SUPPLEMENT TO THE FISHING GAZETTE 
SATURDAY, APRIL 15, 1893. 
BRITISH SEA ANGLERS’ SOCIETY. 
(Temporary Headquarters, 66, Hayniarket, S.W.) 
President —Sir Edward Birkbeck, Bart, D.L., J._P' 
Vice-presidents —Rigrht Hon. Sir W. T. Marnott, 
O.C., M.P.. Sir Albert Rollitt, M.P., H. Foster, Esq., 
M.P., His Worship the Mayor of Deal, His Worship the 
Mayor of Dover, His Worship the Mayor of Scarborough 
His Worship the Mayor of Yarmouth, the Chairman of 
the SootchFishery Board, Col. Lane, J.P., Major Clifford 
Probyn, L.C.C., Capt. Lambton Young, W. H. Berneis, 
Esq., J. W. Blakey, Esq. {Northern Angler), C. H. Cook, 
Esq., Gerald Geogbegan, Esq., Samuel Harwood, Esq. 
(Lnnd and Water), J. Watson Lyall, Esq. (Rod and Ouii), 
R. B. Marston, Esq. {Fishing Gazette), T. R. Sachs, Esq., 
W. Senior, Esq. (Field), J.'S. Wilcocks, Esq. 
■This 60 ciet 3 ' has for its objects :—1. To give members 
increased facilities for enjoying the sport of sea fishing, 
by as far as possible providing members with boats, bait, 
charts, reliable information, reduced fares and accommo¬ 
dation, <to. 2. To form local branches with boats and 
club houses in coast towns. 3. To promote the welfare 
of the sea fisheries of the United Kingdom, by co-opera¬ 
ting in all movements having that end in view, by 
collecting and publishing the observations of sea anglers 
on the migrations, &c., of our sea fish. 
Within a month of its foundation a large number of 
gentlemen from all parts of our coasts have signified 
their intention of becoming members. 
Arrangements have already been concluded with cor¬ 
responding members at the following important stations : 
Belfast, Bexhill, Brighton, Deal, Dover, Exmouth, 
Kingsbridge, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Scarborough, 
Shoreham, Southampton, Great Yarmouth, Yarmouth 
(1. of W.), and other places. 
The committee are in communication with the leading 
railway companies on the subject of privilege tickets, 
and have every reason to believe that, as the number 
of members increases, the desired facilities will be 
granted. 
Offers of considerably reduced tariff for members of 
the society have been received from hotel proprietors in 
most of the aforementioned towns, and systematic steps 
are being taken, which, it is hoped, will lead to the 
publication at no distant date of an extensive list of 
specially-appointed hotels at which members will enjoy 
the benefit of exceptional rates. 
A list of boatmen appointed by the society at all our 
chief seaports has already been opened at headquarters, 
and is being continually added to. They will supply 
members with boats and bait at a fixed and reduced rate 
by the tide, day, or week. The list will be published in 
time for the coming season. 
The committee are already considering a most satis¬ 
factory plan by which reports, transmitted by code tele¬ 
gram, as to the state of wind and weather and general 
fishing prospects, will be available to members at head¬ 
quarters or transmitted by post on every Friday in the 
season. Information is also being collected in a register 
from newspapers and special correspondence in regard 
to the sport obtainable at the best stations in the king¬ 
dom; and it is proposed, with the further development 
of the society, to compile and publish a journal. 
It is hoped that many fresh-water anglers will take 
advantage of the society’s arrangements to enjoy a little 
sea-fishing during the coming close season. As one 
example of many, itmaybe mentioned that two members 
could stay at a certain town on the S.E. coast from 
Saturday evening to Monday morning, including board 
and a boat for the whole of Sunday, at a cost, exclus ive 
of railway fare of about 12s. each. 
While taking these preliminary steps for the con¬ 
venience of members, the committee are not losingsight 
of the wider objects in connection with the welfare of 
our fisheries. , i 
The committee would point out that every substantial 
increase in the number of members means greater chance 
of obtaining the support of the railway companies, and 
of gaining other privileges generally. 
