n8 ANGLING 



and so prevented the storm water from getting away H umber- 

 wards between the tides, and the result was an abnormal rise 

 of between five and six feet in the river. This extra push of 

 water had the effect of driving all kinds of large fish 

 particularly carp bream from their usual haunts into shallower 

 swims. Bream are sluggish, lazy fish, and dislike above all 

 things to have to head against a greater body of water than 

 usual. Oh ! he's a very knowing fellow is Mr. Bream ! An 

 extra rise of water will often send him on the sloping sides of 

 the Trent hauling banks, which are not covered with water 

 unless there is an unusual lot of water down the river, and 

 there he will feed in a foot or eighteen inches of water on the 

 worms which the rise brings out on such grassy slopes. Up to the 

 time of the Trent getting so bank full Mr. Hopper had had fair 

 sport, catching in addition to bream other kinds of fish, 

 including chub, roach, perch, eels, flounders, dace, and that 

 curious little abortion called " Tommy Ruffe." With the 

 discolouration of the river eels began to be on the run, and Mr. 

 Hopper landed some weighing over i^lbs. each, and with a 

 rod weighing only half-a-pound and fine tackle Mr. Hopper 

 found his angling ability tested to its utmost capacity. 



Mr. Hopper was without a mate this last summer's visit, but 

 friend Brown (who is now three-score in his earthly career) 

 usually put in an appearance in the evening, and helped to make 

 the time pass merrily. He is just as keen an angler as ever, but 

 Mr. Hopper refrains from accompanying him on his chubbing 

 expeditions. Does Twynkles remember his day's outing in 

 1890 ? But that is ancient history in Mr. Hopper's notes. 



Very few salmon went up the Trent this season ; in fact the 

 net fraternity did not take out their usual 5 licence. Blow 

 the nets, says Mr. Hopper, they do more harm to river fishing 

 than anything legitimate rod fishing will never harm a river 

 like the Trent, but after a " fresh " of water these net fishermen 

 will sweep every shallow where they can draw their nets and 

 pack off their catch to the Manchester market, where all fresh 

 water fish find ready purchasers in the Israelites. 



The trout streams about Grimsby ran very low after the 

 middle of May, and what with the " tickling " abilities of certain 



