NEW WATERS 277 



ability is that though older fish may contrive to get 

 along well enough in some parts of it, the ova and 

 fry stand a poor chance. A big head of coarse 

 fish naturally adds to their difficulties. 



The experiments at Thorney Weir were based 

 on the theory that to get trout fishing on a big scale 

 it must be, so to say, ready-made, and as a result 

 a sort of tour de farce was accomplished. Mudding 

 was performed on an extensive scale and gravel 

 was laid down in places. And then stocking was 

 carried out in the grand manner. In the first year 

 over two thousand big trout were released. Seven 

 hundred of them weighed from three pounds to 

 about four and a half pounds and many others 

 were from fourteen to sixteen inches in length. 

 In later years this colossal business was repeated 

 and even bigger fish were turned in up to seven 

 pounds or more. 



The result, of course, was remarkable fishing 

 after its kind and the weekly reports contained 

 lists of monsters, all captured on the dry fly. The 

 trout fishing had certainly been " made " success- 

 fully. The work was interfered with by the War 

 and at last it became impossible to get big stock 

 fish from the hatcheries, so the Thorney Weir fishing 

 is, as I write, marking time. I understand, however, 

 that the present owner intends to re-establish it as 

 soon as conditions permit. 



