April 15, 1893] SUPPLEMENT TO THE PISHING GAZETTE 279 
FROM SHEFFIELD. 
To the Editor of the Fishing Gazette. 
It 18 a truism that we can have too much of a good 
thing. Strange to say, we are having too much fine 
weather. The long continued drought, and the unusual 
heat of the sun, are having their effect both upon field 
and flood ; and by now on all hands there is a universal 
cry for rain, fly fishing, in particular, needing it sorely. 
The season has opened auspiciously. In this district 
there are fish worth angling for. The warmth of the 
noonday sun has brought out the earlier flies, and trout 
are rising nicely. Up to last week-end, results were 
fair and up to the average, but now the water is fining 
down terribly, and angling operations will soon be at an 
end unless we are speedily blessed with rain. The 
Derwent and the Wye have not yielded so well; the 
Sheaf has been well fished, and has amply repaid the 
trouble, trout of 11b. having been secured in not a few 
instances. This is good for the Sheaf, although 
even then there is no comparison between a 
few of that weight, and the dozen brace that twenty 
years ago rewarded the angler at Millhouses. Some 
good fish, too, have been taken from the Dam Flask 
Reservoir, belonging to the Sheffield Corporation, and 
for which Mr. Eyminton Wilson, of Broomhead Hall, 
has the sole right to give permits. This dam, in com¬ 
mon with the others in the same neighbourhood, con¬ 
tains some splendid trout, and permission to fish it is 
eagerly sought after. When one has mentioned these 
local waters the list is exhausted. We could do with a 
few more streams or dam.s. The need is very great, 
and anyone who should possess any likely place within 
twenty miles of Sheffield would have no difficulty in dis¬ 
posing of it if he wished so to do. 
The Local Government inquiry held at Leeds on 
Thursday week was of greater interest to Sheffield 
anglers than at first sight appeared. The inquiry was 
held in respect to an application made by the West 
Riding County Council and various county boroughs, 
including Sheffield, to create a conservancy board to 
carry out the provisions of the Rivers Pollution 
Prevention Act of 1875. Hitherto the task of 
preventing the pollution of the rivers of the 
West Riding has been in the hands of no less than 
173 separate sanitary authorities, and how the work has 
been done all anglers know to their cost, the rivers 
round Sheffield, in particular, having become little 
better than stinking cesspools, thanks to the masterly 
inactivity displayed by one or two corporations and 
sanitary authorities whose names could easily be given. 
Now, however, all this is to be remedied. Representa¬ 
tives from all these bodies have met together in solemn 
conclave, the tocsin is to be sounded, and a right down 
earnest crusade to be made against the despoilers of our 
once pretty streams, the crusaders to be no other than 
the proposed new conservancy board. Whether the new 
authority will be any better than the old ones remains 
to be seen. I hope it will, and that it will have 
sufficient courage to “ go” for those in high places, and 
make them obey the law, irrespective of their public 
position or private influence. Then the term “ Silvery 
Don” will cease to be the mocking epithet it so long has 
been, the “ salmon pastures ” of our dear old river may 
be as much in actual existence as in nomenclature, and 
the sons of Sheffield may, in the good time coming, 
angle beneath their own “ vine and fig tree,” to use a 
figurative expression. 
Sheffielders w'ho have at any time in the past 
journeyed down to the Barnsley canal will be interested 
and pleased to learn that there has recently been placed 
within it nearly 20st. of fish, representing a number to 
be found somewhere between 900 and 1000. They were 
all bream, and were given the Pitzwilliam Angling 
Association by Mr W. H. Norledge, a Norwich solicitor, 
who. if I remember aright, did a similar kindness to the 
association about a couple of years ago. I could wish 
that someone would do a similar thing for some of our 
Sheffield waters. 
FROM SHROPSHIRE. 
To the Editor of the Fishing Gazette. 
