FLY FISHING IN 7WE SEA 153 



which flows into Loch Roag, Island of Lewis. The fish are 

 small, but more numerous than sea trout in many a fairly good 

 sea-trout river. When the water in the river is low they collect 

 in large numbers at and below its mouth. 



On the 28th of July, 1888, Sir John H. Morris, to whom 

 I am indebted for these particulars, caught five salmon with 

 the fly in this sea-loch. The water in which the fish were 

 caught was absolutely salt, not merely brackish, and as far 

 distant as half a mile from the mouth of the river. The loch 

 is shallow, from six to twelve feet in depth. The weather 

 was cloudy ; there was a good breeze, and the tide was flowing 

 into the loch. Later on, however, the fish were also taken on 

 an ebbing tide with very little wind. They rose best on the 

 flood with a good stiff breeze. 



The fly used on the 28th of July was a black and yellow 

 (the Wasp) on a No. 5 hook, and was worked rather deeply in 

 the water ; but other and larger flies were used with equal 

 success. It is a curious fact that the fish had been waiting in 

 the loch for ten days or a fortnight before they showed any 

 inclination to take the fly. They continued to rise well for a 

 week, and some sixty fresh fish were taken by five rods sixty 

 salmon in a week ! But they ceased to rise on the 4th of 

 August. 



Salmon had never been known to be caught on the fly in 

 the bay before, and Sir John Morris attributed their rising 

 during that week to the fact that they had been confined and 

 kept in the sea loch long beyond their usual time for going up 

 the river. But from a letter I have received from him recently 

 it appears that a good many fish have been taken in the same 

 way since that year. It is quite a common thing to catch 

 sea trout in Loch Roag with the fly, and it was owing to 

 the salmon rising to sea-trout flies that they were specially 

 fished for. 



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