150 DAYS AMONG THE PIKE AND PERCH 



Jan. zoth. Went down the river Hartford way, in the 

 boat this time, and spun all over the most likely-looking 

 places ; but a brace going 8 Ibs. was all my reward ; wind 

 west, and a good lot of it. 



Feb. 6th. Nothing more recorded till this date, when a 

 gentleman from London with a can of splendid Thames 

 dace paid me a visit ; water tinged with colour ; weather 

 not at all bad, seeing the very sharp frosts we had been 

 having the previous week or two. Tried the deep water 

 all down Houghton Wale ; got six good fish and lost four : 

 8} Ibs., 7 Ibs., 6 J Ibs., 5 Ibs., 3 J Ibs., and 3^ Ibs., a bag weigh- 

 ing 34 Ibs. all told. 



Feb. loth. Again tried live bait and snap tackle, this 

 time going to Brampton Wale ; water in good order ; wind 

 north-west, and not much of it ; only got one fish worth 

 keeping, a six-pounder, which came from opposite the 

 Poplar Trees, near the railway bridge. 



Feb. nth. Went all round the Dole and the back- 

 waters on the Godmanchester side opposite Hartford ; 

 live-baited and paternostered well among the weeds ; got 

 three nice fish, 7 J Ibs., 5f Ibs., 4^ Ibs. ; wind cold, but water 

 clear. 



Feb. 2Afli. There had been frost and bad weather, that 

 prevented me from going out from the nth to the 24th. 

 This day I met a London gentleman at Ely station ; 

 weather not too uncomfortable ; wind north-west ; and 

 a very nice colour in the water. Those Thames dace were 

 evidently appreciated by the Ouse pike in that locality, 

 for we got eight fish between us, including one that went 

 14 Ibs. 10 ozs. ; the others were as follows : 7 Ibs. 14 ozs., 

 6J Ibs., 6 Ibs., 6 Ibs., sJ Ibs., 4! Ibs., and 3} Ibs. 



Feb. 2&th. Had another gentleman down, who met me 

 at St. Neots station with another can of good Thames dace ; 

 water all right, but wind a nasty north-east ; tried my old 

 square-bend snap, but four fish only rewarded us ; we re- 

 turned five ; those kept went 6J Ibs., 6 Ibs., 5f Ibs., and 

 5| Ibs., averaging exactly 6 Ibs. each. 



