144 ANGLING 



fishing of them impossible. Quiet nooks out of the current had 

 therefore to be sought, and fishing for smaller fry indulged in. 

 This was not altogether a success, although on one or two 

 occasions Mr. Hopper had fairly decent baskets of fish to show, 

 made up principally of dace, white bream, and roach of the 

 latter a few nice sized ones but nothing over lib. Mr. 

 Hopper's 1897 Trent holiday from an angling point of view 

 was a failure five barbel only, but they weighed between 

 iSlbs. and iplbs., the three largest totalling just over I3lbs. 

 Better luck next year if Mr. Hopper is spared to make his 

 annual visit to Trent-side. A lot of Nottingham men were down 

 on the far side of the river, but they only secured four barbel, 

 and no carp bream. If Nottingham anglers are not catching 

 fish it is a sure sign that the fish are not " on." And now, Mr. 

 Hopper must bid his angling friends farewell until Trent-side 

 sees him again in 1898. He is sorry not to have had more 

 appetising notes for his angling readers, but to be consistent he 

 feels bound to place on record his failures as well as his 

 successes. He closes his 1897 notes with a few more lines 

 from " Secrets of Angling," published in 1652 : 



" Then see on yonder side, where one doth sit, 



With line well twisted, and his hook but small ; 

 His cork not big, his plumets round and fit, 



His bait of finest paste a little ball, 

 Wherewith he doth intice unto the bit, 



The careless roch, that soone is caught withall ; 

 Within a foot the same doth reach the ground, 

 And with least touch the float straight sinketh down 



" So for the roch, more baits he hath beside, 



As of a sheep, the thick congealed bloud, 

 Which on a board, he useth to divide 



In portions small, to make them fit and good, 

 That better on his hooke they may abide : 



And of the waspe ; the white and tender brood, 

 And worms, that breed on every herb and tree, 

 And sundry flies, that quick and lively bee." 



