202 LOCH-FISHING. 



and the light being less, the character of the lure is 

 not so easily discerned. 



The notion that the boat must be pulled against 

 the wind, common among the boatmen, and to which 

 they adhere so tenaciously, is erroneous ; but it would 

 be difficult to make a Highland boatman believe this. 

 The error arises from the supposition that the wind 

 is driving the water in the direction it is blowing, 

 whereas it is merely the form of the wave that is 

 going forward, and the bait will spin just as well if 

 the boat is rowed in any direction which is most 

 convenient ; either directly with the wind or side- 

 ways to it. When the wind is very strong, it is 

 almost impossible to row the boat sufficiently fast 

 against it to keep the bait spinning. 



Trolling should be done in deeper water than 

 fly-fishing, and every part of the loch may be trolled 

 over, avoiding the very deep portions. Water from 

 ten to twenty feet deep is usually considered the 

 best ground, but stray fish, and those generally of 

 large size, may be taken even in the middle of the 

 loch. 



A dark stormy day is considered most favourable, 

 but no day is objectionable, and even in a dead calm 

 trout may be taken with a small natural or artificial 

 minnow, when they cannot be taken by any other 

 means. In the early part of the season trout will 

 take most freely during the forenoon ; but in June 

 and July, if the weather is at all warm, early morn- 

 ing is the best time, and when there is no wind from 



