Pebrtjart 11, 1893] 
THE PISHING GAZETTE 
93 
ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 
W. H. H.: We advise you to enquire of Mr. 
Clark, Post Office, Matlock Bath. 
CormponlientE 
1 We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions 
expressed by our Correspondents.] 
“ One of the charms of angling is that it presents an 
endless field for argument, speculation, and experi¬ 
ment.’’—T. E. Pritt. 
THAMES RIVER KEEPERS’ DINNER. 
Sill,—I hope that none of those interested in the 
Thames fishery will refuse to send meat least half- 
a-crown towards giving agoodentertainmentto all 
the river-keepers and those fishermen and others 
who have assisted during last year in protecting 
the river from illegal offences, and in times past 
helping to free the river from poachers—the only 
evils of late, in a very limited way, have been the 
taking of unsizeable fish. 
I have at present, from personal application, to 
acknowledge the receipt of contributions from Sir 
David Evans, Hon. Sir Ford North, Deputy 
liaise. Dr. Coates, Central Association, Messrs. 
F. Hiscock, F. H. Lemann, J. W. Grant, M. Daven¬ 
port, C.C., W. ]\I. Johnson, H. L. Foster, H. W. 
Davis, H. T. Tatham, H. Calcutt, J. Thornton, 
George Evans, Curtiss and Harvey, W. G. 
Barnes, G. Bishop, Isleworth Brewery, W. A. 
Mitcheson,Esq., J.P., Jason Gurney and Co., Alfred 
Nuthall, J.P., E. Foreman, John Mayo, Henry 
Ellis, C. F. Wilson, W. L Thomas, Arthur Price, 
R. E. Booker, and Alfred Woodroof. 
I trust the response this year will be more 
general and liberal, so that I can supplement the 
dinner with gifts for the men to take home to 
their wives and families. W. H. Buouriiam. 
Pownall-gardens, Hounslow. 
P.S.—The dinner will take place early in March, 
at the Castle Hotel, East Moulsey, to which 
visitors are invited on payment of the dinner 
ticket at 5s., if early intimation is given. 
THE PROPOSED NEW THAMES BYE¬ 
LAWS. 
Sir, —Thecalamity to London anglers of having 
two associations was exemplified on Friday 
morning last, when the delegation of the Anglers’ 
Association had a pleasant and satisfactory 
interview with the Thames Conservancy Board. 
The Conservancy seemed to wish to grant all the 
requirements of anglers, hut in the matter of 
fence months and raising the sizes of fish, 
different views had been expressed by the two 
associations. No doubt a full report of this 
matter will be received by you from other 
quarters. _ A. J. Marriott. 
A GRAYLING TAKEN AT PANGBOURNE. 
Sir, —On the 29th ult. our member, Mr. Sar- 
geant, whilst roach fishing at Pangbourne, took a 
grajling of IS-^-oz. He hooked the fish twice 
before finally landing it.—Yours respectfully, 
J. James Frei, Sec. 
South London Angling Society, George and 
Dragon, 23-5, Camberwell-road. 
PIKM AND SEA FISHING NEAR KINGS¬ 
TOWN, IRELAND. 
Dear Sir, —I have noticed many anglers have 
written to you regarding pike fishing in Ireland. 
AYould one of them kindly inform me if there is 
any good pike fishing in the neighbourhood of 
Kingstown ? Also the quality and best localities 
near and at Kingstown for sea fishing. AVill you 
kindly insert this, and oblige your truly, 
H. F. Hatton. 
ANGLERS AND LICENSING 
LEGISLATION. 
Sir, —Some time ago I joined the society with 
the long name, hoping to get an opportunity of 
addressing angling clubs and societies on the 
above question, and the effects of local option on 
anglers, angling societies, cyclists, Ac. If any 
club would like to hear my views on this vitally 
important subject, please communicate with Mr. 
Tibbats, 70, Houndsditch (The Citizen), or to my 
address, 218, Great Portland-street, W.—Yours 
truly, A. J. Marriott. 
NOTE TO THE FISHmO GAZETTE FROM 
PHCENIXVILLE, CHESTER CO , U.S.A. 