Reports from various localities on the Severn in this 
county do [not characterise the salmon fishing satisfac¬ 
tory, and, although here and there a few fish are to be 
found, there does not appear to be anything like the 
number of fish in the upper Severn and Vyrnwy that 
fishermen were led to expect from the high level of the 
river during the winter months. Last spring several 
anglers took out salmon angling licences for the first 
time, and were rewarded by the capture of one or two 
good fish, but this year we have only heard of two or 
three fish being taken with the rod and line. Two 
Shrewsbury gentlemen—Mr. Fisher (whose success we 
chronicled in our river report last week) and Mr. A. 
Cox—appear to have been the only anglers from the 
county town who have been fortunate enough to obtain 
sport in this direction. Trout fishing, too, has been by 
no means good, and but few fish have been landed. Mr. 
R. Ellis, a veteran angler and a prominent member of the 
Shrewsbury Severn Angling Society reports an unsatis¬ 
factory day’s work at a part of the river which has 
hitherto been regarded as a very favoured locality— 
namely, Shrawardine. He describes the river here as 
being full of heavy pike which played havoc with his 
gut tackle, an abundance of chub, one or two salmon, 
and very few trout. On the whole angling prospects 
cannot be regarded as favourable, except so far as the 
coarse fish are concerned, and there are sufficient of 
them to satisfy the requirements of all. 
The work of the Shrewsbury Severn Angling Society 
at their hatchery has been so far thoroughly successful, 
and the percentage of nnprolific ova has been smaller 
than ever. The boxes now hold 23,000 healthy fry, 
which give every promise of yielding a good return for 
restocking purposes. These, when of a sufficient size, 
will be turned into the river in the neighbourhood of the 
town, and as they are the product of hardy brook trout 
from Col. Masefield’s hatchery, they should thrive well 
in the Severn. 
Now that the question of the rights of riparian 
owners over the fishing of the Severn is exercising the 
minds of Shropshire anglers, consequent upon the 
organisation of the Shropshire Severn Angling Associa¬ 
tion, it will be of interest to note that a case was de¬ 
cided so far back as 1(573 touching upon the subject. 
This is referred to in “Modern Reports,” 1-1015, and 
this authority is quoted by several subsequent legal 
works. The case in point was “ a trial at Bar concern¬ 
ing the river of Wall-fleet,” and “the question was 
whether the defendant had not the right of fishing there, 
exclusive of all others f” Chief Justice Hale, in his 
ruling, gave the opinion that, “ In case of a private 
river, the lords having the soil is good evidence to 
prove that he hath the right of fishing ; and it puts the 
proof upon them that claim liheram piscariam. But 
in case of a river that flows and re-flows, and 
is an arm of the sea there, prim'x facie, it is common to 
all, and if any will appropriate a privilege to himself the 
proof lieth on his side, for in case of an action of 
trespass brought for fishing there, it is prima facie a 
good justification to say that the locus in quo is hrachium 
maris in quo unusqiiisque subjectus regis habet et habere 
debet liheram piscariam. In the River Severn there are 
pai-ticular restraints as gurgites, &c., but the soil doth 
belong to the lords on either side, and a special sort of 
fishing belongs to them likewise, but the common sort 
of fishing is common to all. The soil of the Thames is 
in the King, and the Lord Mayor is conservator of the 
river, and it is common to all fishermen; and, therefore, 
there is no such contradiction betwixt the soil being in 
one and yet the river being common to all fishers, &c.” 
The same authority also lays down that, “A person 
claiming a free fishery, a several fishery, or a common 
fishery, must show the foundation of his claim; for the 
right is prim& facie in all the king’s subjects or in the 
owner of the soil.” The word “gurgites” appears to 
be used in ancient grants to refer to a pool or pit of 
water for fish. 
The “ Law Dictionary,” published 1820, dealing with 
the same question, bears out the opinion that, “ In the 
Severn, the soil belongs to the owners of the land on 
each side ; and the soil of the River Thames is in the 
king, Ac., but the fish is common to all.—1 Mod., 106.” 
