NOVEMBER 269 



flies and delicate tackle it is often necessary to display 

 in water refined by the first frosts. 



Every angler on Tweedside cherishes the secret hope 

 that a flash of good fortune may befall him similar to 

 that which came one November gloaming to a friend 

 of mine. He was fishing the cast called Jock Sure, just 

 above the Monk's Ford, at Dryburgh, when he beheld a 

 mighty form roll dolphin-wise above the glassy surface 

 a few yards below his fly. No splash or flurry just a 

 silent ' head- and- tail ' rise, such as the experienced 

 fisherman loves to see as the light begins to fail. 



My friend was alone, fishing off the shore ; his tackle 

 was fine and his fly small, for the river was not far 

 above summer size. There was a fair current flowing 

 hi Jock Sure, though the surface was smooth. Steadily 

 he plied his lure, working down to the spot where the 

 monster had shown himself, scarcely daring to hope 

 that it would notice the insignificant bundle of fur and 

 feather dancing overhead. 



' That 's about the place now/ thought he to himself, 

 and at that moment the line stopped the rod was 

 smartly raised and bent in a goodly curve the reel gave 

 a short shriek then, click click click, paid out the 

 line by inches as the great fish moved slowly into 

 deeper water. Nine fish out of ten closely resemble 

 each other in their tactics when hooked. Shoal water 

 or a swift current sometimes adds to the excitement, 

 but in this instance there was neither; the muckle fish 

 just sailed up and down the deep channel till he was 

 tired, and his captor began to coax him ashora 



