i886. 



I. THE GNAT, THE BAT, AND THE CAT. 



THERE are many devoted followers of Izaak Walton, 

 both at Grimsby and Cleethorpes, and it has occurred 

 to Mr. Hopper that a narration of a few angling 

 experiences and reminiscences during the last 25 or 30 years 

 might prove interesting to those who are fond of piscatorial 

 pursuits. It is an acknowledged fact that where there 

 was one angler 20 years ago, there are now 50. No doubt 

 a certain proportion of the 5 ls due to the increase of 

 population, and also to the increased facilities and advantages 

 afforded to the angler in getting to the various resorts where 

 the finny tribe are to be found, but by far the greater propor- 

 tion is to be attributed to the fascination of the sport. North 

 Lincolnshire is fertile in its trout streams and fresh water canals 

 and rivers. The trout streams are, of course, mostly private 

 waters, but fresh water fishermen have plenty of resorts where 

 they can angle for coarse fish. There is the Trent with its 

 white and carp bream, barbel, perch, flounders, pike, chub, 

 roach, rudd, eels, and dace, not to mention other varieties 

 which are not so abundant. Then there is the Ancholme, 

 containing all these varieties, except barbel and, possibly, 

 rudd and chub. The canal from Louth to Tetney Lock 

 contains pike, perch, roach, rudd, eels, flounders, gudgeon (in 

 some of the lengths between the locks), and a few tench and 

 trout, although the latter species do not come under the category 

 of coarse fish. Several local anglers will remember Mr. 

 Geo. Hollingsworth, of Grimsby, three or four years ago landing 

 a fine trout of lilbs. from the canal at Fire Beacon. Mr. Hopper's 

 first angling experiences were in his school days at Louth, about 

 32 or 33 years ago. Out-Fen Lock, on the Louth Navigation, 

 was generally the first resting place of himself and schoolfellows, 

 and fine perch used to be caught there in those days. Mr. Hopper 

 remembers one scorching hot day in July, when tired of fishing, 



