A Week at a German Castle. 97 



gen is perhaps the best situation, as it com- 

 mands the lower reaches of the Argen, as well 

 as the upper and lower branches. The right of 

 fishing is mostly in the hands, not of the ripa- 

 rian owners, but of several proprietors, some of 

 whom retain it in their own control, whilst 

 others let it out to one or more persons. But, 

 once arrived at either Wangen or Isny, there 

 is no difficulty, I understand, in obtaining leave 

 to fish. 



There had been heavy rain before my arrival 

 at the castle, but the river the Untere Argen 

 had had time to fine down, and when I got 

 to its banks it was thick with a grey sedi- 

 ment, but yet clear enough for fly-fishing. 

 Immediately under the fir-covered bank which 

 rose precipitately from the river to the castle, 

 was a weir-pool ; and here, on a bright and 

 warm September morning, I made my first 

 cast. No one who has fished in Germany 

 would think of fishing without a green-bodied 

 fly, and to this was added, to make up the cast 

 a red-bodied one, with some gold twist, and 

 blackcock wings. The appetites of the Argen 

 trout I found of the keenest ; and in a couple of 

 hours ten nice trout were in my basket, which 



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