THE MOOR-BURN. 199 



them chosen, we will now proceed to throw 'them. If 

 unacquainted with the burn, you should never pass over 

 the streams, eddies, &c. when it first runs clear ; and as it 

 decreases in size pay most attention to the pools. If the 

 "spate" or flood has not been very heavy, the fish will 

 soon refuse to rise at all. It is then that a man who 

 knows the water will often kill a fish or two, when perhaps 

 an angler equally expert, but without this advantage, 

 would stand little chance. I once in this way astonished 

 a fellow-craftsman, no mean performer either. I was at 

 the burn-side just at the proper moment, and having 

 fished the best of the water, was about to return after 

 killing a couple of fine sea-trout, when I saw a rival, with 

 whom I was unacquainted, trotting down to the bank. His 

 first salutation was, " Are the fish rising ? " He then 

 desired to see my flies, being a stranger to the burn. As he 

 seemed what is called " a greedy angler, " I thought it no 

 harm to take a rise out of him. The water by this time 

 was long past its best ; so, after supplying him with a 

 fly, I said I would not interfere, but walk down and show 

 him the casts. He was evidently a good fisher, but, as I 

 anticipated, did not kill a fish, and only rose one. In the 

 burn there was one very strong eddy, where the trout 

 never rose to the fly, but where I seldom missed taking 



thus fish always with good strong single gut, next the hook, cutting it off 

 and making a fresh knot whenever it chafes at the shank. This method, 

 of course, will not be very strenuously recommended at the fishing-tackle 

 maker's, as, by the usual way, the fly is of no more use when the gut 

 cracks or chafes close to the hook, which, unless double, or even triple, 

 it will soon do. 



