FISHING 83 



Trout fishing on a loch is very delightful, 

 but its charms are slight compared to that of 

 a river. In that same salmon river how many 

 happy hours have been mine with a trout rod. 

 Its foamy rapids and rushing, rocky stream 

 make finding trout lies almost a science ; only 

 here and there in its whirl of waters, unless 

 they be very low, is it any use throwing a 

 line ; the play of a half, three-quarter, or 

 pound trout on a ten-foot rod in that river is 

 as proportionately exciting as a salmon on 

 stout tackle, and a two pound trout is equal to 

 a forty pounder. Usually bright-coloured flies 

 are most attractive in those waters, grouse 

 and red, teal and green, butcher, Alexandra, 

 woodcock, or teal and yellow proving very 

 destructive ; though it is my humble amateur 

 opinion and experience that if trout are on the 

 rise and take they will come to any fly in 

 reason, and that it is size far more than colour 

 that matters. 



What summer evenings have I spent on 

 one of Scotland's mightiest rivers, thanks 

 again to the goodness of the same owners as 



