1 6 ROD AND RIVER 



of fish to be caught at such and such particular 

 spots, on the perhaps well-known, well-remembered 

 stream, is anticipation and no more. I have so 

 often witnessed such bitter disappointments as 

 these. Weather, of course, no one can alter ; 

 but it does seem too bad that at Whitsuntide, and 

 such-like times, when so many business-men look 

 forward to enjoying a few days' fishing, the farmers 

 and others should have so little thought and 

 consideration as to select that very time for 

 cutting weeds, etc. Yet such is invariably the 

 case in some districts with which I am well 

 acquainted, and year after year, especially if 

 Whitsuntide is at all late, the same thing occurs. 

 The weed- cutting fiend is in truth a terrible 

 bugbear to the fisherman. It may be that the 

 latter has been fishing for an hour or two, when 

 he notices a small green patch come floating round 

 the bend of the river above him. He tries to 

 put away the fears which present themselves to 

 him, and to conclude that it is nothing ' a piece 

 of lodged weed, perhaps.' As it passes him, 

 however, he cannot help seeing that the stalks 

 appear freshly cut, and on looking up the water 

 again he sees another bunch appearing, and then 

 more and more come down, and it is all too 

 evident that the foul work has begun. A man 

 in a cart passes over the bridge, and he asks him 

 where the weeds are coming from. 



