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replied that he fought very strong and trout like. I had 

 an excellent battle with him under the water, as he did 

 not show up at all. I asked the man if he had ever 

 landed a fish with his hands, as I had left my landing net 

 with my friend. He said he had landed scores of fish by 

 tickling. I promised him two shillings if he succeed in 

 landing this one for me. He laid down on the bank, and 

 I brought the fish gently up ; but as he caught sight of 

 the man he rushed across the stream, throwing himself in 

 the air two or three times, sea trout like, and I then saw 

 it was a very large trout. I played him till he was 

 exhausted, and the man landed it in his own way by 

 throwing it out over his head. It was a very fine-looking 

 old trout, in fair condition, and weighing over five-and-a-half 

 pounds. I returned to my friend, who had met with no 

 sport. He was surprised to see such a fine fish, who still 

 had my May fly in his mouth. 



A very favourite river of mine is the Kennett, 

 Hungerford, Berkshire. I have no hesitation in saying 

 it is one of the finest rivers in England, and is the very 

 perfection of heavy trout water. I have killed, with my 

 floating May flies, many fish over five pounds ; the best 

 trout I ever killed on that stream weighing six pounds 

 two ounces, which I had preserved by Cooper, of 

 London, and is now to be seen in my shop, as is also a 

 greyling, weighing three pounds, I killed on the Test, 

 below Stockbridge, with many others I now look at 

 with much pleasure. Some very heavy trout have 

 been killed in the river Kennett ; one, in particular, 

 which weighed thirteen pounds, whose favourite haunt 



