WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS 



been a perfect water-monster. Indeed I have little doubt 

 that the immense depths of Loch Ness contain trout as 

 large, if not larger, than are to be found in any other loch 

 in Scotland. 



For fly-fishing in lakes, it is difficult to give any rule 

 as to the colour and size of your fly. The best thing you 

 can do is to find out some person whose experience you can 

 depend on, and who has been in the habit of fishing in the 

 particular water where you want to try your own skill, for 

 most lakes have a favourite fly. I have always, when at a 

 loss, had recourse to a red, white, or black palmer. There 

 are very few trout who can withstand these flies when well 

 made. The size of the palmer should depend on the rough- 

 ness or smoothness of the water. On a dark windj' day I 

 have frequently found a white palmer succeed when no- 

 thing else would tempt the fish to rise; while on a bright 

 calm day a small black palmer should be tried. There are 

 endless favourite loch-flies, and it is seldom that a person 

 cannot be found to give you the requisite information as 

 to which to use: however, I never feel much at a loss as 

 long as I have some palmers in my fly-book. 



In putting night-lines into a large lake, the best places 

 are those where any burn or ditch runs into it, or along 

 some shallow sandy or gravelly bay, for in these places the 

 fish feed during the night time. Worms, frogs, and small 

 trout are the best bait for night-lines. In trolling, the small 

 silvery fish supposed to be the young of the salmon,* or the 



*It was long before naturalists were unanimous in recognising the trout-like "parr" 

 and the silvery smolts as the young of salmon. Even so close an observer as St John 

 evidently was in doubt on the subject. It is well known now, of course, that the parr are 

 samlets in their second or third year, and assume a silvery dress, completely masking 



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