THE DRY-FLY SEASON 225 



again and again as if determined to die. It is 

 usually the fish inhabiting a deep, slow glide that 

 err in this way ; those that frequent rapid shallow 

 necks of pools seldom miss the fly, we find, but it 

 requires a watchful eye and a ready strike to send 

 the hook home. 



There are other two flies which are sure to appear 

 in August, and of which the angler would do well 

 to possess copies, viz., the Black Sedge and the 

 Needle Brown. With the former, we once, many 

 years ago, took a basket of eighteen beautiful 

 trout from the lone Potrail, a fact which had quite 

 escaped our memory, until reference to an old 

 diary brought back clearly all the details. The 

 fish approximated very closely to half a pound 

 in average weight, an astonishing and almost 

 incredible average for that small but delight- 

 ful tributary of Clyde, or more correctly, Daer 

 Water. We remember also that the loss of the 

 fly, the only pattern in our possession, brought 

 the sport to an abrupt termination. Curiously 

 enough, we did not replace the pattern for many 

 years, but again, after seeing the welcome accorded 

 the natural fly in the Cairn and elsewhere, it holds 

 a high place in our esteem. The value of the 

 Needle Brown has only lately been impressed upon 

 us, but that it is a good fly we are thoroughly con- 

 vinced. 



The flood that freshens up the lochs and rivers 

 ultimately reaches the sea and the silvery fish 

 eagerly awaiting it. The salmon and sea-trout 

 answer and come, each to its chosen river. The 

 shoals of herling or finnock or whitling, by what- 

 ever name they may be known, crowd the streams, 



p 



