356 THE KEEPER'S BOOK 



Trolling or Salmon Minnow -Fishing from a Boat. 

 In this method of fishing the gillie's duty is to find 

 out which parts of the loch the fish frequent ; the 

 different depths of the loch, so as to avoid fouling in 

 the bottom or coming against hidden rocks ; the kinds 

 of bait to use (and to see that they spin properly) ; the 

 proper length of line to put out ; the correct weight 

 of lead to put on the trace ; and the direction of wind 

 which affects certain parts of the loch. He must also 

 know how to take the bait over a fish which has been 

 seen to rise, without taking the boat over the place and 

 disturbing the fish. Care should be taken to row 

 sufficiently fast so as to make the bait spin. When 

 a fish is hooked, the boat should not be pulled all over 

 the loch. Many gillies are never content unless they 

 follow that bad practice, and they sometimes kill a fish 

 a mile away from where it was hooked, thereby wasting 

 valuable time and disturbing the water for the chance 

 of other fish. 



Trout- Fishing from a Boat in a Loch. In Scotland 

 more gillies and keepers are employed at this style of 

 fishing than any other. The angler depends on them 

 for his sport and pleasure. As a rule, the sport is pro- 

 portionate to the knowledge of the gillie. The gillie's 

 duty is to obtain a perfect knowledge of every part of 

 the loch, its deeps, shallows, and bays, and the places 

 where trout frequent at different seasons. He should 

 know at all times where he is, the depth of water he is 

 fishing, the nature of the bottom whether gravel, rocks, 



