194 HIGHLAND SPORT 



Then we put ourselves into the hands of two clean, well- 

 spoken boatmen, and as they expressed a wish " to pull west," 

 we consented. They put their backs into the business, soon 

 rowing us three miles from the pier, then they turned the 

 boat broadside to the wind, shipped their oars, and while they 

 began to fill their pipes the head man said — 



" Now, gentlemen, fish away, for it should be a good day." 



We were both soon at work, the trout rising well, but 

 although we were old hands at loch-fishing, we missed a good 

 many, and in reply to an enquiry as to whether the fish were 

 not coming very short that morning, we got for answer — 



" Oh, no, sir, not at all ; but ye don't strike hard enough for 

 this loch." 



The hint being taken, from that time forth we hooked 

 almost every fish that rose, and it became evident that Loch 

 Leven trout were quicker in their rise and sharper in detecting 

 the falsity of the lure than the trout of other Scotch lochs, so 

 that to make a good basket the angler should strike very 

 quickly, indeed almost roughly. 



After drifting three-quarters of a mile from the shore 

 rises became scarce ; the water looked too deep and black 

 for successful fishing, but our boatmen, who were happily 

 puffing away, assuring us to the contrary, we continued to 

 whip on, but nevertheless nothing came, until after a long 

 spell of no sport we neared the shore once more, when we 

 got plenty of rises. We disembarked to eat our lunch, while 

 on counting our fish we found we had sixteen, weighing just 

 over thirteen pounds. 



As soon as the men were out of hearing Tom remarked, 

 " Don't you think they are rather a lazy couple ? Since they 

 pulled us out to get the wind they have but sat and smoked, 

 while letting the boat drift for more than two hours. I'm sure 

 there are no fish to speak of in that deep black water ; so after 

 lunch I vote we try the plan of taking short drifts, and never 

 going more than a few hundred yards from the shore." 



