LOCH TAY 91 



miles of water. Those two hotels are situated, the first at 

 the north-east and the other at the south-west end of the loch. 

 Bridge of Lochy Hotel has three boats and fishes the same 

 water as Killin Hotel. Ardeonaig Hotel has two boats. It is 

 situated about half-way along the loch. Lawers Hotel, 

 opposite Ardeonaig, has two boats and fishes the Kenmore 

 Hotel water. Tighanloan Hotel has two boats and fishes from 

 Teaman to Ardeonaig. 



Provision is also made for a few boats to be fished by those 

 in the neighbourhood who do not reside at one of the hotels, 

 and the reserved water at each end may be fished privately or 

 may be let, so that fully two dozen boats may be calculated as 

 likely to be on the water each fishing day in spring. 



A good deal of variation may of course appear in the results 

 of any individual. The hooking of the fish is practically out- 

 side the control of the angler. A novice has just as good a 

 chance as a past master. Since also the fishing is entirely 

 done by artificial minnow a lure which does not readily allow 

 a hooked fish to escape comparatively few fish are lost if the 

 tackle is good and the reel has plenty of line. There is, of 

 course, any amount of room for a fish to move in, and from 

 all accounts some desperate rushes are to be expected. An 

 average fish of about 19 Ib. may be a very lively fellow, but a 

 35 -pounder with open water all round him must certainly take 

 some stopping. I have small experience of loch fishing myself, 

 but I can well understand the accounts one hears. Fish up to 

 40 Ib. have been taken here, and as to big days, we have 

 records of 10, 11, and even 12 having been got on rare occa- 

 sions. The best week's fishing is, I believe, that scored by 

 the late Colonel Murray of Polmaise on the Kenmore reserved 

 water. He is reported to have caught 31 fish weighing 

 600 Ib., the average weight thus being 19^ Ib. 



The charge made for salmon fishing on Loch Tay is identical 

 from whichever hotel the angler puts out. Instead of as 

 formerly making a charge per day, the charge is now made 

 per fish. An angler fishing two rods is charged 1 per fish, 

 and a maximum charge for a week's fishing is 5 if more than 

 5 fish are taken. This arrangement prevents the grumble of 

 the man who fishes steadily for some time without getting fish. 

 Formerly he was paying for the time. The new system is 



