112 BY ROOK AND BY CHOOK. 



turned down in the Thames, it is rather surprising that 

 more are not taken ; although, of course, many under- 

 sized fish are captured and returned during a season. 

 From our experience, we would say that the Thames 

 has not sufficient fast-running streams of medium depth 

 and gravel bottom to constitute it a favourable river 

 for the habitation, of medium-sized trout, while the 

 large number of jack and pike must play sad havoc in 

 their ranks. 



There is one little bit of water on the Thames which 

 always takes our fancy for trout-fishing, viz. the private 

 water cut off from the main stream by weir sluices 

 and running parallel with the cutting above Cookham 

 Lock J but we hear the fish are very shy and have 

 every disinclination for the fly. 



Most reaches of the upper Thames contain a trout or 

 two, which can be observed feeding about dusk or early 

 in the morning, but they are bad to get j yet when one 

 does land a fish, great is the reward. 



The increase in the number of pleasure-boats during 

 the last five-and-twenty years, and the continual churn- 

 ing up of the water and washing away of the banks by 

 the angler's curse, the steam or electric launch's pro- 

 peller, has made a wonderful difference in Thames 

 angling; so much so, that in our days it is almost 

 useless to attempt it in the summer season between 

 Friday and Tuesday. 



In the days gone by, when Skindle used to place 

 your soup on the table with his own hands, the man 

 who went down to Taplow on a Sunday by the ten 