FROM WORCESTER AND DISTRICT. 
To the Editor of the Fishing Gazette. 
The water in the Severn and Teme is very low and 
clear; still, there have been many anglers out and 
a good many fish taken. Owing to the unusually fine 
weather we have had, the various flies have hatched out 
in numbers, and in many places on both rivers the water 
has been covered with them. In the neighbourhood of 
Bewdley the “ March Browns ” have appeared in un¬ 
precedented large numbers, the streets^and houses near 
the Severn being filled with them, and the river in 
places completely covered with them. 
Owing, I presume, to the bountiful supply of the 
TOufnml, the fish have not taken the artificial fly at all 
well this week, but trout have been taken with March 
Brown, Red Palmer, Cowdung, and Blue Dun, and the 
fish are in good condition now. There have been some 
capital fish taken with the minnow (Bright Devon) and 
with the worm, and on the Teme there have been good 
baskets of chub and dace taken with the fly. 
There have been several pike taken in the Severn 
during the week, and, while fishing from a coracle with 
snap tackle, on the Pirton Lake, near Worcester, Mr. 
Edmund Lechmere caught two fine fish, the first 13ilb., 
the second over 161b. The latter has been sent to 
“Warner,” of Bridge-street, for preservation, and has 
been exhibited in the window of his fishing-tackle ware¬ 
house ; ’tis a prettily-marked fish. 
Several May-flies were seen on Monday. 
FROM IRELAND. 
To the Editor of the Fishing Gazette. 
KERRT. — Warm, sunshiny weather—something ap¬ 
proaching tropical heat—has sadly militated against the 
chances of sport for the past week. On Waterville Lake 
sport has shown up a bit during the early morning and 
late in the evenings, but, generally speaking, sport has 
been poor. 
In North Kerry matters are still worse, and sport, 
except amongst trout, has been of the poorest kind. 
Sea fishing has been good generally along the coast. At 
Ballinskelligs, Portmagee, Valentia, and Dungegan 
mackerel have been taken in large numbers by local 
yawls, and at the Dingle coast both home and foreign 
smacks had large hauls during the week, especially on 
Wednesday, Friday, and Monday last. 
ULSTER.—There is no change as yet in the meteorolo¬ 
gical surroundings—if anything, the weather is hotter ; 
the thermometer registering from 63 deg. Fah. to 70 deg. 
every day, with northerly winds and sharp frosts at 
night. Anglers are in despair. 
I have to make one or two corrections in my report of 
the Mourne Hatchery at Newtonstewart in last week’s 
Notes. The sentence, “a slight climb,” should have 
been & tight climb,” the mountain referred to being 
672ft. above the level of the sea. “ Gortem ” should 
have read “ Gorten," “ Gueucastle ” should have been 
Greencastle, and the words umbilical sac should have 
taken the place of “ umbilical ova.” Perhaps the 
printer is not to blame. 
Angling doesn’t seem to flourish well in Donegal— 
how could it in such unnatural weather. A little brown 
trouting can be had in the Rosses, but sport there will 
not be very brilliant till the white trout commence 
running in July. White trout are running up the Quaile 
on the Co. Down coast, but in few numbers. 
The correspondence column of the Fishing Gazette is 
a most entertaining tit-bit. Scarcely a week passes 
over but some unfortunate river reporter gets a blowing 
up by an incensed angling reader; perhaps sometimes 
deservedly, other times on a trivial matter. Reporters 
are more sinned against than sinning. I had a funny 
experience once. I got a letter from headquarters, 
alleging that I was discovering new rivers in my district, 
stocking them with 501b. salmon, and such-like libellous 
matter. I prepared a most elaborate defence and for¬ 
warded it to the chief, and in a couple of days I got 
another letter explaining that it was not I who was com¬ 
mitting these enormities, but the other fellow, who, I 
believe, was on an exploring expedition in the West. 
