the sluice is lowered and the water drawn off, pro- vision must be made to catch the fish in a " receiver," five feet long and one foot deep, incapable of being drained ; protection must be given by perforated zinc placed at an angle of 45° to prevent the fish passing through in the pond at a lower level. The yearling pond must be much larger, and constructed in a similar way, with a depth of water from six inches to two feet : gravel the bottom in places, and provide suitable water-plants and " hides " for the fish. THE PROPAGATION OF FRESHWATER FISH. 9 A ditch three feet wide and one foot deep should be formed in the centre leading to the " receiver," as before described ; the ditch will assist in conducting the fish to the receiver when the water is drained off at the sluice. It is necessary, in addition to the " hides " named, that stumps of trees should be fixed in the banks at places, thus affording suitable shady spots for the young fish in the summer months. Bushes must also be planted round the banks with over- hanging branches. The stock ponds should be considerably larger than the St°ck ponds, last described, and constructed similar to the yearling pond; they must be provided with shallows one foot in depth, as they afford means for the growth of insects. The average depth of water in the ponds should be about three feet ; there is no benefit in deep ponds ; holes can be sunk six feet deep for the larger fish. Little bye-streams round the sides are of great advantage, and they should be supplied with water-plants, upon which the fish may spawn. It will much facilitate the growth of the fish, more Management of ponds. especially in the cultivation of the carp, if the ponds can be laid dry periodically during the spring and summer months, and planted with oats and rye-grass. No pond should be used longer than three years for aqua-culture ; the bottom becomes foul and rank from the alluvial deposits ; these should be raked off and removed, and the surface ploughed up. The oftener a pond is laid dry and exposed, the faster the fish will grow. A great advantage will be gained by having a set of Advantage three ponds for stock or fattening purposes, and alternate system. them, as before described, with agri-culture. lo THE PROPAGATION OF FRESHWATER FISH. It is difficult to lay down a hard-and-fast rule as to the number of fish to be placed in a given area of water. As it is with pastures so it is with waters, some are rich and productive in the extreme in supplying nourishing food, whereas in other instances the opposite we find to be the case. Dangers of Broadly speaking, every care must be exercised by a overcrowding. .. r i r t frequent examination of the condition of the fishes, to avoid overcrowding ; it will be far better to err on the side of over-caution in this respect, than heedlessly to stock the waters with a superabundance of fish, that would only result in a supply of lean, starved, and ill-formed fish, fit neither for the rod, nor for the table. Food. Suitable food should be given at regular intervals avoiding large quantities at a time, which would only sink to the bottom and soon decompose, causing fungoid growth to the inhabitants of the waters. The best food for our coarse fishes generally is large and small lobworms, brewers' grains, meal, oilcake, &c., cut to sizes according to the age of the fish. The warmer the weather, the fleeter the water to distri- bute the food, and the colder the weather, the deeper must be the feeding. Very young fish, only feed on minute insects, which may be encouraged by placing in the water newly made hay or old grass. LONDON: PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, Limited, STAMFORD STREET AND CHASING CROSS.