LOCH-FISHING 191 



the trout will not rise so readily, but will take again 

 in September and the beginning of October; but 

 fly-fishing in the fall of the season can hardly be 

 called sport, as the trout do not begin to take, 

 after having stopped, till they are in declining 

 condition. 



The best time of day depends entirely upon the 

 weather, and it is impossible to name any time with 

 certainty, as the trout may change their humour 

 with every change in the sky. In May the forenoon 

 will generally be found the best, but in June and 

 July from seven in the morning till noon, and again 

 the afternoon from three to five, are the most 

 favourable times. If the weather is very warm, as it 

 sometimes is in July, and there is no wind, about 

 sunset, and an hour or two after it, will be found 

 worth all the rest of the day. 



Angling in Loch Leven has come very much into 

 fashion of late years. For some time it was sup- 

 posed, upon what grounds we are not aware, that 

 the trout of that loch would not rise freely to the 

 artificial fly. This, however, has been found a mis- 

 take ; they rise just as readily as the trout of any 

 other loch, and there are few lochs so well stocked, 

 and certainly none that contain trout of finer 

 quality. We believe that loch contains more trout 

 for its size than any other loch in Scotland, which 

 is entirely attributable to the great extent of its 



must be taken with many exceptions. In some lochs notably 

 St. Mary's, Loch Ard, Loch Vennachar the best of the angling 

 js over in or before May. 



