82 
SUPPLEMENT TO THE EISHINO GAZETTE 
[Eebruary i, 1893 
tant meetings will be held in Manchester on the 8th, 
both at the Crown Hotel. At 6.30 the Board of the 
Worsley Canal Fishery will meet, and at 8 o’clock the 
Manchester Centre of the Northern Anglers’ Associa¬ 
tion; an urgent whip has been issued. 
FROM NORFOLK. 
To the Editor of the Fishing Gazette. 
I am very pleased to be able to report that during the 
past week anglers have again had a chance to be out 
after the pike, and that prospects of sport are better 
now than they have been for several weeks. The rivers 
are getting very fair in colour, and some of the broads 
are beginning to be something like fishable after the 
frost. Not very much has been done yet in the open 
waters, although a few pike have been taken here and 
there on Tare, Bure, and Waveney. 
In private waters some good bags have been made. 
On Friday one gentleman had seven nice pike, from 61b. 
to 91b. each. On Monday two anglers had six pike, 
largest 81b ; and yesterday one gentleman took a dozen 
fish, five of which averaged 101b. each. This will do for 
a start. I trust that some good fish may soon be 
accounted for. 
Some good bream are now being taken on the widen¬ 
ing of the Tare near Whitlingham, known locally as 
Thorpe Broad. My man, out livebait catching, got 
a oast net full of great 41b. and 51b. fish on Monday. 
The Norwich Angling Club had a very pleasant 
gathering on Tuesday evening, when several gentlemen 
gave interesting recitals of catches of byegone days. The 
most remarkable catch commented upon being that of 
Messrs. C. Daniels and F. Knight in July, 1875, when these 
two gentlemen took, on Wroxham Broad in one day, 16st. 
(of l41b.) of big bream. Mr. C. Daniels gave a very 
graphic account of the day’s sport, which must have 
been a “ record.”— A. J. Rudd. 
FROM NOTTINGHAM. 
To the Editor of the Fishing Gazette. 
Coarse fish anglers have, during the past few days, 
been extremely busy on the various reaches of the 
Trent in our district. The river has been up and down 
in height almost daily, and on Wednesday, when my 
notes were written, the colour was of a peculiar tinge— 
too dark almost for anything. The weather, too, was 
none too promising, and at this period of the year all 
kinds of coarse fish require some catching. In a matter 
of baits there is nothing to equal the Cockspur worm. 
At Weston, on Jan. 25, Messrs. Sylvester (Lenton) 
and Smith (Derby) were busy amongst the pike, with 
the livebait, in the backwater below the cliff. They 
killed—the former six splendid fish, weighing 41jlb., 
and the latter two, weighing 101b. and 4ilb. respectively. 
()n the following day Mr. Sylvester was out a second 
time, being accompanied by Mr. S. Pogson, of the Not- 
t.ngham Bowling Green Society, but scarcely had the 
two begun operations than down came the rain in tor¬ 
rents. They, however, succeeded in securing three fish; 
two of 151b. falling to the rod of Mr. Sylvester, and one 
of about 5ilb. to that of Mr. Pogson. Several of the 
subscribers to the fishery have been out coarse fishing, 
and in one case the angler bagged two large bream of 
71b. and sundry big roach. Since the 26th ult. the 
river has not been in condition for either pike or chub 
fishing. 
In the Clifton length W. J. Boyd caught, in one outing 
last week, three bream of 12Rb., and on the following 
day he killed 201b. of mixed fish, one of which (a roach) 
turned the beam at l^lb. It is really surprising how 
many beautiful roach have been taken in the Clifton and 
Wilford sections of the ’Prent since last November. On 
Monday Mr. Boyd bagged 101b. of roach in the field be¬ 
low Wilford Bridge, and on Tuesday Mr. T. Castles had 
a fairly good bag. Mr. J. Taylor has also scored amongst 
chub, dace, and roach. 
Large quantities of miserably small pike have been 
caught on the north bank of the river below Clifton 
Pitts. The river at this point is not preserved, and the 
people simply do as they like. 
