108 THE THAMES. 



Considering that aU its best fishing points are accessible to 

 an immense popidation, many of whom are afflicted with a mania 

 for angling, it is quite wonderful that there is a single fish of 

 any description left in it ; and yet there are several bands of 

 honest anglers who can fill occasional big baskets. I may be 

 allowed just to run over a few Thames localities, and note what 

 fish may be taken from them. Above Teddington at difierent 

 places an occasional trout may be pulled out, but, although the 

 finest trout in the world may be got in the Thames, they are, 

 unfortunately, so scarce in the meantime, that it is hardly worth 

 while to lose one's time in the all but vain endeavour to lure 

 them from their home. Pike fishing or trolling wUl reward the 

 Thames angler better than trouting. There are famous pike to 

 be taken every here and there — in the deep pools and at the 

 weirs : and, as the pike is voracious, a moderately good angler, 

 with proper bait, is likely to have some sport with this fish. 

 But the specialty of the Thames, so far at least as most anglers 

 are concerned, is the quantity of fish of the carp kind which it 

 contains, as also perch. This latter fish may be taken with 

 great certainty about Maidenhead, Oookham, Pangboume, Wal- 

 ton, Labham, and Wallingford Eoad ; and a kindred fish, the 

 pope, in great plenty, may be sought for in the same localities. 

 Then the bearded barbel is found in greater plenty in the Thames 

 than anywhere else, and, as it is a fish of some size and of much 

 courage, it afibrds great sport to the angler. The best way to 

 take the barbel is with the " Ledger," and the best places for 

 this kind of fishing are the deeps at Kingston Bridge, Sunbury 

 Lock, Halliford, Chertsey Weir, and in the deeps at Bray, where 

 many a time and oft haYe good hauls of barbel been taken. 

 The best times for the capture of this fish are late in the after- 

 noon or very early in the morning. Ohub are also plentiful in 

 the Thames ; and Mr. Arthur Smith, who wrote a, guide to 

 Thames anglers, specially recommended the island above Goring 

 for chub, also Marlow and the large island below Henley Bridge. 

 This fish can be taken with the fly, and gives tolerable sport. 

 The roach is a fish that abounds, in all parts of the Thames, 

 especially between Windsor and Eichmond ; and in the proper 

 season — September and October — it wUl be found in Teddington 

 Weir, Sunbury, Blackwater, Walton Bridge, Shepperton Lock, 

 the Stank Pitch at Chertsey, and near Maidenhead, Marlow, 

 and Henley Bridges. At Teddington I may state that the dace 

 is abundant, and there is plenty of little fish of various kinds 



