LOCH TROUT-FISHING 165 



run a fair average, say from three-quarters of 

 a pound to three pounds, using the gossamer 

 tackle which is indispensable to successful dry-fly 

 practice, probably one fish in every three hooked 

 would break him. 



This applies only to fishing off the shore, or 

 wading, when the effort of the fish is always to 

 get into the deep water. In fishing from a boat 

 the odds are greatly in favour of the fisherman, 

 seeing that the fish may be followed. Be it observed 

 here that half the excitement of loch fishing is lost 

 in the usual practice of casting from a boat. In 

 almost every loch there are points and bays which 

 may be easily covered by one on the shore or 

 wading moderately deep. The labour is greater, no 

 doubt, but so is the sport when a good trout is 

 hooked, as the angler is more or less a fixed point. 

 No one who has not experienced it can realise what 

 a splendid fight is made by a three-pound trout, 

 hooked on moderately fine tackle by one wading to 

 mid-thigh. He spins off a score of yards of line at 

 the first rush, throws himself aloft, bores into the 

 deep till the point of the little ' Dunkeld ' is buried 

 in the water, sweeps round in a semicircle, the line 

 cutting the waves like the prow of a racing cutter, 



