BOAT FISHING 



of the fish to Elliott when he came up, and began to 

 unlock the next boat, but he did not seem much 

 impressed by the good augury, merely replying ' that 

 would be early in the morning.' However, he rowed 

 me across, and I began to fish the Bridge pool, 

 commencing about 200 yards higher up. 



Here the river is deep under the Mertoun side, 

 where a long submerged shelf of rock extends along 

 the bank, ending four or five yards out in a straight 

 descent into deep water, forming just such a resting- 

 place as salmon love to frequent. It was obviously 

 unnecessary to throw a very long line, as it was a 

 place where fish would be sure to lie close to the 

 boat. Here again the fisherman waded along the 

 shelf of rock holding the boat, and although the trees 

 above would be rather awkward it would have been 

 perfectly feasible to fish it from the bank. Half-way 

 down my patience was rewarded by my first rise, a 

 fair-sized fish came at the ' Jock Scott, ' but did not 

 touch. We stopped, moved the boat a little higher, 

 and exchanged the fly for one a trifle smaller, but to 

 no purpose, as our friend refused to repeat his 

 attempt, and after finishing the pool we judged it 

 prudent to leave him for the present and make our 

 way up to the Craigs pool, which we were agreed was 

 our best chance for the day. 



G 



