152 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING 



and this in proportion to the depth and volume of 

 water. 



It must be owned that fish may occasionally be 

 caught in turbid, and even full water ; but then it 

 must be by a perfect change of system. At such a 

 time the strong streams and usual salmon casts are 

 useless ; and you must throw in the easy cheeks 

 near the land, and in the tails of the streams, where 

 the fish rest in travelling. In this way I once caught 

 five salmon in the Pavilion-water from off the shore, 

 unattended even by a man with a cleik ; whilst my 

 friend, who fished above me in the finest streams in 

 the water, with a boat and all appliances and means 

 to boot, did not rise a single fish ; not from want of 

 skill for it was Lord Somerville but simply be- 

 cause the salmon did not lie in their usual seats. 



A word or two I will now say about the manage- 

 ment of the cleik, which, although it seems simple 

 enough, requires some address. Take care, most 

 worthy attendant for it is to you I speak that in 

 the effervescence of your zeal you steer clear of the 

 line, and that after you have struck the fish you 

 tow him steadily to the shore ; and I beg, sir, to 

 caution you, and just merely to hint, that if you 

 attempt one of your flourishes, and try to do all at 

 one rapid jerk, you will have decidedly the worst of 

 it. There must be two motions, a strike, and a 

 haul. 



By way of illustration, I must tell you of a gentle- 

 man who came to visit me whilst I lived on the 

 banks of the Tay, and was desirous of seeing a salmon 

 caught before he returned to the South ; so I 



