38 AN ANGLER'S HOURS m 



to splash after him for several minutes. I 

 thought him a two-pound fish at the very 

 least, and could hardly believe my eyes 

 when he finally came to the net. If a 

 brace of half-pounders is in one's basket at 

 the end of a day's fishing it is matter for 

 congratulation, and reason enough for dis- 

 playing the catch to the passer-by. And 

 yet there are big fish even in the Exe. 

 There is, or was, one in a weir-pool which 

 our friend passes, a fish that would not make 

 an inconspicuous figure in the Thames. I 

 have had a glimpse of him myself, and I 

 thought he must be a salmon, but was 

 assured that he was a trout. His dimensions 

 and weight, if I gave them, would only be 

 guesswork ; and as they might not be be- 

 lieved they shall not be given. 



I can, however, testify to several fish in 

 some of the big pools along the side of the 

 road which must be well over two pounds, 

 and that is, or ought to be, enough for the 

 most greedy of fishermen if he can catch 

 them, for I believe them to be beyond the 

 power of man's flies. I have spent many 

 fruitless days trying for them, and have 

 even been so unorthodox as to tempt them 



