DISCOLOURED STATE OF WATER 151 



or three times in succession, the water being in the 

 foul state I have mentioned. It must be noted also, 

 that when the river is swoln and discoloured, salmon 

 travel in the daytime, particularly when there is a 

 fresh wind to ruffle the surface of the water ; and as 

 they are intent on their journey, they are not apt to 

 pay much attention to such food as we worthies offer 

 them. Now as this uncertainty of hooking a fish 

 that offers happens to me or to you, so the same 

 thing will occur to every other fisherman that is 

 out on the same day, these animals being all of the 

 same mind ; but I have heard good fishermen in 

 the North say, that they always had the best sport 

 before the river cleared. I suppose it was in shallow 

 streams ; because it is evident that salmon, who 

 always lie at the bottom of the river, or on the edge 

 of a rock near it, could not see the fly at any great 

 depth when the waters were turbid. It must be 

 observed, however, that in more shallow places, 

 where they can distinguish it, there is a great 

 difference between a newly run fish and one that 

 has been some time in the river ; the new one being 

 wild and gamesome, and ignorant of the ways of the 

 world, and the other the very emblem of prudence, 

 and an admirer of the old adage, " Always look before 

 you leap." It is difficult to express by words the 

 exact state of the water I wish to allude to : if it is 

 only moss-stained good sport may be had with clean 

 fish, but there must be a certain degree of trans- 

 parency. 



The upper parts of the Tweed come into order 

 for being fished much sooner than those below 



