180 Dry -Fly Fishing. 



Nor can a dry-fly be accurately presented to them 

 without wading, and that is only practicable from 

 the shallowest places in the silted-up middle or 

 near the west side. There are also three weirs 

 which bar progress. They were constructed a few 

 years ago, chiefly to aerate and increase the flow of 

 the water, and make haunts under the glassy falls 

 and lively runs below them, where fish would 

 congregate and thrive. But in order to enable an 

 angler to send his fly to reach the quarry rising 

 under the distant high west bank (described above) 

 several platforms stretch out 6ft. or 8ft. from the 

 low east side towards the middle. This important 

 fishery extends down- stream as far as Shawford 

 bridge, and now, since Christmas Day, includes the 

 whole of Mr. Trimmer's rights in the main stream 

 and canal, until a few years since in the occupation of 

 the late Mr. Edgar Williamson. The light suspen- 

 sion bridge remains for the convenience of privileged 

 anglers and the keepers. 



Shut in by the rolling Hampshire downs on 

 either side of the valley, and plodding through 

 water meadows ankle deep in melting snow, and 

 crossing ditches and carriers over narrow boards 

 perilously slippery, I reached the waterside about 

 noon, and soon after, while intent in casting over a 

 fish in view, the under-keeper came to my elbow, 

 till then unobserved : " That's a nice grayling, sir," 



