HINTS ON LOCH-FISHING. 109 



sunset on a calm evening, trout will begin to rise to the 

 fly with surprising readiness, and a lucky hour of that 

 kind is often worth a whole day's work. But as a rule, 

 when a lake lies a calm blue sheet, reflecting every hill 

 and shadow, it is better to take to the streams which feed 

 it, however insignificant they may be. Fortunately the 

 visitor to St. Mary's has no difficulty, and when ^olus 

 refuses to do his duty, he need not cast a single long- 

 ing lingering look behind, as he turns to the Meggat, 

 Little Yarrow, or any of the neighbouring bums. In 

 St. Mary's he must use larger flies than in river-fishing, 

 although it is unnecessary to use them of the sizes sold 

 by the tackle-makers for the northern lochs. His largest 

 size should indeed be a size smaller than the smallest 

 Highland flies, nor should they be of the gaudy hues 

 that take the fancy of the inhabitants of Loch Kannoch 

 or Loch Lubnaig. The drake -wing is a good fly in all 

 its combinations, and it is advisable to experiment 

 with a green or a yellow body ; but — except perhaps 

 when the waters are coloured — there is no necessity 

 for tinsel, and the common winged flies, dressed a size 

 larger, will be found in general the most killing. When 

 the day is dark and the breeze strong, the larger and 

 brighter flies ought to be employed. On such days, 

 should the fish rise reluctantly to the fly, the angler 

 should take at once to the minnow, and by it he will 

 probably capture the largest trout ; while on a bright 

 day, with a gale, the worm may sometimes be em- 

 ployed with success. The worm should be thrown 

 out with a long cast, allowed to sink a little, and then 

 drawn in with slow jerks. We hesitate to recommend 

 the otter as a proper instrument of the angler ; but 



