SCOTTISH SALMON-FISHING 183 



Cameron, using a trout rod and a small " March 

 brown." I had landed a few " Whitling," when a 

 large salmon made a beautiful head and tail rise at 

 my fly. He missed it, and I gave him ten minutes 

 and got over him again. This time he came boldly, 

 and I had him well hooked. He did not fight with 

 any special vigour, and after an hour and a half of 

 careful handling I had him fairly well done, and saw 

 that he was a bright and beautiful fish of exceptional 

 size for the northern river, and must have weighed 

 about 35 lbs. at least. Fraser, the fisherman, at last 

 got the net under him, and we stood regarding our 

 captive lolloping on the shore. Major Cameron 

 said he was a " clean " fish. To me he certainly 

 looked all right, but Fraser was doubtful, and 

 without uttering another word threw him back in 

 the river. I was naturally more than a little 

 disappointed when an hour later he said, " Well, 

 I think I made a mistake. I believe he was clean 

 after all." Wliat more was there to be said ? 



On some of these northern rivers, notably the 

 Spey in early spring, it is most difficult to tell a 

 well-mended kelt from a fresh-run fish. Both are 

 clean and silvery, play quite well and are indis- 

 tinguishable to any but the expert. I remember 

 once at Craigellachie on the opening day of the season 

 catching no fewer than eleven so-called kelts and 

 finally one clean fish, but though the fisherman 

 explained to me the difference, for the life of me I 

 could not see it. 



Another big fish that gave me some heartburnings 

 was one I hooked one autumn day on the Kilbary 

 water. This beat is situated next to the famous 

 Carys villa fishing on the Blackwater in Ireland. 



