76 CHATS ON ANGLING. 



against the rod does not matter. It may not be quite orthodox, but 

 I find it convenient, and always practise it ; in fact, it is so much a 

 matter of second nature with me that I could not give it up, even if 

 I wished to do so. It is of great advantage, in fishing any pool, to 

 have seen the river in all its various stages, so as to know as much 

 as possible of its bed. As everyone knows, the places where fish rise 

 vary as the river may be high or low ; one place where, in high water, 

 you might reckon on getting a rise if anywhere, would be absolutely 

 unlikely when the river is low ; and so also in the intermediate stages. 

 Until you have become fully acquainted with the bed of the various 

 pools, you are not in a position to make the best of them ; that is why 

 a gillie with local knowledge is so necessary. Perhaps you have 

 fished a pool when it was in perfect order. The next time you try 

 it the river has sunk a foot ; it may still be fishable, but if you get 

 a rise it will be almost certainly in a different spot from the time 

 before. 



On the Awe, in Argyleshire, a few years ago, after a summer 

 drought the river had dwindled down to about half its normal volume. 

 A rod had been fishing very sedulously a favourite pool of mine called 

 Arroch. I watched him for some time, and at last suggested that I 

 did not think he was at all likely to get a fish in the tail of the pool, 

 where he was employing most of his energies. He replied that he had 

 caught many a fish in that very part. I told him that it was doubtless 

 true when the river was in proper order, but that it was most unlikely 

 in its then condition. Somewhat nettled, he asked me to show him 

 where I would propose to fish ; and, having my rod with me, I 

 commenced to fish at the very top of the pool, in a narrow, deep neck. 

 At about my fourth or fifth cast with a very short line, I noticed 

 below me the silvery glint of a fish that my fly had evidently moved. 

 Stepping back a little, I began, with great deliberation, to fill and light 

 a pipe, and then began again where I had originally commenced. At 

 my fourth cast I saw the same glint, and also felt the fish, which 

 had taken the fly when it was well sunk and was swirling about in 

 the quick and heavy stream. It was, of course, a great piece of luck, 

 yet it served to point my moral and adorn my tale. My friend 

 was good enough to say that it was a revelation to him, that he 



