A BOOK OF FISHING STORIES 



presented a somewhat curious spectacle, as we were lying 

 flat on our faces between the railway lines and peering through 

 the iron sleepers at the pool beneath us. The point, however, 

 is that, the water being low and clear, we were able te see 

 several fish lying in rows, and in one of them we could plainly 

 make out a large-sized " Jock Scott " sticking in the side of 

 its mouth. Some fisherman had doubtless had an exciting 

 time, followed by bitter disappointment, but the fish looked 

 comfortable enough anyhow. 



Terns are very common on the Spey, and graceful little 

 birds they are, though not too warmly regarded by owners of 

 fisheries. Mention of them reminds me of an incident which, 

 though it concerned a mere male, I may perhaps allude to in 

 passing. In April 191 1 Major Travers was fishing the Dipple 

 Pool with a " Thunder and Lightning." It was a very bright 

 day, and the water was clear. Suddenly one of the terns then 

 dipping over the river darted at the fly, which it no doubt 

 mistook for a small fish, and got hooked in the beak. The 

 little bird, thoroughly frightened, rose about ten yards in the 

 air, when Major Travers was able to reel it in and let his gillie 

 carefully remove the fly from its bill, after which it flew away 

 none the worse for its mistake. 



A great deal has been written about the best kind of fly 

 to use on a particular river, and it used, indeed, to be stated 

 that none but a Spey fly could kill a Spey salmon. That idea 

 is, however, long since exploded, and scarcely a season goes 

 by without some angler bringing up a new fly that kills quite 

 as well as the time-honoured local patterns. A year or two 



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