A few coarse fish have been met with at Barton, Trent 
Lock, and Holme Pierrepont, and on Tuesday abundant 
sport amongst bleak was obtained in the field below 
Whitly’a boating station at Trent Bridge. 
At the juncture of Melbourne brook with the Trent, 
Messrs, 'fheaker and Wilson, Nottingham, bagged on 
Dlonday a choice assortment of roach, dace, chub, and 
small bream. 
Mr. David Slater, lessee of the Rolleston and Averham 
lengths of the Trent, has kindly extended the pike fish¬ 
ing season on his waters to his subscribers to the 15th 
inst. Pike will soon begin to seek the upper parts of 
the backwaters for the purpose of “pairing” before 
spawning. _ 
FROM SHEFFIELD. 
To the Editor of the Fishing Gazette. 
The vagaries of this wonderful climate of ours are 
truly remarkable. A long spell of wintry frosty weather 
has been succeeded by atmospheric conditions that 
would be much more in keeping with the month of May 
than the commencement of February. Although this 
may not be seasonable so far as agriculture is concerned, 
and although it is by no means the very best weather 
when pike fishing can be followed with any great degree 
of success, it yet has its welcome features. The change 
has enabled many who would not brave the trying wind 
and cutting air of a month ago, to take out their rods 
and betake themselves to the river side. The onl 
drawback has been that sport was not so good as might 
have been expected. True, the Trent, the Witham, and 
the Fossdyke, have yielded a few good catches, but 
they have only been the exceptional cases requisite to 
demonstrate the rule that sport, so far as coarse fishing 
is concerned, is at low water mark in this district. The 
fish that have bit the most freely of late are roach. 
This has been noted in all the waters where Sheffielders 
have resorted to during the last month. All the catches 
recently made consisted principally of roach, twelve 
pound of which were caught on the 29th ult., in the 
Fossdyke at Saxilby, by James Ward, of this town. 
The Sheffield Anglers’ Association, ever anxious to 
find new waters for its many members, has of late been 
negotiating with a view to securing the fishing rights of 
a stretch of the River Idle, beyond Retford, fully five 
miles long. If this can only be arranged it will prove of 
immense benefit to local anglers. I understand that the 
length in question is one of the best reaches of the Idle 
—a notoriously good stream—and that it contains a 
couple of holes that literally swarm with fish. There 
will be very little difficulty in obtaining the fishing 
rights, if the terms of the owner—a farmer—are agreed 
to without any friction. Personally, I think the terms 
are remarkably favourable to the association. The 
owner offers the fishing, and promises to act as keeper, 
on condition that he be allowed to sjt eel-traps. For 
such a concession this is no great stipulation, and I 
have little fear that at the next meeting any objection 
will be raised. 
On this subject of additional waters, I would like to 
commend to the association an idea, which originated, 
I think, with one of the London dailies. It is that 
efforts should be made to secure permission to fish for 
pike in the noted ponds at Welbeck and Clumber, the 
residences of the Dnkes of Portland and Newcastle. It 
has rightly been said that pike fishing is to many a 
thousand anglers, what salmon fishing is to a privileged 
few. It is the most exciting and exhilarating branch 
of coarse fishing the angler may indulge in, and, with 
the improved appliances of to-day, is second only in 
interest and results to salmon fishing on the Scotch 
lochs. The ponds at Welbeck and Clumber abound 
in these gamesome fish, which are but rarely angled for, 
the noble owners only occasionally trying their hands 
with a pike rod. Sheffield is only fifteen or sixteen 
miles from either of these places, access is easy, and, 
were the privilege granted, it would be one of the 
greatest boons ever conferred upon Sheffield anglers. I 
am certain of one thing—the concession would never be 
abused. In the interests of sport, I commend the idea to 
the Anglers’ Association. 
FROM SHROPSHIRE. 
To the Editor of the Fishing Gazstte. 
