XXVII THE SECRET OF THE CANAL ^ 



FROM the swinging-bridge down to the lock is a 

 distance of perhaps three-quarters of a mile, and 

 I should be afraid to say how often I have traversed it, 

 rod in hand, on my way to the river below. The canal 

 is part of the bewildering water-system of the Rennet, 

 and it is not in great esteem for its fishing. In places 

 the river itself is the waterway, and there you may 

 expect to find fish in plenty, now and then even to 

 catch them ; but where the lie of the land, presence 

 of a mill, or some other reason has hindered navigation, 

 a canal has been cut to take the traffic, and in it fishing 

 is not nearly so hopeful a matter. 



This is not for lack of fish. Roach and dace abound 

 in places, chub and perch are to be seen now and then, 

 and everywhere there are numbers of small jack, with 

 probably a sprinkling of big ones. But all these fish 

 are amazingly difficult to catch. The water is nowhere 

 deep except close to some bridge or lock, and it is 

 nearly always clear as crystal. As one walks along 

 the towpath the dace and roach swim just in front 

 in great timorous droves, and it is scarcely possible 

 to get either bait or fly to them without their 'taking 

 alarm ; even if one does succeed so far, they are not 



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