FLY-FISHING IN HILL BURNS. 91 



or 6, and have a long shank, at the bend of which is 

 attached a piece of gut or bristle, pointing upwards, 

 so as to prevent the bait, when run over it, from slipping 

 back. A single turn of a fine red hackle at the head 

 of the wire, will be found an improvement. 



Dipping with the natural insect, is also appropriate 

 to the summer season, but is not much pursued in 

 Scotland. On calm water, overhung with wood, I 

 have killed occasionally large trout by this expedient. 

 The stone-fly, or a couple of them, fixed on a small 

 bait-hook, I also know to be very deadly; but lures 

 of this description, have always their substitute in 

 the worm itself, and are, moreover, scantily met 

 with on many of our rivers most suited to their em- 

 ployment. 



Although, as I have stated, the months of June and 

 July afford but indifferent sport to the fly-fisher fre- 

 quenting our larger streams, it is otherwise among hill 

 burns arid on Highland lochs. The former, during this 

 portion of the season, and especially after a summer 

 flood, are generally at their prime ; and many of the 

 latter also, but not all of them, claim regard from the 

 angler. One inducement to fish at this period, is the 

 fine condition and appearance of the trout. It must 

 be admitted, indeed, that even still, when captured in 

 certain localities, they are, at their best, but soft and 

 tasteless fish, yet such occasions are comparatively 

 rare ; for in general, throughout Scotland, and more 

 especially in our Highland lochs, they acquire, when in 

 season, a colour, flavour, and curdiness, which the sal- 

 mon itself has no pretensions to. 



The fly-hooks best adapted for hill-burn fishing, are 

 in general small, varying from No. 1 to No. 5, round- 

 bend. After great rains, larger ones may be used 