A visit to the hatchery of the Shrewsbury Severn 
Angling Society, which now contains some 30,000 ova in 
course of incubation, will at this time prove highly 
interesting and instructive, for, during the next week of 
two, the process of hatching may be more readily ob¬ 
served. The eggs are in that condition known as “ eyed 
ova,” and, under a powerful microscope, the circulation 
of the blood of the young fish may be seen, and its 
delicate and beautiful organisation plainly shown. A few 
of the eggs from the hatchery were exhibited at the 
recent conversazione of the Caradoc Field Club, and 
examined with the greatest interest by the many 
scientists who attended. 
A considerable amount of routine business was satis¬ 
factorily carried out by the Severn Conservators at their 
meeting, but we look in vain for any practical steps 
being taken to improve the impoverished state of the 
angling of the upper waters. True it is, that it was 
suggested to increase the rod and line trout licence fee, 
but equally true is it, that no definite scheme for ex¬ 
pending the additional capital thus to be derived from 
the pockets of Shropshire and Montgomeryshire anglers 
was laid before the board, the matter ultimately being 
adjourned. There were some very interesting (though, 
to anglers, very unsatisfactory) statistics presented to 
the board in the annual report of the chairman. The 
figures showed that while salmon licence fees were well 
on the increase, the revenue from trout licences had 
decreased, for the first time since they were enforced in 
1871. In 1890 salmon licences, nearly wholly for netting, 
produced .£569 16s., while the anglers for the privilege 
of enjoying some indifferent fishing, subscribed .£563 4s. 
—an almost equal amount. Compare then the benefits 
derived by each interest, and we see at once the immense 
advantages of the notters compared with those of the 
anglers. This year the salmon licences produce 
.£638 4s, 6d., and trout licences £o38 12s. 6i., or ^£100 
less from the latter, a fact which is undoubtedly to be 
traced to the poor state of the fishing of the Upper 
Severn, from whence the revenue from trout licences is 
almost solely derived. Salmon netters have as far as 
we can see no cause for complaint, for this year they 
captured in return for the licence fees of .£638 4s. 6d., 
no less than 25,000 fish, to the total value of £16,250. 
The conclusion to be arrived at is, that the salmon 
netting industry is in a sufficiently satisfactory con¬ 
dition to be left to itself for at least a time, and the 
requirements of dissatisfied anglers attended to. For 
the sake of the revenue that may be obtained by the 
board from rod and line licences if the angling of Shrop¬ 
shire and Montgomeryshire is bettered by protection 
and re-stocking, the board alone should become more 
fnlly alive to its interests. 
The report of the board comments upon the County 
Council of Shropshire having taken up the question of 
pollution, and we certainly see cause for satisfaction in 
this, though fuUy appreciating the fact that the work 
of ridding the Severn from the many sources of pollution 
that now exist, will be one of much difficulty and time. 
FROM YORK AND DISTRICT. 
To the Editor of the Fishing Gazette. 
I am glad to see that the committee of the newly- 
formed York and District Amalgamated Association of 
Anglers, to use a metaphorical phrase, “ means 
business.” The question of the improvement of the 
Foss as a fishing river has long been a hard nut to crack, 
and personally, I have my doubts as to whether it will 
yet be cracked in the manner aimed at by the Associa¬ 
tion. I, how'ever, do not intend in any way to disparage 
tdeir gallant efforts, and I sincerely hope they may 
succeed. But it is my opinion that their objects and 
aims are somewhat lightly considered by the York 
Corporation. To hear a gentleman remark that he 
would like to see the Foss utilised as a fishing 
river, as it would afford pastime for the “ boys,” is an 
expression scarcely tended to make one believe that the 
matter is being treated seriously. Yet that is the pur¬ 
port of what I heard a “ city father ” say when the Foss 
Navigation Committee reported to the city council on 
Wednesday, that they had under consideration an 
application from the York and District Amalgamated 
Association of Anglers, that the corporation transfer to 
the association their rights to control the fishing in the 
River Foss. The object of the association, it was further 
stated, is to prevent the taking of fish out of the river 
other than by fair and legitimate angling, and if the 
control of the fishing in the Foss was transferred to 
them, they would issue tickets, free of charge, to York 
ratepayers. 
