236 FISHING GOSSIP. 
in Scotland. It used to be an accepted belief that 
lochs fished earlier than rivers, but the exceptions to 
the rule are too numerous and important to leave it © 
much value: for instance, there is Loch Leven, where 
the fishing can scarcely be said to begin till the latter 
end of May. There may be a great deal in the fact 
that Loch Ard, though really in the Highlands, lies on 
a low level. But there is Loch Leven, on about as 
low a level, and with a rich marly and grassy bottom, 
and ina flat and warm country, whose fishing does 
not begin till that of Loch Ard is nearly over; and 
there is St. Mary’s Loch, in Selkirkshire, 600 feet 
above the sea, with a hard bottom and amid cold hills, 
where the fishing (barring frosts) begins as early as in 
Loch Ard. Be the causes what they may, Loch Ard 
begins to yield very fair fishing in March, and con- 
tinues to do so up till the end of May, and sometimes a 
little later. A good deal, of course, depends on the 
weather, and especially on whether winter has lin- 
gered long, and has been “ open * or “hard.” The 
winter of 1863-4 was open and early—that of 1864-5 
was hard and late ; so that the fishing in Loch Ard 
was a month later last year than in the year preced- 
ing, and is still later this year, when winter may be 
said not to have begun till March—the trouts being 
in April of these two years scarcely in such good 
condition or such good taking temper as they gener- 
ally are in March. 
