16 ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT FISHERIES 



a trout-stream, and in width such only as a couple 

 of long casts will cover. 



Disease has intermittently occurred in the Kent, 

 but only upon one occasion with such virulency 

 as to do serious harm. The fact of its extremely 

 rapid flow, and its being regularly scoured by 

 floods, has probably much to do with immunity in 

 this respect. 



Morts (sea or white trout) enter the river about 

 the third or fourth week in June, the run lasting 

 until October. The best and heaviest fish invari- 

 ably come first, their weight running from I Ib. 

 to 3 Ibs., with exceptional fish up to 5 Ibs., 6 lbs. } 

 and 7 Ibs. These fish afford excellent sport on 

 the lower reaches of the river, but once over the 

 weirs and falls they become more widely dis- 

 persed and their capture is uncertain. During 

 the day, particularly if the water is low, it is of 

 little use fishing for them, although a few may 

 sometimes be taken on Pennell tackle. When the 

 river is in flood they will bite readily at worm. 

 Two or three worms are put on a No. 10 hook 

 (Sproat-bend) which is attached to a yard and a 

 half of strong gut, and weighted with from two 

 to six split shot according to the strength of the 

 current. 



On the water clearing, an artificial minnow may 

 be used. This bait, usually a quill, was for some 

 years an excellent means of filling the pannier, but 

 of late, for some obscure reason, it has proved 

 ineffective. Fish will eagerly follow the minnow, 

 but refuse to mouth it. In this state of the 

 water morts rise well at the fly, which in this 

 district is usually fished on the casting line 

 by tail-fly and two droppers, on hooks varying 



