TROLLING IN STAFFORDSHIRE. 



eight pounds. It was a short, but thick fish, and 

 was in fine condition. John Porter informed me 

 that the pond was generally fished every seven 

 years, and that he returned into it every pike that 

 wa? under seven pounds in weight. As that period 

 had nearly expired, the pike I had caught could 

 not have grown in weight less than twenty pounds 

 in seven years, I was informed however that some 

 had been taken out of the pond, which must have 

 increased thirty pounds in that time, or about 

 four and a quarter pounds a year. 



I was now satisfied with my morning's amusement, 

 and therefore went and joined my companion on 

 the other side of the pond, to inform him of the 

 success I had had. As he also had enjoyed tolerably 

 good sport, we put up our tackle, and had our 

 ti>h conveyed to the hall for the inspection of our 

 hostess and her sister. 



I may here observe that I have generally found 

 the pike caught in the Staffordshire ponds in which 

 I have fished, to be not only well flavoured fish, but 

 to have their colours more marked and beautiful 

 than any I have met with elsewhere. I am not 

 aware to what cause this is owing, but the fact 

 is so, and the growth of the fish is exceedingly 

 rapid. I saw two pike of thirty-six pounds each, 

 one of thirty-five pounds, and several which weighed 

 from twenty to thirty pounds taken out of a pond 

 in Staffordshire in the autumn, which had grown 



