March 18, 1893] 
THE PISHING GAZETTE 
191 
public this act of generosity, and I hope Mr. 
Woodhall will pardon me bringing his light out 
from under the bushel. 
During the evening I made what was to me an 
astonishing discovery. It was that the leading 
men among the ‘London anglers had expressed 
approval of the new bye-laws, on the strength of 
statements made them by the conservators, or 
some official, that this iniquitous bye-law, which 
has now been thoroughly exposed, .was made in 
the interests of anglers, and was more favourable 
to the public than the one which had been with¬ 
drawn. Owing to what I can only call a piece of 
good luck, Mr, Gough, the secretary to the con¬ 
servators, made similar statements to the chair¬ 
man a few hours before the meeting, and the 
opinion of counsel of standing and eminence was 
at once taken. It was delightful the way in which 
he, with sound legal knowledge and common 
sense, swept away the cobwebs which persons 
interested had striven to weave over this bye-law. 
“ It practically gives the owners of fisheries power 
to do anything they like. Have your meeting 
and fight them.” It is not often one gets as 
definite and clear opinion as that from a lawyer. 
“ We know now who are our friends,” said Mr. 
Close in the course of some practical remarks 
made by him at the meeting. Yes, friendship 
is only to be gauged by performances and not 
by fair words and promises. It is always pleasant 
to find courtesy in officials and boards; it is 
flattering to be received in a friendly and 
sympathetic manner. But does not the great 
injustice which we are working to prevent out¬ 
weigh these things ? Mr. Wade of the Central 
Association came to the meeting, so he told me, 
fresh from a conference with the secretary and 
solicitor of the conservators, who had told him 
that the bye-law was all right, and gave him legal 
reasons for their views. Could he be blamed for 
believing and hoping that the bye-law was just 
what we wished? Of course he could not, but 
I venture to think that both he and others will 
not be quite so ready in the future to accept 
statements emanating from the conservators or 
their officials, however plausible and however 
ingenious they may be. I cannot help thinking 
that the corporation conservators have been told, 
as was Mr. Wade, that the bye-law was all right 
and in accord with the wishes of the anglers. 
How otherwise are we to understand men, who 
have always shown true sympathy with anglers 
by action as well as by words, allowing such a 
thing to pass. 
Here is a suggestion for the consideration of 
the honourable Board of Conservators. Instead 
of managing the affairs of the Upper Thames by 
a sub-committee consisting of five gentlemen 
whose interests are mostly opposed to those of 
the public, with one or two London members 
thrown in, form a committee of riparian repre¬ 
sentatives and London members in equal parts, 
and make it a rule that when the voting is equal 
the matter shall be decided by the whole of the 
board. In that way the people of London would 
have some chance of being properly looked after 
by the board. The cheers which greeted Mr. 
R. B. Marston’s remark at the meeting, relative 
to the London County Council being represented 
on the board, were significant. 
That is a piece of gratuitous advice to the 
conservators. To the London anglers I venture 
to say, whenever you are asked to approve of a 
fishery bye-law, take the precaution of investing 
13s. 4d. in lawyer’s advice. Any association or 
club could afford it, and, considering the impor¬ 
tance of having these bye-laws properly drafted, 
the precaution is a necessary one. Don’t take 
the advice of the fox as to the construction of 
your fowl-house, but go to a disinterested 
architect. Templar. 
On Monday a large fresh-water trout was 
caught in the Coquet, at the Scots Ford, near 
Rothbury, by Robert Brown. The fish was in 
excellent condition, weighed 41b. loz., and 
measured 22in. in length. A dark blue wing 
with dark hackle was the fly which it took. 
Comspontrencc 
[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. Peitt. 
RIVER-KEEPERS’ DINNER. 
Sir, —Kindly allow me to acknowledge the 
receipt of contributions from the following as the 
final list for publication: Anglers’ Association, 
Gresham Angling Society, Anglers’ Pride, Second 
Surrey, Sundial, Independent Brothers, Rich¬ 
mond Piscatorial, Brompton, Junior Piscatorials, 
Clapham Junction, Globe, Battersea Friendly, 
Burton Piscatorials, Messrs. E. Clarke and Sons, 
J. Richardson, Tom Keeble, Canard, T. Rolls, 
M. H. Blarney, T. R. Sachs, Dr. Brunton, James 
Clapp, Kennell, and H. B. Eyre.—Yours truly, 
W. H. Brougham, Sec. 
March 15, 1893 (my 75th birthday). 
THE MALVERN ASSOCIATION OP 
ANGLERS. 
Dear Sir, —In the report of the annual dinner 
of this association, published in the Fishing 
Gazette, on the 11th inst., I notice that Mr. P. 
Thomas, in giving the toast of “ The Vice-Presi¬ 
dent ” (Mr. P. Miller), is reported to have said 
“ that it was the vice-president who first brought 
the society into existence.” This, Sir, is not 
correct. What Mr. Thomas said was “ that he 
believed Mr. Miller was present at the first 
meeting of the association, and that the great 
success which had attended the association from 
its formation was mainly due to the efforts of Mr. 
Miller, in con] unction with the hon. secretary, 
Mr. L. P. Higgs.” 
Mr. Thomas is well acquainted with the fact 
that the association was founded in 1888 by Mr. 
Higgs, the present hon. secretary, and I cannot 
understand why your correspondent should have 
so reported the toast.—Yours faithfully, 
A Member. 
THE HOOKED TERRIER. 
Dear Sir, —In your last issue a paragraph 
appeared in “ Goosequill’s ” notes anent ‘‘ a well- 
known tackle maker at Eton ” hooking a terrier. 
