CHAPTER VI 



SEA ANGLING IN GREAT BRITAIN 



' It is not every man who should go a-fishing, but there are many who 

 would find this their true rest and recreation of body and mind. And having, 

 either in boyhood or in later Ufe, learned by experience how pleasant it is to 

 go a-flshing, you will find, as Peter found, that you are drawn to it whenever 

 you are weary, impatient, or sad.' 



From / Oo A-Fishing, by W. C. Prime. 



ANY one who has had the pleasure of visiting the British Sea 

 Anglers Society rooms in London and listened to the 

 learned papers read and the scientific interest taken in the subject, 

 wiU realize that this particular department of sport (Sea AngUng) 

 is being conducted Tvith the same intelligence and earnestness 

 that has characterized aU English pastimes, and given the British 

 Empire the first place among nations as a great conservator and 

 founder of manly sports. 



The British Sea Anglers Society has over five himdred hon- 

 orary agents along its coast-hne who report to its head- 

 quarters at Fetter Lane as to the exact conditions at any time, 

 so that fisherman's luck has little to do with sea angling ; all 

 that man and prescience can do to prepare the way for the angler 

 has been done, and it but remains for him to land his game. 



The situation of England is peculiar and well adapted to 

 produce a great race of men as well as fishes, and to thoroughly 

 appreciate it, it is only necessary to follow its latitude, which 

 impinges Labrador in Canada, across the North Atlantic in winter. 

 By all rights we should find another Labrador where the British 

 Isles lie, but, even in winter, here is something different. Instead 



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