RIVER PRESERVING AND RIVER POACHING^ 



otherwise constant re-stocking will be required. 

 Another matter which must be carefully attended 

 to is the quantity of weed that should be removed 

 from the water. I have alluded to this elsewhere, and 

 will, therefore, only repeat that, speaking generally, 

 it is better to err on the side of leaving too much 

 than to remove an excessive quantity of the various 

 water plants. In the one case you render fishing 

 more difficult, but you preserve your trout and keep 

 up a good average of weight ; whereas by over-weed- 

 cutting you render fishing, or rather casting, easier, 

 but at once diminish seriously the weight and con- 

 dition of the fish. 



In very prolific rivers there is always a danger 

 that the number of the trout may produce a corre- 

 sponding decrease in their size ; and as to this the 

 owner must decide whether he wishes to have a 

 more limited quantity of fish, but those of greater 

 average weight, or to have his stream stocked with 

 many, but smaller trout. On most waters I cannot 

 help thinking that a happy medium as regards this 

 point is the most satisfactory solution. 



The times of the year in which trout should be 

 placed in the rivers to be stocked are as follows : 

 fry during February, March, or April ; yearlings about 

 January or February ; two-year-olds during the winter. 



Q 



