THE LARGEST FISH OF THE SEASON. 8$ 



can do, although unquestionably great, cannot for a 

 moment, in my belief, be compared with the whole- 

 sale destruction effected by steam-propelled craft. 



After research, I have come to the conclusion that 

 no known stream produces such large and handsome 

 trout as the Thames, and, this being the case, it 

 behoves us to cherish the species, and do all in our 

 power to perpetuate the breed's existence ; although 

 I greatly fear this is impossible in its own habitat ; 

 for the public will never succeed in abolishing steam 

 traffic on this goodly river, nor even in getting rid of 

 the swans, so that it is only a matter of time for 

 this most game, large, and handsome fish to become 

 extinct in the haunt provided it by nature. 



Many of the dozen trout caught here this season 

 I inspected personally, and those I viewed were very 

 deep in shape and beautifully coloured, ranging from 

 three and a half to six and a half pounds. Although 

 I did not see the largest taken, I was informed by a 

 reliable person that it scaled over 81bs., was very 

 much out of condition, and dull and lustreless in the 

 colour of the scales, having much the appearance of 

 a fish that had just spawned. It was captured im- 

 mediately under Weybridge Weir, a bleak being the 

 bait employed. From the above it will be seen that 

 no small fish were taken, such, for instance, as run 

 two or three to the pound. Now, what is the cause 

 of this, viz., that while there are a few comparatively 

 large fish in the river, there are literally no small 

 ones ? But it may be said, These large fish must 

 have once been small. True, but they were not 

 small fish in the Thames, but originally turned into it 

 by some piscicultural society after attaining sufficient 

 size and strength to guard against the numerous 

 dangers that are incidental to fish life, particularly 

 to such as pass their existence in the grand pools, 

 reaches, and rapids of our Queen of rivers. 



Jack and perch have also become very scarce, but 



