PROVINCIAL RIVERS. 107 



celebrated ; and many zealous and good anglers contrive to eke 

 out of them a fair modicum of sport, in spite of all the dis- 

 advantages under which they labour. 



If the angler sets out from any of the rivers that the Dover and 

 Brighton Railways cross or run near to, he will find some share of 

 snort. The county of Surrey has a few trout streams, though, not 

 of the first-rate description. The Wey has some fish in it, both of 

 good size and rich flavour. It runs by Earnham, Godalming, and 

 Guildford, and falls into the Thames at Weybridge. We have 

 found light-coloured flies more successful in tin's river than any 

 other. There are some fine carp in certain spots of the stream. 



preserved in many 

 sections of its waters, but trout of twelve pounds have occasionally 

 been captured in this stream. The Cray enters the Thames between 

 Woolwich and Dartford, and is of little importance. The Mole 

 contains but a small number of trout, but a good sprinkling of 

 pike, and some of very large size. A few years ago one was taken 

 near Bletchworth Castle which weighed twenty-five pounds. 



The county of Kent has but few streams worthy of general 

 notice ; neither would we advise a fly-fisher to undertake a journey 

 with the rod into either Essex or Sussex. There is plenty of 

 bottom-fishing, but nothing that could satisfy a man who knows 

 anything about fly-fishing, and who relishes the sport. 



The Eastern Counties Railway extends now over a wide range 

 of country, but there is not much fine fishing water within its reach. 

 In the several counties of Suffolk, Huntingdonshire, Cambridge- 

 shire, Norfolk, and Northamptonshire, we can scarcely find any 

 waters but such as suit the bottom-fisher. There are some excel- 

 lent localities for his kind of sport. 



The best tour we should recommend, within a reasonable distance 

 of London, is the Derbyshire district. Here we get in among the 

 mountains, which impart such a peculiar feature to all excursions, 

 and produce those clear, rapid, and sparkling waters in which trout 

 delight to swim. This tour would prove a great treat to all who 

 have not hitherto been made familiar with the rugged and bold 

 features of nature ; and now, the expense of time and money to 

 accomplish it is very trifling to what it used to be a few years since. 

 The river Trent flows through a portion of Derbyshire, but of it we 

 do not purpose to say anything at present : we shall deal with the 

 smaller streams. The Erewash is a pleasant water. It rises near to 

 the town of Mansfield, and divides the counties of Derby and Notting- 

 ham. Ply-fishing in its upper waters is very good, but the fish are 

 somewhat small, and are proverbially fickle in their hours of feeding. 

 We have known many anglers get completely out of humour with this 

 locality, chiefly from this reason. The flies to be used in this river 

 should be rather small, with lightish coloured wings ; and the tackle 

 should be of the most delicate cast. The stream flows through many 