The annual subscription is lOs. 6d., or 5s. 6d. for ladies 
and boys under 15, and for active members of angling 
clubs, and can be sent, with application for membership, 
to the hon. sec., F. G. Aflalo, 66, Haymarket, S.W., or 
5, Beverley-road, Anerley, S.E. 
WYCOMBE ANGLING AND TROUT PRESERVA¬ 
TION ASSOCIATION. 
The annual meeting of this association was held on 
Tuesday evening at the White Hart Hotel, Mr. Thurlow 
presiding. The secretary read the following report; 
“ Your committee have much pleasure in submitting 
the fourteenth annual report and balance sheet, and are 
glad to be able to congratulate the members upon the 
satisfactory financial position of the association. As 
was anticipated by the committee in their annual report 
for 1891. the fishing of last season proved to be of excel¬ 
lent order, the water being in fair condition throughout 
the season, and the fish larger than for many years past. 
The committee are glad to be able to report that 
no disasters, such as poisoning or destruction by 
mud, have happened this season. The committee 
have purchased from the Howietoun Fisheries, Stirling, 
270 two-year-old trout, and turned them into different 
parts of the river rented by the association; and 
although the expense was somewhat heavy, the 
committee felt that the state of the funds of the 
association justified them in this course. As will be 
seen from the balance-sheet, the treasurer has a bala-nce 
in hand of .£18 17s. 3d. in favour of the association, 
which the committee regard as highly satisfactory. The 
committee look forward to some excellent fishing this 
season, there being a good stock of fish and the springs 
rising well. Mr. Clarke, one of the honorary secretaries, 
has intimated his intention of resigning his position, and 
your committee have to report that Mr. R. F. Jackson, 
of Marlow, has kindly consented to fill the post.” 
The Chairman in moving the adoption of the report 
and balance sheet, said they would see from the report 
and balance sheet that the society was in a very satis¬ 
factory financial position, and he could not help bearing 
testimony to the able financial qualities of the hon. sec. 
whom they were about to lose. Considering that the 
society was somewhere about .£3(1 in debt when he took 
the reins, and that now they had a balance of over ^618, 
it showed a great amount of energy, tact, and good 
management. Mr. Clarke told them last year he desired 
to resign, but under considerable pressure he consented 
to remain in office another year on the distinct under¬ 
standing that they should appoint another secretary this 
year. He was pleased that their good friend Mr. Jack- 
son, who had a good deal of leisure and was very fond of 
fishing, had agreed to take the office. They were very 
much obliged to him, and any assistance he (the Chair¬ 
man) could give Mr. Jackson in local emergencies, he 
should be delighted to render. They had heard from the 
report that a large number of fish had been turned in, 
and he might say from an inspectiom of the water, that 
it was now well-stocked. They had made great efforts 
to obtain heavier fish, and they would have liked, 
instead of the 270 two-year-old fish, to have turned in a 
smaller proportion of tbree-year-olds; but anyone who 
had anything to do with fishing knew that it was almost 
impossible to obtain large fish such as they might turn 
in and kill the same season. Even if they paid the 
exorbitant priee demanded by fish breeders, the supply 
was limited, and it was almost impossible, unless they 
ordered a long time beforehand, to obtain a supply of 
killable fish. Next year barring accidents such as the 
mud coming down or the fish being poisoned from the 
mills, they would have a capital stock of fish all the way 
from West Wycombe to Loudwater. 
Mr. Lunnon seconded the proposition, and it was 
agreed to unanimously. 
The election of officers was the next business, and re¬ 
sulted as follows; President, Lord Carrington ; vice- 
presidents, Major Gilbey, Messrs. A. C. Faulkner, J. 
Thurlow, and G. H. Orton; Committee—Messrs. D. 
Bassett, A. F. Jackson, R. E. Booker, W. P. Horton, 
E. J. Lunnon, and Capt. Adams ; Hon. Secs, and Trea¬ 
surer—Messrs. J. Thurlow andR. F. Jackson ; Auditor— 
Mr. J. Bowden; Bailiff and fishing attendant—Mr. W. 
