230 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING 



even, he must inevitably have escaped. As for my 

 own practice, I never recollect having risen a fish 

 a second time that had touched my hook previously. 



What I have said regarding the number of fish 

 lost or set down in trolling is so universally acknow- 

 ledged, that this style of angling is seldom practised, 

 except, indeed, in fishing for kelts in very full waters, 

 when no one can throw completely over the casts 

 without the use of a boat. In this state of the river 

 the flies are drawn down the stream ; but when the 

 water subsides, they are trailed up it. It is practised 

 also a day or two before close time, when the loss 

 of fish off the hook is immaterial, as far as regards 

 future sport. 



In the Tay, and some other large rivers, there is 

 another method of fishing with a fly in full water, 

 which is called Harling. Two rods are laid in the 

 bottom of a boat, and hang over the stern, with a 

 large fly attached to each line. The boatman then 

 rows against the stream to the right and left of the 

 river in a zigzag direction, but still letting the boat 

 fall gradually down the river, so that he passes over 

 no fish that have not previously seen the flies. The 

 rower judges his pace by the objects on the banks. 

 When fish rise they hook themselves. Those who 

 practise this method are generally fishermen who 

 have been working the previous night, and like it 

 because they have not the fatigue of holding or 

 throwing the rod. They fancy, also, that having 

 two flies, they have a double advantage ; but this 

 is a deception, because both flies follow each other 

 in the same direction. Without much fear of con- 



