THE TROUT. 17 



I have already stated that the largest trout are 

 generally taken at the weirs, but in consequence 

 of the force of the water, the nature of the situa- 

 tion, and the constant endeavours of bunglers in 

 the art to get a run, many fish, in the course of 

 the season are pricked, and become shy and difficult 

 to be taken even by the most skilful in the art of 

 angling. Indeed a moderate angler may fish a 

 whole season at the weirs without taking a trout, 

 and it requires such masters of the rod as those I 

 have mentioned, to have a chance of success. It 

 is an art peculiar in itself, and the best salmon 

 fisher in Scotland or Ireland would be obliged to 

 confess that he was quite ignorant of it. The 

 Thames can alone boast of this class of anglers, and 

 they are altogether unrivalled. 



It is a well known fact that the large Thames 

 trout will not take the artificial fly, but by mere 

 chance, and some will not run at a bleak during a 

 whole season, however fine the tackle, and however 

 skilful the angler may be. A large trout may be 

 seen almost daily at this time (June 1835) opposi ti- 

 the water-gallery of Hampton Court, which has 

 defied every endeavour to capture it. A gentleman 

 of my acquaintance, an expert spinner for trout, 

 moored his boat close to a spot where he had fre- 

 quently seen two large trout on the feed, and 

 which, after many attempts, he had been unable 

 to take. When the fish appeared to have become 



