AND HOW I HAVE CAUGHT MY FISH 323 



CHAPTER IV. 



THE OLD RIVER OR FLEET HOW TO FISH THE WEIR THAMES 

 TROUTING THE CHUB COLNBROOK CHURCHYARD. 



OLD Windsor lock is now in sight, and on its 

 right is the end of the mile and a half of the 

 Thames known as The Old River, or The Fleet, 

 which cannot, I know, compare for beautiful land- 

 scapes or stirring historical associations with many 

 other reaches, but yet may fairly boast of being 

 an angler's paradise. Unfortunately, it is difficult 

 to get at, except for the bank angler, who, travelling 

 to Wraysbury, has only to follow his train for 

 about a mile and he will find himself on the bank, 

 where he may roam up or down in search of a 

 swim, without fear of molestation, his only difficulty 

 being the making of a choice among so many good 

 ones. 



We, who are in a punt, just below Old Windsor 

 lock, have to make up our minds as to how to 

 proceed. As we wish to fish down the whole of 

 this shut-off portion of the Thames we must decide 

 whether we will punt up the i^ miles or take the 

 quicker route ; that is go through the lock and 

 through the cut it is only a quarter of a mile 

 and so to the head of the weir. 



Y 2 