” Goosequill’s ” informant was evidently not 
there. The facts were briefly these. I had taken 
a salmon spinning-rod, with “ Dee ” tackle ready 
baited, down to the raft to show Mr. Jervis 
Smith, of Craigellachie, the action and casting 
from winch for salmon. On returning with rod, 
the terrier, always very playful with me, saw the 
bait dangling from my hand, which held the rod 
and tackle. He jumped and made a snap at it, 
getting hooked in the lip, but, fortunately, the 
lower triangle, which was in roof of the mouth, 
did not get well home, otherwise it would have 
been serious for the dog. One of Mr. Winter’s 
men, by holding his head and paws firm, enabled 
me to extract the hooks with as little pain as 
possible, though the music during extraction was 
terrible. Instead of coming to me now the poor 
little chap makes me the centre of a five-yard 
diameter circle.—Your obedient servant, 
B. R. Bambridge. 
TWO SALMON ON AT ONE TIME. 
Sir, —Under “ Scotch Notes,” by Mac, in the 
issue of the 11th, it is reported that a gentleman 
had one day four fish on Loch Tay, and “ two of 
them he had on at one time.” 
May I ask if it is to be understood that these 
two fish were on the same rod, and, I presume, 
on two flies ? Also, if he landed these flsh, for 
it is one thing to have fish “ on ” and another to 
land them, especially two of an average of 20ilb. 
—I am, &c., P. M. Leslie. 
P.S.—A brother angler wants to know whether 
the cast was of single gut, and, if so, where he 
can procure similar ones. 
TROUT PISHING IN BELGIUM. 
Dear Sir, —I should be much obliged if any 
of your readers would be kind enough to let me 
know whether there is any good trout fishing to 
be had in Belgium, and give me some details on 
the subject.—Y'ours faithfully, S. L. 
LOWER THAMES PRESERVATION 
SOCIETY. 
Dear Sir, —As there has not been at present 
that response to the circulars I issued that I 
should like to have seen, I have not a very flaring 
report to make this week. However, I have 
promises of a little more than £20 up to the 
present, which it is proposed to spend on turning 
fish into the river very shortly. I have had an 
interview with Mr. John Asly, who has private 
fishing and netting rights between the City Stone 
and Bell Weir, and he very kindly promised not 
to net out any trout; also said he would do what 
he could to .support the society, and gave me a 
subscription. The following are the subscriptions 
up to the present:— 
£ s. 
d. 
R. B. Marston, Esq. 
10 10 
0 
C. Walsh, Esq. 
2 2 
{) 
G. Attenborough, Esq. 
J. Hyde, Esq., Anglers’ Rest Hotel, Bell 
1 1 
0 
Weir . 
1 1 
0 
E. Blaines, Esq., Paokhorse Hotel, Staines 
1 1 
0 
John Asly, Esq. 
1 1 
0 
G. Bishop, Esq. 
1 1 
0 
C. Wheeley, Esq. 
1 1 
0 
A. P. Govett, Esq. 
1 1 
0 
Capt. Warren. 
1 0 
0 
J. Mason, Esq . 
0 10 
(! 
G. Rowles, Esq. 
0 10 
0 
W. Green, Esq. 
A. Hebbnrn, Esq., Cricketers Hotel, 
0 10 
C 
Chertsey . 
0 5 
0 
Total . 
£2i 15 
6 
I hope that all those interested in the improve¬ 
ment of the trout fishing in the Thames will give 
me their support. All communications and sub¬ 
scriptions will be duly acknowledged.—Yours 
truly, A. Burrows, Hon. Sec. 
Lower Thames Trout Preservation Society, 
Colne Cottage, Staines. 
PACIFIC COAST SALMON. 
Dear Sir, —I notice in your issue of Peb. 4, 
that Sir Rose Price deprecates placing of Pacific 
coast salmon in your waters. I can assure him 
that he need not feel the least alarm as to any 
harm being done, however great the quantity 
planted, none will return after they go to the 
sea. Nearly all the Atlantic coast rivers of the 
United States, from Maine to South Carolina, 
also many in New Brunswick, year after year 
have been stocked with all the good varieties of 
Pacific salmon fry, but there is not an authentic 
account of a single specimen having been seen 
or taken, after the migration of smolt to the 
sea. 
The late Spencer P. Baird was fully persuaded 
of the uselessness of trying to acclimate them 
on the Atlantic coast, and some years before his 
death gave up all attempts. 
Sir R. Price is entirelij mistaken as to Pacific 
salmon not taking the fly, some kinds do not, 
but on some streams, at certain seasons, several 
varieties take the fly as freely as an Atlantic 
salmon, this I can easily prove.—Y’ours respect¬ 
fully, Frank Todp.' 
Calais. 
PISHING IN WEST BRITTANY. 
De.ar Sir, —Will any of your correspondents 
kindly tell me of one or two places in Western 
Brittany where a little trouting may be had in 
late April or early May. I believe that the lower 
fishing near the coast is not open till June. Am 
I right ? The fishing in the non-navigable upper 
portions is not, I believe, subject to the same 
restrictions. Is this correct?—Yours trulv, 
G. S. D. 
PISHING AT SEATON. 
Dear Sir, —In reply to your correspondent, 
G. H. Rippin, re " Fishing at Seaton, end of 
March,” I think he will get reliable information 
by applying to Edward Newton, fisherman, 
Seaton.—YVurs faithfully, Herbert T. Howes. 
SALMON AND TROUT FISHING WANTED. 
Dear Sir, —Can you or any of your correspon¬ 
dents kindly let me know where, on the West 
Coast of Ireland, I can procure good salmon and 
trout fishing from the middle of April (sea-trout 
for choice). An answer through the Fishing 
Gazette will greatly oblige—A'ours truly, 
Beresford Baker. 
