408 THE MOOR AND THE LOCH. 



with the addition of an orange tuft, is one of the best that 

 can be used for spring and summer salmon on the Tweed, if 

 the water is in its ordinary state ; and by lessening the hook 

 as the river decreases, you may continue to kill fish with it 

 when the water is so small that they will not look at any 

 other. 1 



As to the most killing flies for particular burns, it is im- 

 possible that any rule can be given ; this is a point which 

 one's own observation, or the information of adepts in the 

 neighbourhood, alone can decide. But supposing 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 



1 The best turkey-feathers for the wings of salmon and sea-trout flies are those 

 with the smallest spots, very difficult to procure ; and nothing can stand a com- 

 parison with the forked tail of the kite, when a red-brown wing is required for 

 salmon. 



Flies for salmon ought to be fastened to the gut in a different manner from 

 any others viz., with a small loop of double or triple gut, through which the 

 length of gut is passed and tied with a double knot. You may 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. 



