206 LOCH-FISHING. 



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 

 supposed, 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 

 mistake ; 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 feeding-ground ; the greater part of it being 

 of the depth of from six to twelve feet ; just the 

 depth of water best suited to breeding fish. The 

 fishing is under the management of a tacksman, who 

 keeps a number of boats which are let out at half- 



