232 NOTES ON FISH AND FISHING. 



and said .to have been had just above Teddington Look. 

 My informant said he knew the man who had it, and that 

 his friend in a few hours took a total weight of 32 lbs. 

 of perch, and further, that among the fish were " several 

 of 2£lbs. each, and three of 3| lbs. each." I was fairly- 

 astounded at the record, and though the particulars of this 

 capture were again given by my informant, and after he 

 had again verified them, I cannot help thinking there 

 must be some mistake somewhere. 



For large perch in good numbers, the Kennet, from 

 Hungerford to Beading, is the best water in England. 

 Several angling authors have put on record their sport in 

 it. One day Mr. Pennell and a friend took near Kint- 

 bury " several dozen perch, averaging more than a full 

 pound weight each, and the largest fish considerably ex- 

 ceeded 2 lbs." The best day's perch-fishing Mr. Francis 

 ever had was in the Kennet. He says, " I fished with a 

 friend, and we took home thirty-seven perch, which 

 weighed 60 lbs. ; many of them weighed 2 lbs., and some 

 were over that weight.'" He also relates that his friend 

 had three large perch on his paternoster at the same time, 

 of which he bagged two, weighing 2 lbs. and 2\ lbs re- 

 spectively, while the third fish, which was the largest of 

 the three, got away. There are many and large perch in 

 Virginia Water, and among my memoranda I find that 

 Mr. J. H. Keene, on November 8, 1876, caught fifteen 

 there, which weighed 21 lbs., and a few days before that 

 eight which averaged \\ lb. each. In February last I 

 caught several in that water over 2 lbs., using a light 

 leger line, and baiting with lob worms and brandlings. I 

 have an impression that the largest perch in this country 

 would be found in the lake at Blenheim. 



