118 ANGLING. 



'effective, and really the most amusing, method of traversing these 

 waters is by walking just as the crow flies. Let a rod-fisher take 

 some provender with him, not neglecting a little mint foot medicine's 

 sake ; and, relying upon his own resources, make the best of his 

 way over mountain and valley, and there can be no doubt but he 

 will fill both his basket with capital fish, and his heart with exhila- 

 rating gladness. This is the true and only method of angling in 

 these wild and secluded tracts of country. To afford him a little 

 guidance, we shall just dot down, from our own personal recollec- 

 tions and experience, a few general observations on the various 

 rivers connected with this interesting range of piscatory waters. 



The chief river in Cumberland is the Eden. It is an imposing 

 and magnificent stream, and abounds with trout and salmon of the 

 finest quality. It springs out of the high grounds all moorlands 

 of the wildest kind close upon the western section of Yorkshire, 

 and has a run of forty miles and upwards. It enters the county of 

 Cumberland near its junction with the Eamottf, and flows on, 

 through most interesting sections of the county, to the city of 

 Carlisle, and enters the Solway Eirth near Rockcliff March. The 

 angler has a ready access to Carlisle, either by the Lancaster Rail- 

 way, or the Carlisle and Newcastle line ; so that he can be brought 

 into immediate proximity with the finest range of angling streams 

 in the kingdom. 



One of the very best fishing stations on the Eden is that of Pen- 

 rith. It is about five miles from the river ; but, by a walk to it, we 

 are placed at once on some of its choicest streams. These run so 

 clear and sparkling over the rocky bed of the river, and are broken 

 into such a succession of rippling currents, that the eye of the most 

 experienced rod-fisher cannot but be fascinated with their appear- 

 ance, and the number of trout which are taken here is often 

 surprisingly great. We have known ten and twelve dozen taken 

 in three or four hours ; and when the waters have been in first-rate 

 order after a summer's rain, and the minnow been employed, the 

 heavy fish we have seen captured have more than once been so great 

 to our own knowledge, that the angler had to leave them behind 

 him. The trout of the Eden, on such occasions, take any kind of 

 fly very greedily ; but when the waters are very much reduced from 

 a long continuance of dry weather, and become very clear, then the 

 finest tackle and small-sized flies are indispensably requisite. 



The salmon becomes tolerably plentiful as the angler approaches 

 to the city of Carlisle. In the stretches of water that encircle it, 

 consisting of long and deep pools, there are always a great number 

 of fish to be found ; and a good curl on the surface, with a suitable 

 fly, will scarcely ever fail of bringing some of them to the bank. 

 There are a number of very skilful anglers in this town ; and it is 

 an excellent place to obtain such kind of flies as are most in request, 

 not only in the Eden, but in other neighbouring streams. The 

 manufacture of these artificial flies is grounded on long observation 

 and experience, and a constant habit of paying attention to every 



