88 AN ANGLER'S YEAR 



stream, a feeder of the main river, which yields one 

 undersized fish, the tackle is packed up, and after a 

 good meal the tired anglers return to town. The 

 second fly-fisher has not done so well, for, adhering to 

 old experience, he fished in the deeps, catching plenty of 

 coarse fish, but only one trout of 21b. 



The total catch for the day is thirteen trout, of which 

 three brace, averaging close on 21b. apiece, are retained 

 a brace for the owner of the water, and a like number 

 for each of the fishermen. And so ends the outing, one 

 of the pleasantest of many angling days on that queen 

 of rivers, the Kennet. 



ON THE KENNET. JUNE 2ND AND SRD, 1899. 



THIS year I had an invitation to fish the Kennet on both 

 Friday and Saturday, June 2nd and 3rd, one day with 

 one friend and next day with another. 



Starting from London by the early morning train I was 

 met at the station by my old friend, who had permits for 

 two stretches of the river. Leaving the station we dis- 

 cussed as to which water it would be most profitable to 

 fish, and finally decided on the lower of the two, as the 

 last report stated that the fly had only been seen in 

 quantity during the last day or two. As is well known, 

 the Mayfly rise begins low in the Kennet, and gradually 

 works up, so that the rise is full on at Hungerford at 

 least a week or ten days later than in the lower reaches, 

 say between Aldermaston and Theale. We arrived at 

 the river's bank about ten, and already a few fly were 

 to be seen. Thus encouraged, I rigged up a Mayfly 

 and walked up the bank looking for a rise. At one part 

 of the river the banks are about 4ft. high, and the 

 bottom is deep, forming a fine pool and eddy of about 

 fifteen yards across ; in it was a collection of scum, and 

 on the edge of this several dimples appeared. 



The first cast into the slack water resulted in a bold 

 rise, and after a few minutes' good sport a nice fish of 

 IJlb. was safely netted. This looked a promising 



