MODES OF ANGLING 39 



water, detects in a moment that he can have no correct 

 notions on the subject, and is, in this matter, a veritable 

 ignoramus. " Por, to an angler's eye, it is requisite that 

 a stream ever should have a certain shape — a contour, 

 a physiognomy, a character — to solicit his attention and 

 favour. Every disciple of the rod carries about with 

 him an ideal figure of a perfect stream, where, in all 

 rivers — under every parallel of latitude and longitude — 

 he is morally certain to find the object of which he is 

 in quest. This heau ideal of watery conformations is 

 not a variable or uncertain thing ; it has in everyone's 

 eye the same general outline and expression. We know 

 that what is at this moment prefigured to our imagina- 

 tions as the height of perfection, is the same as that 

 which occupies the mind of every other angler in the 

 kingdom, who is entitled to the appellation. A fine 

 fishing - stream has all the standard elements of per- 

 manent beauty that appertain to the beautiful in every 

 branch of art or science whatever." 1 



The trout observes the same rule as the salmon, with 

 respect to his haunts and places of abode. The latter 

 never ventures into very shallow water, at a great 

 distance from a deep place of shelter ; and thus long, 

 shallow streams, situated at a considerable distance from 

 a range of deep water, are seldom frequented by large 

 trout, except at night in the summer season, when they 

 often run a considerable distance up such places in 

 pursuit of minnows. Those streams, therefore, are the 

 best which lead immediately into tolerably deep water. 



It is a good general rule in fly-fishing, never to remain 

 very long at one particular spot. When you have the 

 water before you, take the best streams, and fish them 

 carefully, but as quickly as you can. Remember, a 

 trout never can he enticed. All his movements are 

 impulsive and prompt ; and if you cast your fly where 

 he lies, he will generally dash at it at once ; but should 

 he miss it in his first eagerness, do not tempt him again 

 for a few minutes ; rather recede from the spot a little, 

 to allow him time to regain his former position, and 



'■ Guide to the Rivers and Lochs 0/ Scotland. London, 1854. 



