SALMON AND TROUT MEMORIES 



to Aasen farm with the fish wrapped up in a mackintosh under 

 my arm, I began to think it weighed, not 14 lb,, but 40 lb. To 

 complete the pleasing memories of that particular day, a few 

 hours later I received a message that my friend had killed his 

 first bull elk in Laerdal. 



Some of my happiest fishing memories are of Scotch and 

 Irish rivers. Want of space will not permit me to recall 

 numerous incidents of angling sport on Dee and Don, on 

 Earne, Tweed and Stinchar rivers, on Beauly, Conon and 

 Helmsdale rivers in the north. I once remember throwing over 

 a London dinner engagement in order to accept an invitation 

 to fish a well-known beat on the Dee on its opening day in 

 February. Five fresh-run salmon rewarded my faithlessness 

 to a London hostess, who was subsequently placated by one 

 of those same fresh Dee salmon sent as a peace-offering to her 

 larder. Another pleasing recollection is of a week's combined 

 deer-stalking and salmon-fishing holiday at the head of the 

 Beauly River early one October. I was then one day fortunate 

 enough — the river was in fine order and full of fish — to kill 

 three salmon and one stag, and on another day three stags 

 and one salmon. 



But in many respects the rivers of the Emerald Isle have 

 a charm and attraction all their own, and difficult to surpass. 

 For one thing, they are usually fishable in summer when days 

 are long and grass and foliage is green, whereas the best Scotch 

 fishing is usually in very early spring or late autumn, when days 

 are shorter and weather colder and less propitious. 



The Shannon I have never fished, but, apart from this 



lOI 



