THE NOBTII-WESTEKN COUNTIES. 123 



an express visit. The river and a noble one it is, especially for 

 commercial and navigable purposes is unquestionably interesting 

 to the rod-fishers in the several localities on its banks, as it flows 

 through Shropshire, Staffordshire, and Worcestershire to the ocean ; 

 but it does not possess those peculiarly interesting attributes 

 which a purely fly-fishing river should have. Bottom-fishing, in 

 all its forms and richness, is undoubtedly its staple angling com- 

 modity ; although there are many spots upon its waters where the 

 fly can be thrown with a fair chance of success. 



Trout have been taken in the Severn of great weight ; one we 

 know of late years, by trolling, of twelve and a half pounds. The 

 salmon are likewise very excellent^in quality. Anglers on these 

 waters recommend dark coloured flies, with gold tinselled bodies, 

 as the most effective in these waters, more especially in the early 

 sections of the fishing season. Trolling is more successful than 

 the fly. 



The Severn has a Welsh origin. It springs out of the vicinity of 

 Mount Plinlimmon, and its primary feeders all unite at Llanidloes ; 

 from thence it pursues a very circuitous course to ShreAVsbuiy. 

 In this distance it runs for nearly one hundred miles, and here 

 its waters are by far the best for rod-fishing. It likewise receives 

 the waters of several tributaries. From Shrewsbury it continues 

 its winding course, and receives the Tern at the foot of the Wrekin, 

 about which it describes a semicircle ; then curving repeatedly, it 

 flows towards Colebrook Dale, from which it flows in a north-west 

 direction to Tewkesbury. Within this section, besides inferior 

 streams, the Severn receives the Tame at Worcester from _ the 

 west ; and the waters of the Avon, from the north-east, run into it at 

 Tewkesbury. These several accessory waters augment its volume 

 considerably. After turning to the south-west, it winds its way 

 to the British Channel, receiving at its mouth the Wye from the 

 north, and the Avon from the south-east. The entire course of 

 the Severn is about three hundred and twenty miles; and for 

 upwards of two hundred and thirty it is navigable. 



^The best bottom-fishing for carp, perch, roach, chub, and eels, is 

 within those portions of the river appropriated to navigation. 

 Grayling are to be met with in many parts of the Severn. 



The tributaries of the river are to be preferred for fly-fishing. 

 Many of them are excellent. The Elun, which passes Ludlow, is a 

 great favourite with anglers in this part of England. So likewise 

 are the Wevel and the Came. 



An angling tour to the Dee, in Cheshire, is generally a very 

 pleasant and successful one. There is excellent fly-fishing for both 

 trout and salmon in the river ; and the town of Chester itself may 

 be made one of its angling stations. It is better, however, to 

 move upward. All the tributaries of the Dee are good trout 

 streams. Pine baskets of fish are here taken every season; but 

 much depends upon the state of both waters and weather. Trolling 

 is practised to a considerable extent in the Dee; and flies of 