Sir, —I read your paper with much pleasure 
although I am not a fly fisherman. I was brought 
up in AYarwickshire until 21 years of age, on 
course fish—pike, perch, roach, tench, and the 
like—at the time when a bean-pole had to do 
the work of a rod, the Coventry and the Oxford 
canals and surrounding ponds, my water. As a 
youth I suffered castigation for persisting to fish 
in forbidden water, and have been known to give 
part of my catch to the kind neighbour who 
cooked the balance for my own eating. 
That must be forty years ago. Since then I 
have been in India several years, America tweiity- 
six years, and lam still fishing whenever the time 
and season permits. 
Hereabouts, where brook trout w'ere formerly 
in plenty there are none found, and a journey of 
100 or 200 miles must be undertaken to obtain 
them, or, at least the assurance that jou will not 
return with empty creel. The Schuylkill River is 
here, and with its tributaries, between Reading 
and Philadelphia, contain a good supply of black 
bass, the only fish that have any pretension to 
game qualities, the delight of the true sportsman. 
These are taken occasionally up to 61b. in weight, 
while many are lost from inexperienced handling. 
Their habitat is, as you doubtless know, the most 
rocky bottom at the breast of the dams, the 
Schuylkill River having a series of dams built to 
form a part of the Schujlkill Canal Navigation 
from the level regions to tide water. Its source 
is in the anthracite coal fields, where they wash 
the smaller sizes of coal and run the water and 
the tailings into the streams. From this cause 
the river is at times much contaminated, and 
especially in heavy rains, at its source. 
AVilhin the last few years this stream has been 
stocked with carp, both species, that are now in 
plenty, of considerable size. Angling for them 
especially is not in fashion or understood at 
present. Some have been taken on worm while 
bass fishing, and during the fall, when the water 
was low, they were caught at night feeding on 
the shallows “ jigging,” that is our name for 
spearing fish. This method is much used through¬ 
out the country districts, by farmers and others, 
to obtain a supply of fish, principally eel, and 
often a deal of sport is obtained in jigging for 
eel, catfish, and suckers in this way. 
Some of the largest carp caught nieht fishing 
with the spear have reached 201b., and I am satis¬ 
fied there are plenty of them to be found in the 
Schuylkill River, in the slackwater reaches, be¬ 
tween the dams. AVhen it is better understood 
where to find them, and how to angle for them, 
more will be caught with hook and line. 
I bring this rambling letter to a close by telling 
you of our “ old fashioned ” winter, so called 
because for many years our winters have been 
mild; for two jears my sleigh had not been on 
runners, there being not enough snow to make it 
worth while taking it out of summer quarters :— 
Jan. 4th, 6 a.m., therm. 14°; 6th, 20°; 7th, 17°; 
9ih, 4°; 10th, 20°; 11th, 4°; 13th, 4°; 14th, .5°; 
15tb, 15°; 16th, 5° below zero; 17Dh, 8° below 
zero ; 18th, 17° below zero ; 19th, 11° above. 
There is now signs of a higher temperatiire, 
although our signal service this a m. promises 
snow and a continuation of the low temperature. 
In my twenty-six years’ experience I have never 
known such cold weather.—I am, yours truly, 
John H. Harden. 
[The carp Mr. Harden refers to were introduced 
from Germany, and have taken to the new world 
like their countrymen do.— Ed. F. G.] 
STOCKING IRISH WATERS AYITH PERCH. 
Dear Sir, —It may interest you to learn that 
on the last two Saturdays we have put a total 
of over 6400 perch into the Lagan near Bel¬ 
fast. All these fish were brought in churns 
as Mr. Andrews recommended, and any deaths (as 
far as I could see not over a dozen altogether) 
were due to rough handling in extracting the fisb 
from the meshes of the net. The only trouble is 
caused by the emptying and refilling of the churns, 
until the fish are quite clean, when they cease to 
come to the top. The last lot were in the churns 
(about 900 to each churn) nearly five hours waiting 
for the train by which we had arranged to travel. 
—A'ours faithfully, F. J. Kennedy. 
Belfast Anglers’ Asssociation, 
4, Clai’ence Place, Belfast. 
