IN THE MIDLANDS. 1 1 1 



romantic Ashbourn, Cotton's fishing house, and the steeple 

 shaped rock in Pike Pool — could we not sketch each from 

 memory, so familiar are we with the written and pictorial 

 descriptions of them ? Of the modern angling I will say 

 no further than that the bungler will not deprive Dove, 

 Derwent, or Wye of its wary denizens. It is difficult to 

 rise them at any time, and, that accomplished, the battle has 

 to be won with the tiniest hook and finest of gut lines. 



Once these waters were free, but there is little left now 

 unpreserved. Some portions, however, may be reached 

 through the consent of local fishing clubs, and at Rowsley 

 and Bakewell, where both Derwent and Wye are within 

 short distances, the hotel landlords are allowed by the Duke 

 of Devonshire to grant tickets to customers. There are 

 plenty of flymakers in all the Derbyshire fishing villages, 

 and it is impossible to improve upon the neat little hackles 

 which they provide according to the sky, water, and season. 



Practical Notes upon Bream, Barbel, axd Chub 

 Fishing. 



In the preceding chapters I have pointed out the fishing 

 which may be had in April, May, and June, and the present 

 notes are intended to apply to July, and to the coarse fish, 

 which, often taken in June, are more generally looked for 

 in their heyday — namely, July and August. 



Bream are sometimes taken in the Thames and Lea, but 

 they prefer stiller waters, and there is no better bream river 

 in the country than the Ouse. The wholesale nature of the 

 sport when it does come often tempts anglers in the cool 

 mfimings and evenings of our hottest month to forget or 



