160 ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT FISHERIES 



rudd were swimming about on the surface of the 

 tarn taking small flies. Happening to have a cast 

 of trout flies on gut, these were put on, and a 

 fish was taken at almost every throw. The cast 

 became so abraded that it smashed, and hauling in 

 the big rudd was at an end. The catch, with the 

 crimson sun on their golden scales, was an exceed- 

 ingly handsome one but the appearance of a rudd 

 is the best part of him. For many years the rudd 

 in this tarn were called " bream," but there is not 

 the slightest doubt as to the real identity of the 

 fish. A boat can be hired on Whinfell for a 

 nominal sum, and the homeliest accommodation can 

 be got at one or other of the neighbouring farms on 

 the most reasonable terms. The tench, which are 

 rarely fished for, run up to seven pounds ; and the 

 eels also grow to a large size. There is an eel-coop 

 on the effluent stream which takes a fair quantity 

 of fish when the eels are running in the autumn. 



RED TARN 



Red Tarn lies immediately beneath Helvellyn 

 and is at a greater elevation than any other tarn in 

 the district, viz., 2,356 feet. Although Red Tarn 

 contains trout, it is more interesting for its associa- 

 tions than for the fishing it affords. Here Words- 

 worth used to fish, and Christopher North 

 (Prof. Wilson) when he was resident at Elleray. 

 The writer has encamped by the side of Red Tarn 

 for ten days at a stretch, and can testify to its 

 loneliness and deep solitude. Here the familiar 

 sounds are the hoarse croak of the raven, the 

 mewing squeal of the buzzard (now our largest bird 

 of prey) and the ceaseless wail of the summer- 



