SPORT ANCIENT AND MODERN 



chub, which have been estimated at 8 Ib. Pike 

 play havoc with the trout, and all up the river 

 otters are numerous. The Ouse Preservation 

 Society control the river from the old Hamsey 

 Lock, just above Lewes, to beyond Isfield. The 

 portion from Hamsey Lock to Cooksbridge 

 Stream (below Barcombe Mills) is reserved for 

 season-ticket holders, the remainder being fish- 

 able on payment of is. per diem. From Isfield 

 to Barcombe Mills there is good fishing, roach of 

 over 2 Ib. are not uncommon. Barcombe Mills 

 is a favourite resort. A fine roach of 3 Ib. way 

 recently taken (out of season) and returned to 

 the water. A trout of over 6 Ib. caught by 

 spinning, was in poor condition. Good bags of 

 roach are taken, also trout, dace, and heavy pike. 

 There are locks at both the flour and oil mills, 

 and at each lock is a salmon ladder. The stream 

 that runs from Plumpton Mill to the Barcombe 

 Oil Mill is a favourite for river and big brook 

 trout, this and the Ruston brook being considered 

 the best on the river. The water as far as 

 Barcombe Mills is tidal and holds good roach, but 

 as we approach Lewes the river is too often 

 scarcely pure enough to contain fish. A few 

 good roach are taken below Lewes, and nearing 

 Newhaven codling, flat fish, smelt, and eels 

 afford sport. In the winter months heavy floods 

 occur, and in the Fletching district eels have 

 been caught by the score while crossing the 

 turnpike road. In this district are a number of 

 lakes and ponds under the control of the Sussex 

 Piscatorial Society, established in 1891, to pro- 

 mote legitimate freshwater and sea angling and 

 kindred objects, including natural history, fish 

 culture, aquarium keeping, &c. The Marquis of 

 Abergavenny is the president. The society rents 

 and stocks suitable waters, and purposes to estab- 

 lish fish hatcheries, &c. There are now over 

 one hundred members. In addition to the reach 

 on the Ouse the society rents Horsted Keynes 

 stream and lake of about 1 1 acres stocked with 

 brook trout ; also Horsted Keynes, Broadhurst 

 Manor Farm, Brewhouse and Stockyard ponds, 

 containing pike, carp, tench, roach, and perch. 

 Brewhouse pond is stocked with rainbow 

 trout. 



At Cuckfield there are about 27 acres of water 

 and a mill stream, holding pike, perch, bream, 

 tench, carp, roach, black bass, and gudgeon. 

 There are also a few trout in the mill stream. 

 Hillyfield pond at Uckfield contains carp, tench, 

 and other coarse fish. At Lye Farm there are 

 five ponds with king carp, pike, black bass, perch, 

 carp, tench, rudd, and eels ; the stream, i ^ mile 

 of fishing, contains trout. 



Members of the society have access to a pond 

 at Cuckfield holding carp and roach, also to two 

 lakes at Cuckfield Park containing carp and king 

 carp, bream, tench, roach, pike, and eels, where 

 are about 6 acres of water and nearly a mile of 

 stream holding trout ; to Knepp Castle lake 



containing carp, tench, pike, perch, roach, &c. ; 

 to Glyndebourne lake with perch, tench, and 

 roach ; to three lakes at Plashet Park near Is- 

 field, holding pike, tench, roach, and perch ; to 

 the mill stream at Lindfield, with perch, chub, 

 pike, carp, roach, and a few trout ; to Piltdown 

 pond, near Uckfield, holding pike, perch, carp, 

 tench, and dace ; and to Slaugham Mill pond, 

 containing pike, carp, roach, tench, and eels. 

 Three brace of trout is the limit per rod per day, 

 all trout under 8 oz. must be returned to the 

 water. 



Thanks to the kindness of Herr Jaft'e, of 

 Osnabruck, the society has raised from the egg 

 numbers of rainbows, steelheads, and black bass, 

 and is now experimenting with pike-perch in the 

 water at Pond Lye. The rainbows in their 

 second year rose so freely (at Horsted Keynes) 

 at any and every fly, that few were left at the 

 end of the season. The steelheads were most 

 difficult to confine, escaping from the water if 

 given the slightest opportunity, but the few that 

 were hooked gave very fine sport ; they may be 

 regarded as having ceased to exist in Sussex. 

 There are a few black bass left in one of the 

 ponds, but none have been caught for some 

 time past. The pike-perch are scarcely large 

 enough to identify or to take with hook and line, 

 so that at present there is no proof among the 

 host of small fry in the water of successful re- 

 sults with these fish. The best Sussex pike was 

 taken from a pond by Mr. Gillam, the secretary, 

 and weighed 32jlb. Mr. W. Booth, the trea- 

 surer, hooked and lost a big fish in the adjoining 

 water ; it was picked up dead a few hours later 

 and weighed 30^ Ib. The best carp taken from 

 the society's water with rod and line weighed 

 1 2 Ib. Five tench were taken at Pond Lye, 

 weighing 24 Ib., and pike of 22 and 23 Ib. 



The Ouse Preservation Society have also done 

 good work on the river. The Adur, within easy 

 distance of Brighton, consists of a number of 

 streams which unite near Henfield. It is for the 

 most part preserved by the Adur Preservation 

 Society and Henfield Anglers' Association. It 

 holds a few trout and all kinds of coarse fish. 

 The principal angling resorts are the Fork at 

 Henfield, Mockbridge, Bines Bridge, Streatham 

 Bridge, Horton Gravell, Steyning Sluice, and 

 Church Hole. Steyning Sluice is noted for good 

 dace and roach, and above Steyning good sport 

 may be obtained among the carp. From some 

 of the culverts in the vicinity of Shoreham trout 

 have been taken up to 3 Ib. ; mullet come up in 

 quantities, but few are taken with rod and line. 

 Roach of I Ib. I oz. and I Ib. were taken 

 recently, but these are exceptionally heavy for the 

 water. The canal running from the harbour to 

 Aldrington holds some good mullet, small bass,, 

 and other salt-water fish ; mullet up to 1 Ib. 

 may be seen among the floating timbers : not 

 to be caught with hook and line they are 



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