NORTON FISHERIES 109 



twenty-nine trout in cages, I liberated all females, only retaining 

 male fish that appeared to have reached or passed their prime. This 

 work was done at leisure after the rise of fly ceased, and I had ample 

 time to sort out and knock on the head fish which were better out 

 of the stream. I think the most remarkable incidents of the day's 

 fishing were the variation of the kinds of fly that hatched out, and 

 the trout's determination to only look at the artificials which were 

 the same colours and sizes as the natural flies. This was about the 

 best day's fishing I ever had on the Itchen. The trout fought very 

 well indeed well enough to try strength of tackle to its utmost. 

 Nearly every fish when hooked rushed past me, straight down-stream 

 towards deeper water, where the short waders I was wearing did 

 not allow of pursuit. I might have returned to the bank and so got 

 below hooked fish, but the shallow was so clear that much move- 

 ment on my part must have cleared fish in all directions, so I simply 

 played the fish against the stream, and was fortunate that I had 

 no breaks and very few holds gave way. 



" E. V. C." 



A river, then, which can support such a wonderful 

 number of natural fish is eminently suited for trout 

 rearing, and the trout which are reared at Lower 

 Chilland breeding pounds fully establish the advantages 

 which I claim for such a method. There are probably 

 not many rivers in England so favourably situated 

 in every way to produce such happy results, but if 

 there are such a system is well worthy of trial. 



Another excellent trout-breeding establishment is 

 the NORTON FISHERIES, Baldock. These fisheries have 

 a never-failing water supply from very large springs 

 situated immediately above the Fisheries. They have 

 a very well arranged system of sluices, and the whole 

 water is absolutely under control. There are upwards 

 of a hundred different ponds for fry yearlings and two- 

 year-olds. A speciality of these fisheries is that wild 

 spawners are largely used from the mill river below, 



