RAINING TROUT i39 



which had caught the fish, was flying low down, the 

 weight being too heavy for it, and when I raised my 

 rod suddenly from behind the bush it was so frightened 

 that it dropped its prey. 



Thus four curious incidents occurred to me in a very 

 short period : ; 



Firstly, my reel falling out of the boat in the Crulves 

 Pool, the deepest in the Beauly. 



Secondly, the line breaking while I was playing a 

 salmon, and my catching the line, and afterwards killing 

 the fish with it on my hand. 



Thirdly, the stag on the rock, whose life was saved 

 by keeping It there all day while I was fishing. 



Fourthly, the trout dropped at my feet on a bright 

 June day by the osprey, the last named being truly 

 lucky, for it was Friday, and the weather and water 

 all against the chance of even rising a fish. 



Although in many good fishing districts it is quite 

 possible to purchase flies, they are often but indif- 

 ferently constructed, and I would therefore advise any 

 of my readers who may contemplate making a fishing 

 trip to be careful to obtain a good supply of the 

 standard flies from some good maker. Of course, 

 there are some local men whom no maker can excel 

 in work, whether in London or elsewhere, but such 

 cases are few and far between. 



I remember once asking a professional fly-tyer and 

 fisherman why he tied his hackles on so badly. Being 

 an Irishman, he was not at a loss for a ready reply. 

 * Sure, yer honour, if a fly kills one fish, it ought to do ; 

 there would be no trade at all if it killed two fish.' If 

 the honesty of the speaker was doubtful, he without 

 doubt expressed himself honestly, and although his 



