252 COARSE FISH. 



to stem in a punt or boat when there is any push of 

 water. There is a great eddy here, easily fished from 

 the bank. The Abbey River runs out of the Hook ; 

 the fishing is private, part of the water being fished by 

 the members of the Chertsey Town Angling Association, 

 the view in the meadows being intensely beautiful. 

 There is good fly-water in many parts of the Hook, and 

 a splendid barbel-swim is to be found at the camp- 

 sheathing at the lower end of the overflow. The lower 

 end of the Hook has the swiftest stream of all the Lower 

 Thames, and the very greatest care should be taken 

 when descending the river, for the stream simply boils 

 over the shallows, which are studded in places with 

 stones. Boats coming down are frequently stranded so 

 hard in mid-stream that much difficulty is experienced in 

 getting them afloat again. There are plenty of good 

 dace-swims in this part of the river, particularly when the 

 boats are absent ; and many a large Thames trout has 

 been secured by those who know the water. There is a 

 deep hole where the lock-cut joins the river and another 

 below the lock on the towing-path side.^ All the water 

 from Penton Hook to Laleham affords good winter 

 fishing, and the Harrises generally find sport for their 

 customers. There is a good shallow for dace-fishing 

 with the fly at Laleham, just by the ferry. The rush- 

 beds, below the ferry, afford good shelter to jack and 

 perch, all the way to Chertsey Lock. The water here is 

 good for chubbing in mid-stream during the autumn. 

 Chertsey Weir should be approached with great care, as 

 there is a tremendous suck of water at the upper end. A 

 fatal accident occurred in 1895, a punt being sucked 

 over by the stream and smashed to pieces. The 

 remnants, lying on the lock bank formed a striking 

 object lesson of the power of the water, and doubtless 

 taught many rash boating parties to be a little more 

 _, careful. Chertsey Weir is good for all sorts of 



Weir ^^^ > gi^sen weed kills roach in the early season, 

 and the boys wade along the shallow part of the 

 fall and fish in the rough water, hooking the weed off the 

 stones. I can recommend Lotan Hackett as a very 

 good fisherman ; I had also many a trout-bait from old 

 Purss, who is now dead. There is a nice swim for roach 

 There is no weir at Penton Hook. 



