126 ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT FISHERIES 



Directly or indirectly, Bassenthwaite receives in 

 addition to the Derwent the Greta, Naddle, and St. 

 John's Becks, the Glenderaterra, Glenderamackin, 

 Newlands Beck, Beck Wythop, Dubwath Beck, 

 Dash Beck, Chapel Beck, and other smaller feeders. 

 The west side of the lake is richly wooded ; while 

 the east is deeply indented with three fine 

 bays. 



From the angler's standpoint, Bassenthwaite is of 

 minor importance. It contains trout, pike, perch, 

 vendace and eels ; and salmon run through it to 

 spawn during October and November. 



The trout are large, but, for some reason, very 

 rarely rise well to the fly. In fact, the only success 

 with the fly is had among the smaller fish (really the 

 brook-trout), which are found where the feeders 

 enter the lake. These run from i to J Ib. each. 

 The larger trout are taken by trolling, the best time 

 for which in this lake is soon after dawn. Trolling 

 at night almost invariably proves unsuccessful. 

 The best bait is natural minnow. Of a series of 

 trout taken by one angler, by trolling, in the 

 present season (1898) the smallest was 14 ozs., the 

 largest 5j Ibs. 



The perch here are exceedingly small, and 

 average under Ib. each. Individuals run up to 

 3 Ibs. ; and I have seen four or five taken from 

 Bassenthwaite of between 2 and 3 Ibs. each. The 

 perch spawn in April. 



It is said that pike are decreasing in Bassen- 

 thwaite, the reason assigned being that the water 

 from the lead mines has partially destroyed the 

 pike spawn. A pike angler who regularly fishes 

 Bassenthwaite informs me that his largest fish this 

 season was i61bs. ; and fish of 17 Ibs. and 25 Ibs. 



