70 SOUTH COUNTRY TROUT STREAMS 



dun (in small quantities), the turkey brown, and 

 the alder. For dry fly fishing, which is the most 

 telling method when the water is fine and the 

 weather fair, the ordinary chalk stream patterns of 

 duns, Wickhams, red quills, red spinners, and May- 

 flies, together with the alder — a capital fly for this 

 river — the March brown — which may possibly be 

 taken for the turkey brown by the trout — and the 

 governor. In boisterous weather when the dry fly 

 is impracticable, or when no fish are rising, a large 

 sunk alder, used in the way described in Chapter I, 

 is often very effective. Below Hatfield the Lea 

 flows through some pretty scenery, but in parts is 

 inclined to be too deep and sluggish for a genuine 

 trouting water. Below Hertford it is a coarse fish 

 water, containing a few heavy trout. After leaving 

 Broxbourne it speedily begins to lose its rural 

 aspect. The Crown Inn at that place has long 

 been famous among anglers, and it boasts what 

 has been described as *' the finest example of 

 flower gardening in the kingdom." Luton, 

 Wheathampstead, Hatfield, and Hertford, are 

 good headquarters for the Lea trout fisherman. 

 Hertford is within easy reach, not only of the lower 

 trouting waters of the Lea, but also of those of 

 several of the Lea's tributaries, such as the Beane, 

 the Rib, and the Mimram, 



The Mimram is the best of the several tributaries 

 of the Lea. This dainty little chalk stream rises 



The about five miles north-west of Codicote, 

 Mimram and, after forming a lake at Kimpton Hoo, 

 Lord Hampden's place, runs through the very pretty 

 village of Welwyn, where Young, author of the Night 

 Thoughts^ was once pastor, through Tewin and 

 through Panshangerto the Lea at Hertford. At no 



