318 THE MOOR AND THE LOCH 



with one as with two, although sometimes the fish may be a 

 little longer in stirring. Don't be too certain that you have 

 detected the most killing fly because fish take it well one day, 

 as salmon, in some moods, will rise at anything you throw 

 over them. 



When large rivers are so low that the salmon reject the 

 smallest legitimate fly. reduce your hook to the size of those 

 recommended for the Highland streams viz., what is called a 

 sea-trout fly, and try before the sun is up and after it sets. 

 It is needless to say that this fly must be of a very sober 

 cast. With these reduced flies, and no glaring sunshine on 

 the water, a fish may now and then be taken in the pools, 

 when there would have been no chance with the smallest 

 salmon-hook. An excellent fly for some light summer waters 

 is a ptarmigan wing, dull yellow, or dark-green body, and a 

 hackle half black and half red. This is first-rate for large 

 sea -trout. In the Echaig, a blue jay -wing is a standing 

 favourite, both with salmon and sea-trout, in every state of 

 the river ; and even in full flood they refuse a lighter wing. 

 A dark mottled pheasant-tail for wing, red body, and gold 

 tinsel, is also a choice fly for the grilse and salmon of that 

 water. 



The salmon almost always keep the channel l or deep parts 

 of a river ; so, if it is fordable, you will often have to change 

 from one side to the other, as the heaviest stream alters its 

 course. In small waters this is not difficult, but in great 

 rivers one is frequently obliged to make choice of a side. 

 This requires judgment, as much of the day's sport depends on 

 securing that one which combined circumstances render the 

 most desirable at the time. 



Trolling with parr is a most deadly method, the bait being 



1 This rule does not hold good with trout. Often the weather side of a stream, 

 even when shallow, is the surest find for them, because the flies and other insects, 

 being drifted across, are collected on the opposite bank. In lochs, they would be 

 devoured almost as soon as their voyage had begun ; therefore the contrary rule 

 obtains. 