Child, jun. , 1 ,. 
Some discussion took place as to the duration of the 
fishing season. Mr. Jackson proposed and Mr. Faulkner 
seconded that fishing commence on April 15, and end on 
Sept. 15, and this was agreed to, though the chairman 
and Mr. Clarke were both of opinion that the date of 
commencement was too early. It was resolved that the 
standard size of killable fish should be 12in. 
Mr. Clarke reported that there were vacancies for one 
member residing outside Wycombe and four residing 
within the borough. To the former vacancy Mr. R. 
Griffin, of Court Garden, Marlow, was elected on the pro¬ 
position of Messrs. Faulkner and Jackson. 
Votes of thanks were passed to Messrs. H. S. Wheeler 
and Soper for courtesy and facilities extended to the 
Association in their reaches of the stream. 
Mr. Clarke suggested that a breeding bad should be 
secured, so that instead of having to spend a lot of 
monev in buying fish, they might rear trout to stock 
their own water, and possibly also make something out 
of what fish they might sell. He had in mind a piece 
of water that was suitable—below Bassetsbury Mill, a 
place where they turned in some fry a few years ago. 
The result of that was that they had more store fish in 
the river now than they would have done. It was a 
suitable water because its outlet was into the main 
stream, and not the back stream, which had no fishing ; 
those, therefore, that escaped would go into the fishing 
ground. He moved that the secretaries be asked to 
make enquiries as to the best piece of water that could 
be obtained for use tor breeding purposes, and the 
rent that would be payable, and ascertain also the 
probable expense of fitting up and maintaining a 
breeding ground ; that they should report to the com¬ 
mittee at their next meeting, and that the committee 
should have power to act in ttie matter as they deemed 
desirable. , j . 
This was seconded by Mr. Basset and assented to. 
A hearty vote of thanks to the retiring secretary con¬ 
cluded the meeting. 
Mr. R. C. Foster’s Otter Hounds.— On Thursday, 
the 6th inst.,Mr. R. C. Foster’s pack of otter hounds 
met at Marshbrook railway station to hunt the brooks 
which run into the River Clun. There was a good 
attendance, and the weather was beautiful. The hounds 
were put on below the station, and, in a short time, 
came on a good drag half a mile down the water. Ihe 
hounds soon made short work of him, chopping him in 
his holt. It was a bitch otter, and scaled 161b. They 
got on another drag in the same brook, but, after a 
time, went to the brook Boyne, another tributary of the 
Clun, about five miles above Craven Arms. Here a good 
drag was found, and, after a bit, the pack got on scent 
on the land, and went away across about eight or nine 
fields still on the scent, to another brook about a mile 
and a half away, and then turned back, giving tongue, 
to the same brook, where they found him at home, and 
after a good hunt for about an hour and a half he was 
killed. It turned out another bitch, and would scale 
about 161b. Both otters are thought to have been Clun 
otters, and a capital day’s sport was brought to a close. 
S^rovincial Botes 
FROM BIRMINGHAM AND DISTRICT. 
To the Editor of the Fishing Gazette. 
The monthly meeting of the committee of the Birming¬ 
ham Association was held at the head-quarters on 
Thursday evening, April 6. Mr. T. Coles presided. 
The secretary read the balance-sheet for the quarter 
ending March 31, after which the auditors gave in their 
report, which went to show that the sum of .£23 was 
carried forward to the general account of the association. 
The report was received and adopted. A letter was 
read from the Fruitful Vine Society, asking the per¬ 
mission of the committee to remove their club to a more 
suitable place of meeting. The secretary of the club, 
Mr. Rabone, who is a member of the committee, stated 
that, owing to the management of their present club¬ 
house the club had considerably decreased in its mem¬ 
bership, and at the present time was only about thirty 
strong : but if the committee allowed them to remove to 
a more suitable place of meeting the club would be 
brought back to its original strength. No opposition 
was offered by any of the clubs in the immediate 
vicinity, and it was decided to allow the club to remo^ 
to the Brook Tavern, Lennox-street, Lozells ; the club 
to be visited when settled down at their new quarters, 
and a report to be submitted at the next meeting of the 
committee. 
