FLY FISHING FOR TROUT 7 



the more southern portions of England that we must 

 now deal in pursuing these considerations. 



Charles Kingsley undoubtedly contributed largely 

 towards the popularising of trout fishing. It would be 

 scarcely possible to read his delightful descriptions of 

 Devonshire and Hampshire without feeling a desire 

 to attempt, in however small a degree, some such 

 piscatorial deeds as those recounted in ' Chalk 

 Streams Studies ' and other works of that great ex- 

 ponent of healthy, honest, English life and sport. 

 Moreover, the facilities now afforded by the railways 

 allow a busy man to get away from his town work for 

 the inside of a day, and in two or three hours or less 

 he can find himself by Itchen or Kennet side, should 

 he be fortunate enough to have fishing thereon. The 

 train service will enable him to return to London the 

 same evening, so that only one day will have been 

 taken from his working time. But a few years ago 

 this would not have been practicable, owing to the 

 then inferior railway arrangements. This of course 

 applies equally to any of the great centres of popu- 

 lation in the country as to London. 



Let us therefore admit, as an accepted fact, that 

 trout fishing has become vastly more popular than it 

 was twenty years ago, and that the number of its 

 adherents has largely increased. 



