Big Fish in the Park We have in previous articles dealt with angling in the ponds of Siccawei, the pursuit of the trout in waters near Hangchow and other aspects of local fishing. Up to the present we have omitted Hongkew Park, which, as it happens, seems to be the home of big fish here. Our readers will probably remember the picture of one hefty cyprinid which was gathered out of a pool there by some Kungboo coolies. If statements of those who have fished there are correct the waters of Hongkew Park teem with equally large specimens. The opinion of one angler there is that a fish he hooked could hardly have been less than 50 lb., for before it made off with his tackle it gave him a thoroughly bad time.
This sportsman was fishing without a rod, merely holding the line in his hand. The fish accepted the bait. and immediately © made off, with so much vigorous suddenness that fora moment the fisher trem. bled for his foothold on the bank. There seemed no chance of playing him successfully, and the strain was severe enough to cause the line to cut into his flesh, so he-took a turn with his line round an adjacent shrub. Immediately with an extra tug the fish made off with the tackle. It is related of another angler that when fishing with a very large hook and a lump of paste he got hold of another big specimen. There was along struggle, ending with the fish escaping. by which time the hook had been practically straightened out.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.