loo SHOOTING AND SALMON FISHING 



Sutherland alone there are some half-dozen miniature Speys and 

 Dees running through glorious Highland scenery, each requiring 

 very neat, if not very long casting. Of these, notably, are — 

 the Shin, the Inver, and the Kirkaig ; and there was a time 

 when each of these rose to the level of our ideal. There is 

 hardly a county in Scotland that does not own a salmon river ; 

 but it is the larger ones that are sought by the angler, for there 

 can be no doubt a twenty-pound fish, struggling for its life, can 

 make a more resolute and dashing effort for freedom when 

 fighting in deep, rapid, and broad waters, than one of the same 

 weight, doing its utmost, in a small river only some twenty-five 

 yards across. 



Nothing can be more exciting in the way of fishing than 

 a prolonged tussle with a big, game fish determined to go 

 down one side of the stream while the rod is on the other, 

 with some seventy yards of water separating them. In such 

 battles, victory often rests with the salmon ; but even if 

 worsted in a combat like this, the angler will not feel half 

 so angry as when a break takes place just as the vanquished 

 one is quite close to the gaff. In the latter case, he will 

 have little sympathy with the fish wishing him an abrupt 

 good-bye, whereas in the former case disappointment will 

 be tempered with a feeling of respect for the foe that fought 

 so gallantly, for many a good angler has been heard to 

 exclaim when broken in the heat of the fray, " Confound it ! 

 he's off; but such a plucky fighter deserved to escape." 



There is no more annoying way of losing a fish than to 

 do so when it is fairly beaten, and has once been brought 

 within reach of the gaff. The inexperienced gillie has had 

 two tries, only to miss it each time ; and then, by running 

 wildly up and down the bank in pursuit, he has repeatedly 

 scared the captive back to the stream and deep water, till 

 at last, just as it is again towed to the bank, the long-enduring 

 hold breaks, and he is gone ! Numbers of fish are thus 

 lost each season, which is a matter to be easily avoided 



