168 LOCH-FISHING. 



chosen a propitious day, has sometimes returned with a 

 tolerable creelful. He then starts on his pleasure-tour, 

 and of course his fishing-rod forms an important accompa- 

 niment. At first he makes some determined attacks upon 

 the finny tribe ; but, being generally unsuccessful, his 

 rod is laid aside, and, after having been delighted with the 

 sublimities and beauties of half the Highlands, he returns 

 home with but an indifferent account of his piscatorial 

 achievements. To such an one I particularly address the 

 few simple directions in loch-fishing, which time and 

 patience have enabled me to collect. 



There are particular times in every season when trout 

 more readily take in many of the Highland lochs, and 

 these it should be the angler's first study to discover. For 

 instance, the best time for trolling with the minnow, in 

 Loch Vennachar, is from the end of February to the middle 

 of May, when large fish may be taken. They never rise 

 well at the fly in this loch. In Loch Lomond, the trolling 

 does not begin till May, and only lasts till the middle of 

 June, when the fly-fishing commences. More may then 

 be caught, but, with the exception of sea-trout, seldom 

 nearly so large as with the minnow. In Loch Katrine, 

 you may troll with success all the season. The fishing in 

 Lochs Earn, Lubnaig, and Voil is not good till M.ay : the 

 trout in these lochs being small, they are never trolled 

 except for the gillaroo, which inhabits them all, and 

 sometimes grows to a great size. The trouting in Loch 

 Ard is best at an early part of the year, falling off very 

 much as the season advances ; while Lochs Chon and Dhu, 



