SCOTTISH SALMON-FISHING 177 



the slippery rocks to sound footing probably the 

 greater part of your line was out and you had to 

 run at full speed. I lost certainly more fish than 

 I killed, but when one did happen to gain the 

 advantage, usually when the fish hesitated before his 

 first run, the subsequent run and fight were some- 

 thing worth living for. I remember in particular 

 killing a stout twenty-five-pounder that had me 

 out twice to the last turn of the line on the reel, 

 and yet each time, by getting below him by hard 

 racing, I was at Benchill pool first, and he was mine. 



Another favourite run at dead low water in August 

 is the Eels-brig stream on Stobhall. This is even 

 swifter than Thistlebrig, but it can be worked by 

 casting from a boat at the side. It was here, on 

 August 12th, that I killed what I consider to be 

 the best fighting salmon I have ever seen. August 

 the 12th was certainly a curious day to go salmon- 

 fishing, for when in Scotland I seldom missed the 

 first day at the grouse, but on this occasion our 

 party had fallen through for some reason, and, meet- 

 ing Mr. James PuUar, he asked me if I cared to fish 

 Stobhall on that day, so I gladly accepted. My 

 old friend Haggart met me at Stanley station, and 

 said what I thought myself — ^that the only chance 

 was to try the Eels-brig stream, where he had seen 

 a fish or two jumping. 



I put on a fine cast and a small grilse-sized " Dusty 

 Miller," the best fly on the Tay for late evening or 

 dead low water. At almost the first cast I rose 

 and hooked a small grilse of 5 lbs., and killed him in 

 a few minutes. We worked down the stream until 

 it was going at racing pace just over the fall and 

 it was no longer possible to hold the boat. 



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