NORFOLK BROAD AND RIVER FISHING. 3^3 



of the banks affords no reliable indication of the depth of the 

 water a few feet away. 



The Broads are not so inscrutable, but nevertheless present 

 certain characteristics which must be borne in mind. Fishing 

 on the actual Broads is a matter of leave. The riparian owners 

 lay claim to the exclusive right of fishing even on those Broads 

 which, in addition to being navigable, are affected by the rise 

 and fall of the tide. Those which have never been used for 

 navigation are of course private, and as the navigation on 

 others falls into disuse, owing to the growing up and shallowing 

 of the waters, the riparians assert their rights. Oulton Broad, 

 near Lowestoft, is practically the only one which the public now 

 fish without let or hindrance. A good deal of fishing goes on 

 in Wroxham Broad, but steps may at any moment be taken to 

 put a stop to it. This uncomfortable state of things has grown 

 up in consequence of the immense increase in the number of 

 anglers of late years. Nevertheless, it is not a difficult matter to 

 obtain leave to fish many of the Broads, and they are still suffi- 

 ciently frequented by the public to be considered as angling 

 resorts. 



The Broads are in reality shallow lagoons from ten to four 

 hundred acres in extent, with weedy bays and reedy promon- 

 tories, having, as a rule, bottoms composed of exceedingly soft 

 and deep mud. The rivers are generally deep, being from 

 twelve to twenty feet in the channel ; but it is difficult to fix on 

 a spot on any of the Broads where there is more than seven 

 feet of water, while generally speaking there is but three or four 

 feet. Parts of Wroxham and Oulton are deep, and the best 

 spots for angling are well known, the deepest water being 

 chosen. 



As far as angling (which in Norfolk means bait-fishing, as 

 distinguished from pike-fishing) is concerned, the free rivers 

 afford quite as good fishing as the private Broads. 



Mention has been made of the tides. Now the fall of the 

 Yare from Norwich to the sea twenty-six miles is barely four 

 inches to the mile, and the other rivers are similar. The flood- 



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