Mr. Councillor L. Foster, in alluding to the subject, said 
that the Navigation Committee had been waited upon by 
a deputation, consisting of Capt. W. H. Key and other 
gentlemen interested in angling, and the subject was 
thoroughly discussed. Eventually the matter was 
adjourned, in order that the committee might be fur¬ 
nished with further particulars. Negotiations were now 
going on, and the matter would be brought before the 
council at a subsequent meeting. The committee, how¬ 
ever, were very reluctant about parting with their 
rights. Mr. Aid. Rymer and Mr. J. S. Gray favourably 
remai'ked upon the application, but Mr. Aid. Coning 
held the same opinion with regard to angling as Dr. 
Johnson. After references by other members, chiefly 
humorous, the matter dropped with the adoption of the 
committee’s report. 
The report of Mr. J. H. Phillips, with reference to 
salmon fishing within the jurisdiction of the Yorkshire 
Fishery Board, has indeed proved a doleful one. The 
cause, however, is not far to seek, and the River Aire 
is accredited with being largely responsible for the cap¬ 
ture of only 800 miserable fish by thirty-two nets. If 
this state of things continues much longer salmon will 
be practically extirpated from the Ouse. Happily, how¬ 
ever, preventive measures, with satisfactory results, 
are now on foot. As regards trout the report presented 
a bright account, anglers having had very satisfactory 
catches throughout the season. 
On Wednesday evening the Fulford Friendly Angling 
Society held their annual dinner, the function passing 
off with much eclat. _ 
FROM IRELAND- 
To the Editor of the Fishing Gazette. 
KERRY.—The weather has been very mild for the 
season throughout the county, and salmon have ascended 
the earlier rivers in average numbers. 
Good prospects are entertained of the spring angling 
at Waterviile and Killarney, and if the weather con¬ 
tinues fair these prospects are likely to be fully realised. 
Anglers, however, should not be too sanguine, as often, 
even under the most favourable circumstances, the 
spring angling here turns out unsatisfactory or dis¬ 
appointing. In fact, in some spring seasons, when 
salmon were known to be numerous, the angling records 
were below the average ; while in other similar seasons, 
when salmon were reported comparatively scarce, the 
returns of the numbers captured were either beyond the 
average or well up to it. So much for the uncertainties 
of spring angling in Kerry. 
Cases of poaching are still cropping up from week to 
week, and, where convictions take place, I am glad to 
say that heavy fines have been inflicted, which will have 
a deterrent effect upon poachers generally throughout 
the county. 
At the petty sessions held at Listowel on Saturday, 
last week, Mr. J. B. Alton, local fishery inspector, pro¬ 
secuted two men, named John Halpin and Patrick 
Sheehy, both of Kilcovamore, for illegally fishing within 
the close season. John O’Connor, river watcher on the 
Feale, deposed that he remembered Sept. 29. He saw 
Patrick Sheehy fly fishing with rod and line at Kilcova¬ 
more, and John Halpin was with Sheehy, watching. 
When Halpin saw the watcher approach, he ran to where 
Sheehy was. The watcher (O’Connor) followed, and 
demanded the rod from Sheehy, and the latter refused 
to give it up. A struggle ensued, and the rod got 
broken. Halpin had a spent salmon in his possession, 
which he cast away, and O’Connor then picked it 
up, and then hid both salmon and rod. Sheehy 
then called a brother of his, and both followed 
O’Connor. Sheehy struck the latter with a stick, 
and O’Connor then ran for the police, and when 
he came back to where he had hidden the salmon 
it was not there. There was no defence, and Sheehy 
was fined £2 for fishing within the close season, and £2 
for assaulting the watcher. Halpin was fined £1 and 
costs- The defendants were also ordered to pay the 
costa of the attorney appearing for the prosecution (Mr. 
Creagh). 
The sea fishing has been very good since last notes. 
