A FAVOURITE LOCH 297 



to be of surpassing beauty. We have frequently 

 heard anglers complain that the loch is scarcely 

 worth visiting, and the reason they give is that the 

 trout are diminutive specimens, but they would in 

 all likelihood be readily persuaded to alter their 

 opinions if they would take pains to develop an 

 increased readiness in responding to a rise, for we 

 confidently assert that it will be only on an extremely 

 bad fishing day that the fish basketed will average 

 less than one-third of a pound. 



Of course it must be carefully pointed out that 

 the most effective lure there is without doubt the 

 floating fly, the truth of which statement will be 

 rendered apparent to anyone who cares to use his 

 powers of observation. On no loch known to us is 

 there such a superabundance of insect life, consist- 

 ing, too, principally of Ephemeridce ; almost every 

 day in the season they are in evidence, and never 

 have we seen a hatch unaccompanied by a corres- 

 ponding activity on the part of the trout. This 

 fact alone is sufficient inducement to us to visit it 

 and to regard it in the highest esteem. 



The fish are accustomed from almost daily experi- 

 ence to see flies sailing on the surface, and they 

 rise, we venture to affirm, invariably with serious 

 intent. Even when we have repeatedly failed to 

 hook rising fish, we have never felt inclined to 

 comfort ourselves with the inference that they are 

 indulging in that irritation known as short-rising, 

 but rather have we blamed ourselves for being 

 guilty of tardiness in our actions. The only point 

 against the loch that we can admit is the prevalence 

 of weeds, which, especially in a dry season, may 

 become a positive nuisance to the boatman who has 



