LOCH-FISHING 75 



yards beyond the weedy beds, and I foolishly 

 thought I would try for them. Now, you cannot 

 overestimate the difficulty of casting a fly across 

 yards of water-lilies. You catch in the weeds as 

 you lift your line for a fresh cast, and then you 

 have to extricate it laboriously, shortening line, 

 and then to let it out again, and probably come to 

 grief once more. 



I saw a trout rise, with a huge sullen circle 

 dimpling round him, cast over him, raised him, 

 and missed him. The water was perfectly still, 

 and the ' plop ' made by these fish was very exciting 

 and tantalising. The next that rose took the 

 alder, and, of course, ran right into the broad 

 band of lilies. I tried all the dodges I could think 

 of, and all that Mr. Halford suggests. I dragged 

 at him hard. I gave him line. I sat down and 

 endeavoured to disengage my thoughts, but I never 

 got a glimpse of him, and finally had to wade as 

 far in as I dared, and save as much of the casting 

 •line as I could ; it was very little. 



There was one thing to be said for the trout 

 on this side : they meant business. They did not 



