LOCH-FISHING 139 



"There," I said, drawing his attention to a couple 

 of notches carved on the seat he was occupying. 



" Oh, that ! " was the surprised reply ; " 'deed, an' I 

 wass forgetiin' aal about it, " and, unable any longer to 

 insist, he dropped the troutling gently overboard. 



There seems to exist among; angrlers a foolish belief 

 that while the finest of tackle is essential to success on 

 the stream, anything will serve their purpose when loch- 

 fishing is in question. The error probably originates in 

 the use of large flies. The fish which are not to be 

 scared by these should see nothing alarming in a cor- 

 respondingly heavy cast. The reasoning is plausible, 

 but unconvincing. Trout everywhere are quick of 

 sight and easily made afraid, and the precautions ob- 

 served on the river cannot be safely ignored on the 

 loch. Even if it were true that coarse tackle failed to 

 impair the success of the angler, it would seriously mar 

 his enjoyment of the sport, unless, indeed, he gauges 

 his enjoyment by the number of fish he kills and not by 

 the conditions under which he kills them. We are all, 

 of course, pleased to produce a well-fijled creel in testi- 

 mony of our prowess, but our liveliest pleasure precedes 

 the actual capture of the trout ; it is in the pursuit, not 

 in the possession, that we find our greatest joy. In the 

 excitement, the delightful excitement, which accom- 



