PRACTICAL LESSONS IN THE GENTLE CRAFT. 467 



to mention, can bring forward more magnificent trout than 

 have been taken in the Thames within the last few years. 

 The Kennet again is swarming with trout, and as for size, 

 I have only to point to some examples in the Exhibition. 

 I think Lord Craven has taken trout in the Kennet up to 

 20 Ibs. in weight, and two years ago a trout was taken in 

 the Kennet behind Messrs. Huntley and Palmer's biscuit 

 factory close upon 17 Ibs. Neither is that an isolated 

 instance, because within the last Thames trout season an 

 old friend of mine, Mr. Ross-Faulkner, took a trout at 

 Hampton Court Weir 14 Ibs. 15 oz., and that is almost 

 within the sound of the omnibuses and cabs rattling through 

 Oxford Street. Other anglers have had splendid samples 

 from the Thames. I might mention the names of Messrs. 

 Allard, Hughes and Pugh amongst them, all of whom are 

 showing grand trout at this Exhibition. I think it redounds 

 very greatly to their credit as anglers to have caught such 

 splendid trout. Again, Mr. Forbes, of Chertsey, a gentle- 

 man I have the honour to know, has perhaps the most 

 magnificent collection of Thames trout that any man ever 

 saw. With regard to trout-fishing there is a considerable 

 amount of judgment necessary in approaching the locality 

 that a trout inhabits. In the early part of the year you 

 find trout on the scours near where they spawn, and they 

 do not move up to the weirs, where they are more fre- 

 quently caught, until the warm weather induces them to do 

 so. As soon as hot weather sets in, you invariably find 

 that trout follow the stream up further and further, getting 

 at last to the heads of the big Thames weirs. There is a 

 considerable amount of precaution necessary in approaching 

 a weir. If a man goes to a weir-head where the foot-walk 

 goes across from side to side, with a great sixteen-foot rod in 

 his hand, and looks over the head of the weir where usually 



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