Caught Anything Sherlock?

Was Sherlock Holmes an angler? There is possibly an answer to that question in the story "The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place". The last of the Sherlock Holmes stories, it was originally published in The Strand Magazine in April 1927. Illustrations for the story were provided by the artist Frederic Dorr Steele.

The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place begins when Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson are visited by John Mason.  Mason is concerned about the erratic and suspicious behaviour of his employer Sir Robert Norberton, a race horse trainer who is hiding a dark secret.

Having listened to John Mason’s story, Sherlock Holmes promises to investigate. Mason recommends The Green Dragon inn as a place to stay. Holmes then asks, “Is there good fishing in that part of Berkshire?“ Somewhat taken aback by this query, John Mason replies; “Well, sir, I’ve heard there are trout in the mill-stream and pike in the Hall lake.“

Holmes and Watson proceed by train to Shoscombe. Watson writes that, “ The rack above us was covered with a formidable litter of rods, reels, and baskets. 

Upon reaching The Green Dragon inn, Holmes and Watson meet their sporting host, Josiah Barnes. Doctor Watson notes that Barnes, “…entered eagerly into our plans for the extirpation of the fish of the neighbourhood.“ 

But is the idea of Holmes and Watson as anglers something of a fishy story? Holmes remarks that “…if we mean to keep to our characters, I suggest that we have our host in for a glass of his own wine and hold some high converse upon eels and dace, which seems to be the straight road to his affections. We may chance to come upon some useful local gossip in the process.“

Doctor Watson records that the following morning, “…Holmes discovered that we had come without our spoon-bait for jack, which absolved us from fishing for the day.“ (Jack is a nickname for smaller pike.) But later we find that; “My companion seemed to have no further plans for the day, and we did actually use our fishing tackle in the mill-stream, with the result that we had a dish of trout for our supper.“

Today anglers use lightweight carbon fibre rods, aluminium reels, and plastic coated fly lines or monofilament lines. But the fishing tackle of yesteryear was another matter. Fishing rods were made of such materials as bamboo, split-cane, or greenheart. These were heavy and it took quite an effort to cast a line with them.

These rods were matched with weighty reels which were made of wood, alloy, or brass. Fishing lines were made of twisted silk. Coated with layers of raw linseed oil they had to be dressed with line grease before fishing. The lines then had to be completely dried after the days sport.

So were Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson experienced fishermen? Or maybe they were just lucky novices when they bagged their “dish of trout for supper.“ Then again it could just be that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle used some artistic licence in the story.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself referred to fishing in an article titled Some Recollections of Sport. This was first published in The Strand Magazine in September 1909.

Conan Doyle was also the subject of a brief news item in The Eastbourne Gazette dated 28 October, 1914. Published under the headline of ‘Sherlock Holmes As A Sea Angler,‘ it tells us that, “Among successful anglers at Eastbourne has been Sir A. Conan Doyle who in two outings has taken 250 whiting, pouting, dabs, and dog-fish.“

Poor old Conan Doyle was under Sherlock’s shadow even when he was just enjoying a peaceful spot of fishing! However, he was compensated with a catch that would have been the envy of any other angler. 

                                                                                   END.