DECEMBER 189 



26|Ibs. were taken ; while in the British Sea Anglers' 

 Competition, 1899, the gold medal was taken by a 

 gentleman with a conger of 29^1bs., and another com- 

 petitor took one 24^1bs. The winner, Mr. W. T. Green, 

 also took another fine fish 21^-lbs. the same day. 



As far as I am aware the 29^1 bs. fi.->h was up to last 

 year the largest ever taken with rod and line in the 

 United Kingdom. 



During 1899 the record catch for Deal for one day 

 was made by Mr. Litchfield and two friends. On 

 December 10th, these three gentlemen and the boatman, 

 all rod-fishing, in three-and-a-half hours took 237 fish, 

 weighing 278^1bs. The catch was made up as follows : 



21 cod and codling 1211bs. 



2 congers (28Jlbs. and 12|lbs.) 411bs. 

 214 whiting and pouting ... ... 116lbs. 



237 fish 2781bs. 



The largest cod was about 141bs., and the largest 

 whiting was 31bs. 



I am informed that one of the anglers was quite un- 

 skilled in rod-fishing, and a number of fish were there- 

 fore missed which should have come to hand. 



During 1900, the fishing has been good as regards 

 whiting, but there has been a noticeable scarcity of cod, 

 especially north of the pier in Pegwell Bay. A little 

 sport has been obtained towards Walmer, very possibly 

 on account of an eddy which gives slack water by St. 

 Margarets, and a set in of the strong fairway current. 

 The reasons why cod have not been at Deal are un- 

 known, but various causes are alleged, such as the 

 blasting on the wreck of the " Patria," the carbolic acid 

 and other disinfectants in the drainage discharged into 

 the sea in front of the town, and last, but not least, an 

 ingenious theory that the absence is caused by the pre- 

 valence of south-westerly winds, which back up and 

 retard the rate of progress of the great southerly 

 current of cold water in which the cod mainly travels. 

 Be this as it may, the fact remains that cod were scarce, 



