SPRING SALMON FISHING. 59 



loch, the fishing is confined to it and the river below. At the be- 

 ginning of the season the bulk of the salmon do not go beyond the 

 lower reaches, and to these reaches the sport is practically confined, 

 until the rising temperature of the water induces their further upward 

 progress. Although in the finest of condition, the Thurso salmon in 

 the cold weather are decidedly slow and sluggish in their move- 

 ments, and do not readily come to the surface ; indeed, it is then 

 necessary, in order to induce them to rise, to use very large flies, 

 which sink a foot or two in the water. With the exception of the 

 four or five miles next Loch More, which are comparatively 

 picturesque, the river runs through a series of uninteresting flats, 

 and its general characteristics can hardly be described as sporting. 

 So slow-flowing, indeed, are many of the casts that, in order to get 

 the fly to "work" properly, it is well to begin at the foot and fish 

 up, as is the custom on some of the " Dubs '' on Tweed. Of this 

 type is the famous " Cottage Linn," on which such magnificent 

 sport has often been had ; but not until the month of April or May 

 does this capital pool fish its best. Immediately above, a stretch 

 of shallow streamy water intervenes between it and Loch Beg, a 

 small loch just below Loch More ; the result being that vast 

 numbers of fish congregate in the " Linn " as the season advances, 

 unwilling, unless with a flood, to ascend the shallow stream afore- 

 said. From ten to fifteen fish have frequently fallen to the rod of a 

 single angler in one day, and to the best of my knowledge twenty- 

 one is the top score ; once only did I have the luck to hit off the 

 "Linn" under favourable circumstances — the water in fair order, 

 and a strong wind blowing from the right quarter — and I got nine 

 fish weighing 104 lbs., besides hooking and losing at least half a 

 dozen others, 



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