142 ANGLING 



very good quality, but they do not rim large; though, occasionally, 

 there have been some singularly heavy fish taken, chiefly by trol- 

 ling, out of streams in the vicinity of the village^of Coulter, of full 

 ten pounds weight. The best trout are unquestionably taken with 

 the natural minnow in these waters ; and this bait has become of 

 late years quite popular among the mass of Clydesdale rod-fishers. 

 There are no salmon, nor salmon-trout, in these portions of the 

 river. The Falls effectually prevent their ascending higher up 

 than a few miles below Lanark. The flies in general use here have 

 light brown wings, and black or red bodies ; but the trout are not 

 at all fastidious on this point. 



The rod-fishing is interrupted by the Falls, which are objects 

 well worthy of a visit from the tourist. Below them, good fishing 

 asrain commences, and continues down to within three miles of 

 Glasgow Bridge. As the angler descends the river from below 

 the Ealls, he will find its bed becoming constantly enlarged, so 

 that he has a difficulty of realizing the breadth of the stream in 

 many directions. To fish this portion of water, wading is requisite ; 

 but this we do not take upon us to recommend. 



There are no tributaries of the Clyde of so much fishing repute 

 as to induce the tourist to turn aside from the main stream. If 

 he fishes it properly from its source to the confines of Glasgow, he 

 will find the ran^e of waters very interesting, and capable of 

 affording him ample sport. 



We must now turn aside in another direction, and place the 

 rod-fisher down on the banks of the Tweed; one of the noblest 

 fishing streams in Europe. 



Along the silver banks of Tweed, 

 3 Tis blythe the mimic fly to lead, 

 "When to the hook the salmon springs, 

 And the line whistles through the rings 

 The boiling eddy sees him try, 

 Then dashing from the current high ; 

 Till watchful eye, and cautious hand, 

 Have led his wasted strength on land." 



Glasgow, 1826. 



The Tweed has a fishable range of about sixty miles, and is per- 

 fectly free for the fly, or bait, from its source to its mouth at 

 Berwick. It can be approached by several routes ; but we should 

 give the preference to any of them that would enable the angler 

 tojftsh it from its highest waters downwards to the sea. To follow 

 this river with the rod to its full extent, is one of the most 

 delightful tours that any sportsman can take. In accordance 

 with this suggestion, we shall shape our descriptions of its waters, 

 under the impression that this tour will be taken in the way and 

 manner we have pointed out. 



The Tweed springs out of the same mountain that gives birth to 



