WHERE TO FISH, 



A FEW NOTES ON FISHING-WATERS. 

 BY HENRY GK BOHN. 



WHEN it is considered that there are upwards of 300 rivers in 

 England and Wales, without including Ireland and Scotland, many 

 of them running through several shires or counties, and all containing 

 fish ; and that thei-e are besides innumerable other waters brooks, 

 lakes, canals, reservoirs, and ponds it must be evident that nothing 

 less than a voluminous gazetteer of fishing-waters could give full 

 information to the angler. Such a work would have to comprise all 

 the necessary local information, restrictions or facilities, pitches, 

 inns, fishing-boatmen, &c., the expense of procuring which would so 

 far exceed all probable returns, that it is long likely to remain a 

 desideratum. The nearest approach to this information is contained 

 in Hofland's "Angler's Manual," a comprehensive work to which all 

 subsequent writers have been lai-gely indebted, some without the 

 slightest acknowledgment. Mr. Blaine is a gentlemanly exception, and 

 constantly acknowledges his obligations ; he observes, " If any general 

 list of English fishing localities (and their flies) be wanted, Mr. Hofland's 

 elegant work on angling can generally supply it." As the copyright of 

 Hofland's work is the property of the present publisher, he thinks he 

 cannot do better than give such extracts from it, as may with the 

 addition of his own experience and inquiries, help the London angler 

 to shape his course. He has taken considerable pains to obtain a 

 correct account of the INNS, and particularly of the angling FISHERMEN 

 at the various stations, most of whom have punts of their own, and 

 know exactly the best pitches, and whatever else belongs to the sport. 

 He does not propose to attempt details beyond the Thames, Lea, New 

 River, Wandle, Colne, Mole, Trent, Avon, Dove, and a few others, 

 including some miscellaneous fishing waters, respecting which he can 

 give a tolerably correct and useful account. Those who want in- 

 formation respecting other waters may consult one or other of the 

 following books: So/land's Angler's Manual, by Jesse, second edition, 

 1848, for general information respecting most of the principal rivers in 

 England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland ; Hansard's Trout and Salmon 

 Fishing in WALES, 1834, for very useful information in respect to all 

 the Welsh fishing- waters ; for the scenery of Wales, and an account of 

 its rivers, there is nothing more beautiful or interesting than JRoscoe's 

 Vieivs in North and South Wales, 2 vols. 8vo, each with 50 beautiful 

 steel engravings and a map, price 10s. 6d. ; Stoddart's Angler's Com- 

 panion to the Rivers and Lakes of SCOTLAND, second edition, 1853, a 

 most complete and accurate work ; Colquhoun's Moor and Loch, with 

 an Essay on Loch fishing, Edinburgh, 1851 ; Anderson's Guide to the 

 Highlands of Scotland, 1850 ; 0' Gorman's Practice of Angling in 

 IRELAND, 2 vols., Dublin, 1845; Shipley and Fitzgibbons Art of Fly. 



