CHAPTER XXXIX 



SOME FAMOUS ANGLING CLUBS 



' Neither fish, nor flesh, nor good red herring.' 



THE angling clubs of the various parts of the world have a 

 direct bearing upon the angling, and to them is mainly 

 due the growing high standards in sport, the increased sentiment 

 for the conservation of the game, the enactment and observation 

 of intelligent game laws, and the education of the masses as to 

 the economic value of game of all kinds as an asset of state or 

 county. 



England leads in this direction and has an extraordinary number 

 of clubs, some of which, as the British Sea Anglers Society and 

 the Fly Fishers Club of London, have international fame. The 

 British Sea Anglers is the most complete and well organized club 

 for its purpose in the world, and differs essentially from all other 

 clubs. Offhand, I should say that its purpose mainly is education 

 along lines somewhat similar to those of the Tuna Club, which 

 ranks with it in si^e and utility. The British Sea Anglers is in 

 the heart of Westminster, in Fetter Lane, up a narrow ancient 

 flight of stairs, about as far away from angUng as it can get ; yet 

 it is in touch with every angling station of Great Britain and 

 L'eland of any importance. The rooms of the British Sea An- 

 glers are very attractive, and are really a museum of the game 

 taken by members through the years ; the walls decorated with 

 big fishes, records of contests on river, lake and ocean, while a 

 choice little library shows the catholicity of interests of the 

 members. Every week the members meet and listen to an ad- 

 dress from some member on his fishing experiences ; then foUows 



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