TROUT STREAMS.
pro THZ EDITOR Or THE "SPRCTATOR.”1
SIR,—My original letter on trout streams having produced some interesting replies, I venture to comment on some of these. That overstocking may in some cases be the cause of the reduction in the size of the trout remaining is possible, but it seems impossible to make any definite standard of fish pounds to the mile. The finer tackle and the more skilful and numerous anglers are more dangerous. In our part of the Test and its tributaries every big trout is known and marked down.
Over-fishing rather than overstocking is, in my opinion, the chief cause of the reduction in the size of the fish.
There are two other points on which I would gladly have information. We used to get fish of from two to five pounds in weight, with pink flesh and of fine flavour. Some of our rods believed these to be descendants of Loch Leven trout which bad been put into the river. We tried to re-introduce Loch Levens, but the big fish are wanting. Next I want to know whether the flooding of the meadows and the constant bringing down of mud into the main stream are not a part cense of the inferior condition of the fish.
In our part of the river the farmers now flood the meadows daily except on Saturdays, thus practically preventing all fishing in the upper part of the river and bringing down mud into the shallows. I wonder if farmers are allowed to
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