SEA-TROUT LOCH FISHING 177 



of tliis weight, otherwise top or middle will be unduly 

 strained." 



" The heaviest sea-trout it has been my good fortune 

 to take during dry-fly trials is one of 8^ lb., but this 

 is hardly claimed as a dry-fly fish, for owing to the 

 big wave running at the time of its capture I had not 

 troubled to keep the fly perfectly dry, and it was 

 taken just under the unbroken crest of a wave — a 

 particularly beautiful type of rise never to be for- 

 gotten. It had commenced to blow from the south 

 rather suddenly, and a southerly wind makes a high 

 wave upon the Hebridean lochs, as most of them are 

 positioned with their length north and south." 



"Another very perfect fish of 5 lb. 15 oz. was cap- 

 tured with a o red quill." 



" There was a slight swell at the time, but no wind. 

 The fish rose with a long diagonal rush from a depth 

 of seven or eight feet. These furious rises are more 

 or less characteristic of sea-trout when taking the float- 

 ing fly on lochs, and somewhat disconcerting to the 

 angler; upon the Other hand, with a dead calm and 

 a fall of red ants, the rise is similar to that ex- 

 perienced when brown trout are taking fly in our 

 southern rivers." 



" The variety in the type of rise to the dry-fly that 

 a sea-trout gives you lends charm to the sport. It is 

 doubtless caused by the different depths from which 

 the fish rise." 



" As a break in one's usual routine these annual visits 

 to the Harris sea-trout lochs have certainly proved a 



