164 ANGLING 



than five feet from datum to surface of water mark. Up to a 

 very few years ago there were fish, and good sized ones too, in 

 the length of water between the Top Lock and Keddington 

 Church Lock and between the latter Lock and Ticklepenny 

 Lock, but it is extremely doubtful if any species survive except 

 the well-known stickle back, which Grimsby anglers do not 

 usually go to angle for. Up to three years ago undoubtedly 

 the best pond on the whole canal for fishing was the stretch of 

 water between Ticklepenny Lock and Willow's Lock. McNab 

 and Mr. Hopper have many times had splendid catches there 

 of two and a half and three stones of roach each, roach mostly 

 running from six ounces to 14 ounces each. The Kentish 

 Baronet has also had similar good " takes " from that length 

 but during the past three years none of these anglers have had 

 a single bite there. The next pond between Willow's Lock and 

 Salter Fen Lock was almost an equally good stretch of water 

 both for size and quantity, in particular three years ago last 

 August or September Mr. Hopper remembers landing upwards 

 of three stone weight of roach and gudgeon in one day's fishing 

 and also calls to mind days of 80, 60 and 40 fine strapping 

 gudgeon besides roach and perch. Several times last year he 

 fished this length without a bite, and on other days caught 

 perhaps half a dozen roach, whilst only a few days ago he tried 

 it fruitlessly. 



Where have all the fish gone to ? What evil is at work ? 

 Mr. Hopper thinks there can be little doubt that two causes 

 are responsible for the destruction of fish in these lengths, first 

 and foremost, most probably, the pollution of the water of the 

 canal by the drainage into it from the Lud, of the offensive 

 matter from the water closets in Louth, and secondly, by reason 

 of the washing in the basin of the canal of barrels in which the 

 "weed killer" is made or stored. Mr. Hopper has been 

 informed that arsenic is largely used in the manufacture of the 

 weed killer. He has also been informed, though he cannot 

 vouch for its truth, that even a more deadly ingredient is used 

 in making the weed killer, but that has been denied by one of 

 the officials connected with the Navigation, who asserts that 

 the destruction of fish is not due in any way to the weed killer, 