ROACH TAKEN AYITH HOLLY BERRIES. 
Dear Mr. Editor, —Being a constant reader of 
your valuable paper 1 thought this might be of 
interest to you and the many that weekly read 
your paper, so shall feel obliged if you will 
publish ill your next week’s issue:—■ 
Roach Fishing Extraordinary. —On the I8c.h 
ult. myself and friend were roaching in a well- 
known Norfolk stream. AYliilst walking up the 
river, we passed a holly tree, and the idea struck 
my friend that the berries would make good bait, 
so we picked a few. Result, several good roach, 
each over lib. in weight. Should like to know 
if anyone has ever been successful with the same 
bait. 
Result of about four hours’ fishing, 7olb. roach, 
largest, IJlb., smallest, 8oz., and several up to 
l|lb. in weight. Baits used : worms, gentles, and 
berries.—Yours truly, Leuctsitjs Rutilus. 
East Dereham, Norfolk. 
SALMON IN LOUGH ENNELL, LOUGH 
SHEELAN, &c. 
Dear Sir, —I have waited with some curiosity 
for an answer from your correspondent, “ L. S. 
G.,” as to his catching a salmon in Lough Ennell. 
I see he makes his boatmen say that this fish 
must have been in the sea, ten miles away, the 
day before. I think if L. S. G.” had looked at 
the map, he would have seen that this was im¬ 
possible. A salmon, to get into Lough Ennell, 
which is near Mullingar, must first come up the 
Shannon, from Limerick to Killaloe, then up 
Lough Derg, twenty-four miles long, then through 
the Upper Shannon to the Inny, then up tie 
Brosna, getting over all the obstacles (see Mr. 
Thomas’s letter), and so into Lough Ennell. If 
any fish did accomplish this feat, to be imme¬ 
diately caught by “ L. S. G.” on arrival, all I can 
say is, he was an unlucky beast. 
Another writer, “ Innishowen,” gives a glowing- 
account of Lough Sheelan, and it was once a very 
good lake, but the fishing has greatly fallen off— 
partly, 1 believe, from the lowering of the water, 
by the drainage of the Inny, and partly from 
poaching. 
I know that a club that used to frequent this 
lake have given it up. As to these “ pike of 
upwards of 401b.,” you will hear anecdotes about 
them on many lakes, but seeing them is another 
matter.—Yours truly, ' T. Rothwell. 
Rockfield Kells, Ireland. 
FORRES ANGLING ASSOCIATION. 
Sir, —The above association have again leased 
from Messrs. Hogarth, Aberdeen, the waters on 
the River Findhorn, extending from the Red 
Craig to the sea, a distance of five miles. The 
water is accessible from both sides of the river 
all the w-ay down, and there are a number of 
excellent pools in the stretch. The association 
deserves to be encouraged for its enterprise, and 
we trust local anglers and those from a distance 
will support the association in their laudable 
desires to provide fishing-grounds for them. In 
past years the support has not been what it 
should be, and now that a new season is lieing 
entered upon wo trust that the membership of 
the association, which is within the reach of all, 
will largely increase. Tickets may be had for a 
day, a week, a month, or for the season, and as 
the price is as reasonable as could be expected 
owing to the large sum paid for the waters, 
anglers should have no obstacle in joining the 
association. The tickets may be had from Messrs. 
Stewart and Son, fishing-tackle dealers. High- 
street, Forres, and any information will be cheer¬ 
fully supplied by them. In Mr. AY. Taylor, 
Woollen Mills, and Mr. AY. AYhighe, Mosset-place, 
the association have .an enthusiastic secretary 
and treasurer, and in their able hands the affairs 
of the association are safe. There is excellent 
salmon and trout-fishing to be had, and during 
the past few seasons several very fine fish were 
hooked, particulars of which appeared in our 
notes of last season’s fishing. _ The great advan¬ 
tage of having access to the river on either side 
for such a distance should form a strong induce¬ 
ment for visitors, as there ai-e few rivers whei-e 
the access to the water is so easy and where there 
are often other difficulties to contend with. The 
season opens on Saturday (to-day), and -we hope 
to record many good baskets during that time. 
H. F. 