A case of misconduct was next investigated, the 
charge being laid against a member of the Old Green Man 
Society, but the matter was allowed to stand over until 
the next monthly meeting of the committee. 
I am pleased to inform the members of the Birming¬ 
ham Association that the London and North-Western 
Railway Company have granted their members the 
privilege to return from Lichfield with an Aire was ticket 
on Sundays, that is if the tickets are taken out say, for 
instance, on the Saturday. Anglers desiring to return 
on the Sunday with the Alrewas ticket will be able to 
fish down to Lichfield, and so meet the train there. This 
will be a great boon to the anglers who fish the Trent 
and Mersey Canal, as the best of the fishing lays in this 
direction. The distance between the two stations is 
about five miles, which is a splendid country, and excel¬ 
lent fishing all the way. 
Oar old friend Mr. Hinton leaves the Bull Inn, lern- 
hill Heath, in the course of a week or so, he having taken 
to an hotel at Cheltenham. Mr. Hinton will be greatly 
missed by a large number of anglers who were in the 
habit of visiting his house for refreshments, as he at all 
times made it his special study to cater for the Biruiing- 
ham anglers. The house, I hear, will be taken by a 
gentleman from London, who, I heat, is an ardent angler, 
and intends to do all he can for the anglers, and also to 
try and improve the fishing in the neighbourhood. 
Trout fishing in the immediate vicinity of Birming¬ 
ham has been very quiet so far. The corporation wateM 
at Whitacre have so far not yielded anything worth 
mentioning. On the Severn some few decent fish have 
been taken, chiefly with the artificial minnow. A good 
number of fish have been seen in the vicinity of Earding- 
ton and Hiinpton Lode. These places are by far the 
best for trout tishing for the Birmingham and Kidder- 
minster anglers, as the places mentioned are easy of 
access. The river above Eardington has lately been 
better looked after, and, what with this and the restock¬ 
ing that has been done in the upper reaches, helps to 
make the places mentioned better now than they have 
been for some time past. More than this, the river 
at these places is suitable for trout more than any 
other portion of the river near to the towns mentioned. 
Good accommodation can be obtained close to the water 
side all the way up the river from Stourport to Bridge- 
north, and anyone having the time at their disposal 
could not do better than spend a few days on this 
portion of the beautiful Severn. 
FROM DERBYSHIRE. 
To the Editor of the Fishing Gazette. 
Since my last, Easter has come and gone, and I am 
afraid that the holiday anglers in the various Derby¬ 
shire streams had not a very gay time of it, so far as 
successful angling was concerned. The weather, how¬ 
ever, was so gloriously fine, and so exceptionally warm 
and pleasant for the season of the year, and the country 
was looking so fresh and beautiful, that, even though there 
were more empty creels than even moderately full ones, 
if they did not enjoy themselves they must be hard to 
please, and very dull to the charms of nature in 
spring. ,, 
It is merely a truism, of course, to say that the reason 
of the failure was because the trout would not rise at 
all freely, but the explanation of the fact is not very far 
to seek. In my view the trout have not yet moved out 
of their winter haunts in the deeper water, at least not 
to any great extent, and hence up to now but few trout 
have been seen. The late spawning season may have 
something to do with this, but I take it that the hard 
frost during the night never allowed the shallower 
portions of the water to get very warm during the day, 
and certainly prevented any great hatch out of flies, and 
consequently any very general or marked ” rise.’ The 
waters, too, are all running so extremely low and clear, 
in fact at or below the ordinary summer level—a 
phrase which, I presume, has no meaning in a wet 
summer, and is at best ambiguous—that it required, and 
would under even more favourable or a,ny conditions 
have required a very skilled “ old angling hand to 
accomplish any very dire slaughter. The fish that did 
