200 THE MOOE-BURN. 



one with the worm, when the water was at all swollen. 

 On coming near this place, I said, "if he had done 

 nothing it was not his fault, but that I would now try 

 my luck. " I then let him go a good way ahead, took 

 off my flies, put on a bait-hook and worm, and from this 

 place pulled out two whitlings half-a-pound weight. I 

 then whipped on my flies again, and overtook him at the 

 end of the burn. I could hardly keep my gravity at 

 his astonished face when I showed him my success. He 

 never suspected the bait, and I soon took my leave, 

 wishing him better sport the next spate ! 



Sea-trout, after the burn has run small, will never rise 

 to the fly ; they fall back to the pools, and, as anglers say, 

 stick to the bottom, where they may often be seen. At such 

 times they are also very unwilling to take a bait, and the 

 only chance is to try both pools and streams with the 

 minnow after it becomes nearly dark. I recollect once, 

 when the water was quite dwindled, taking a very fine one 

 with worm ; but although I have often tried the same 

 pools before and since, never with success. I had been 

 fishing a small moor-loch in company with another angler, 

 and thought of returning home by the burn, and trying 

 the steep lyns with bait for a sea-trout. My companion 

 laughed at the idea, saying, that to catch one then was 

 totally out of the question. I thought the same, but 

 having plenty of time, resolved to make the attempt ; so, 

 selecting one or two of the largest pools, where the rocks 

 on each side rose perpendicularly, darkening the water, I 

 gently and slowly let down the bait, allowing the worm, 



