Трое в лодке не считая собаки

           Allitsaysistheplaceis"agoodstationforfishing;"and,fromwhatIhaveseenofthedistrict,Iamquitepreparedtobearoutthisstatement. 

           Thereisnospotintheworldwhereyoucangetmorefishing,orwhereyoucanfishforalongerperiod. Somefishermencomehereandfishforaday,andothersstopandfishforamonth. Youcanhangonandfishforayear,ifyouwantto:itwillbeallthesame. 

           TheAngler’sGuidetotheThamessaysthat"jackandpercharealsotobehadabouthere,"buttheretheAngler’sGuideiswrong. Jackandperchmaybeaboutthere. Indeed,Iknowforafactthattheyare. Youcanseethemthereinshoals,whenyouareoutforawalkalongthebanks:theycomeandstandhalfoutofthewaterwiththeirmouthsopenforbiscuits. And,ifyougoforabathe,theycrowdround,andgetinyourway,andirritateyou. Buttheyarenottobe"had"byabitofwormontheendofahook,noranythinglikeit—notthey! 

           Iamnotagoodfishermanmyself. Idevotedaconsiderableamountofattentiontothesubjectatonetime,andwasgettingon,asIthought,fairlywell;buttheoldhandstoldmethatIshouldneverbeanyrealgoodatit,andadvisedmetogiveitup. TheysaidthatIwasanextremelyneatthrower,andthatIseemedtohaveplentyofgumptionforthething,andquiteenoughconstitutionallaziness. ButtheyweresureIshouldnevermakeanythingofafisherman. Ihadnotgotsufficientimagination.