354 PIKE AND OTHER COARSE FISH. 



tide is saltfor the first few miles from the sea, gradually becoming 

 brackish as it meets the river water, which it drives backward 

 with it. For twenty miles at least from the sea there is a 

 strong upward current at flood-tide, and a slight current right 

 up to Norwich. None of the fresh-water fish pike, roach, and 

 bream mind a little taste of the salt water, provided the 

 change comes gradually ; and the largest bream are found where 

 the water is decidedly brackish, both on the flood and ebb. 

 Occasionally, however, a higher tide than usual brings with it a 

 more sudden influx of salt water, which, surprising the fish, kills 

 a good many, particularly the pike, and drives the others up 

 stream and up the dykes into the Broads. Such an influx of 

 the ' salts,' which happens in a greater or less degree every year, 

 changes the aspect of the fishing for a time. A week or two 

 before the date of writing this (November 1884), the pike were 

 being taken in large numbers and of goodly size in the Yare 

 between Coldham Hall and Cantley. There came a salt tide, 

 which destroyed many, and drove the others away, nobody 

 knows where, or perhaps sickened and put them off the feed. 

 At all events none have been caught since. 



Then there is sometimes a land flood, which brings bitter 

 water, or ' mar.-h tea,' off the marshes, and this drives the fish 

 into the lower and deeper waters, or into the Broads. A few 

 years ago Oulton Broad became crammed with fish, owing to a 

 flood on the Waveney, and the sport obtained for a few weeks 

 was something extraordinary. 



Thus the angler has got to follow the fish according to the 

 exigencies of tides and floods, being guided by the reports 

 from the fishing-stations. There is no difficulty as to this, for 

 so many anglers are daily out in all parts that the news as to 

 where the fish are rapidly spreads. 



Although the number of anglers is tenfold greater than a 

 generation back, yet the average takes of fish are not much less 

 than formerly, and whilst, owing to the extensive drainage of 

 marshes and silting up of broads, the feeding and breeding 

 grounds of the fish have largely decreased, the abolition of net- 