I never learned who he is, but I have very strong 
suspicions. 
Mr. Seton-Karr’s proposed Bill dealing with the 
turbine nuisance annuls or repeals the 30 th section of 
cap. 114, 26 and 27 Viet., which, though it enacts the 
severe penalty of JE50 for its contravention, offers many 
loopholes of escape, as does also the 4th section of 
cap. 9, 32 Viet. The new Bill, without being unnecessarily 
severe, gives the owners of turbines no escape from 
the consequences of the injuries that fish and their fry 
may receive through carelessness or disregard of the law. 
NOTES FOR CLUB ANGLERS. 
Mr. H. S. Foster, M.P., has consented to preside at 
the annual dinner of the Gresham Angling Society, 
which will be held at the Masons’ Hall Tavern, Mason’s- 
avenue. City, on Tuesday next, at 7 p.m. 
VJ 
George Rosewell, professional fisherman, informs 
me that Mr. C. Wilson, out with him on Thursday, took 
a trout weighing 6jlb., and that Mr. Geo. Palmer, fish¬ 
ing with him also, has had three trout weighing 31b., 
3Jlb., and 4Jlb. respectively. He adds; “Yon can see 
I have been well amongst them, four trout in five days’ 
fishing.” This is trout fishing. 
*** 
The date of Mr. Hoyle’s trout lecture at the Houns- 
field Otters’ Club, the King’s Head, Lower Edmonton, 
is fixed. It is Tuesday, April 18, and Mr. H. J. Tibbatts 
will preside. Trains run back to Liverpool-street up to 
11.30 p.m., and I hope to catch one of them. 
*** 
The annual meeting of the Anglers’ Association will 
be held on Monday next at the Foresters’ Hall, Clerken- 
well. The election of officers will then take place. 
V 
I AM sorry to hear that Mr. R. Murphy (chairman of 
the Renting and Preservation Committee) has been very 
ill lately. He is now much better. 
V 
The S.P.R.P.A.C. hold a meeting on Friday next at 
the Citizen, 70, Houndsditch, when it is hoped members 
will endeavour to be present. The society’s close season 
then commences, paper reading re-opening in the 
autumn. * 
Something like .£25 will be added to the funds of the 
Anglers’ Benevolent Society as a result of the recent 
competition on the Lea at Eye House. 
V 
Mr. A. Jardine’s reading, at the Anchor and Hope 
Club, Canal Bridge, Old Kent-road, takes place on 
Wednesday, April 19. The annual dinner will be had 
in May, at which Mr. D. King is to preside. I am sorry 
to hear that Mr. Smith has resigned the secretaryship 
of the society, a step which pressure of business ren¬ 
dered it imperative for him to take; but no doubt Mr. 
Dan Davis, who has been elected in his place, will 
see that the successful career of the A. and H. is still 
maintained. # ^ 
Last season a friend of mine, when punt fishing with 
a professional fisherman, in the Thames, at Surly Hall, 
was peremptorily ordered off the water. The person 
who addressed him (I won’t mention names) said he had 
the right of fishing there, but he did not mind anglers 
fishing the water if they first asked his permission to do 
so. My friend came to me in a terrible state of excite¬ 
ment, lamenting that the reach was closed to anglers. 
I could not believe that it was true that the fishing 
there was private in the broad open Thames, so I re¬ 
frained from commenting upon the statement. I have 
now reason to think, however, that my friend’s fears 
and experiences were only too true and real. The 
Fishing Gazette’s Windsor river report last week con¬ 
tained some ominous news. It was to the effect that 
the well-known stretch of the Thames between Monkey 
Island and Boveney had been closed, and that the 
riparian owner — the Duke of Sutherland — had in¬ 
structed his keeper to summon anyone fishing in that part 
of the river in future. The shutting up of the Boveney 
Surly Hall, and Monkey Island waters will be a severe 
blow, not only to London, but to local anglers. I can 
only hope the Windsor correspondent of the Fishing 
