LONG ISLAND TKOUT FISHING. 34)3 



deteriorated very rapidly, and that, although well-stocked with 

 small fish of fair flavour aud quality, Trout are rarely taken of 

 such a size as to remunerate the exertions of a good fisherman. 

 Half a pound may be taken as a good average of the fish killed 

 here. In a creek below, where the tide makes, there are, of 

 course, fish, but I never have heard of much work being done 

 in it ; and in truth, except that this is the first southern pond 

 of any note, I would hardly advise the angler to pause here. 



" About a mile and a half fui'ther eastward is a large pond, 

 and a fine house, both recently constructed at a great expense 

 by Judge Jones — the former exclusively designed as a fish-pond. 

 The place has, however, passed out of his hands, and the house 

 is kept as a hotel by one of the Snedecors. The pond has 

 hitherto been private, but is now open, though with a limita- 

 tion. It is well stocked with fish of a fair size. When I was last 

 there, a fornight since, a gentleman had taken eight fish, 

 Aveighing as many pounds, with the fly that morning. The 

 largest did not exceed a pound and a half, but they were hand- 

 some, clean, well-fed fish, and, as the day was anything but 

 propitious, easterly winds, and very raw and cold, I considered 

 it fair sport. He had not been fishing above a couple of hours. 

 I understand, howxver, that there are many Pike in this pond, 

 and in the stream that supplies it ; and I much fear that this 

 must ultimately prove destructive to all the fish in the water, 

 although those resident on the spot assert that the Pike never 

 grows in that region to above half a pound, and rarely to that 

 weight, and that little, if any, detriment is observed to arise 

 from his presence. 



" This, however, I cannot believe, for the growth of the Pike 



