A Sportsman at Large 51 



among other fish of various kinds, I landed two brace of 

 specimens, which rather puzzled me to identify. Afterwards 

 I discovered that they were carp-bream. (Even now I am not 

 sure whether these fish are a distinct species, or are really 

 hybrids between carp and bream. Certainly they have 

 marked characteristics of both. It is said that they are to 

 be caught only in the counties of Middlesex, Herts and Bucks.) 



These four which now came to net were much of a size, 

 about one pound each. In later days I had a round-dozen 

 between two and three pounds from a private pond near 

 Watford. 



Whilst I was exploiting these strange fishes, Ted got going 

 with a school of fair-sized perch. 



We gave the Big Lake the go-by because it had been drained 

 off and left dry the preceding winter and we had been given 

 to understand that it had not been re-stocked. So we made 

 our way to a small bit of water near the mansion which, 

 so one of the farmhands informed us, held some " big 'uns." 

 But our informant failed to specify what manner of fish 

 they were. 



The edges of this pond were very shallow and rush grown, 

 but far out there seemed to be a deep, clear hole, in the middle 

 of which was a miniature island. 



I baited with lob and cast well out into this open space ; 

 nor had I long to wait for a response, since my float had hardly 

 cocked before it was drawn completely out of sight, whilst 

 my line was dragged quickly along the surface. 



When I thought that the psychological moment had arrived, 

 I struck and found myself fast in something really heavy, 

 which played deep and refused to show for quite ten minutes. 



This time, profiting by experience, Ted devoted himself to 

 serious business. Tucking up his " bags " he waded through 

 the shallows to the edge of the deep and soon had our victim 

 safe in the net. It proved to be a magnificent perch of three- 

 and-a-quarter pounds ! Good egg ! 



I began to have visions of a basket of similar beauties, so 

 set to work again with hope blazing boldly in my bosom. 

 But never another touch did I have, though I fished on patiently 

 for nearly two hours ; whilst Ted was trying in a likely-looking 



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