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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/26072-8.txt b/26072-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a6defb2 --- /dev/null +++ b/26072-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1987 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Scotch Loch-Fishing, by AKA Black Palmer, William Senior + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Scotch Loch-Fishing + +Author: AKA Black Palmer, William Senior + +Release Date: July 16, 2008 [EBook #26072] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SCOTCH LOCH-FISHING *** + + + + +Produced by Stephen Blundell and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + + + + + SCOTCH LOCH-FISHING + + + BY + "BLACK PALMER" + + + WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS + EDINBURGH AND LONDON + MDCCCLXXXII + + _All Rights reserved_ + + + + + DEDICATED + + TO THE + + MEMBERS OF THE WESTERN ANGLING CLUB GLASGOW + + IN REMEMBRANCE OF MANY HAPPY DAYS + + SPENT IN THEIR COMPANY + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The Author of this very practical treatise on Scotch Loch-Fishing +desires chiefly that it may be of use to all who read it. He does not +pretend to have written anything new, but to have attempted to put what +he has to say in as readable a form as possible. Everything in the way +of the history and habits of fish has been studiously avoided, and +technicalities have been used as sparingly as possible. The writing of +this book has afforded him much pleasure in his leisure moments, and +that pleasure would be much increased if he knew that the perusal of it +would create any bond of sympathy between himself and the angling +community in general. This edition is interleaved with blank sheets for +the reader's notes. The Author need hardly say that any suggestions +addressed to the care of the publishers, will meet with consideration in +a future edition. + +GLASGOW, _March 1882_. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAP. PAGE + + I. INTRODUCTORY, 1 + + II. EQUIPMENT, 5 + + III. TACKLE AND ACCESSORIES, 7 + + IV. FLIES AND CASTING-LINES, 13 + + V. TROLLING-TACKLE AND LURES, 21 + + VI. DUTIES OF BOATMAN, 27 + + VII. ETIQUETTE OF LOCH-FISHING, 33 + + VIII. CASTING AND STRIKING, 37 + + IX. TROLLING, 42 + + X. CAPTURE OF FISH, 48 + + XI. AFTER A DAY'S FISHING, 60 + + XII. REMINISCENCES, 65 + + XIII. CONCLUSION, 80 + + + + +SCOTCH LOCH-FISHING. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +INTRODUCTORY. + + +We do not pretend to write or enlarge upon a new subject. Much has been +said and written--and well said and written too--on the art of fishing; +but loch-fishing _per se_ has been rather looked upon as a second-rate +performance, and to dispel this idea is one of the objects for which +this present treatise has been written. Far be it from us to say +anything against fishing, lawfully practised in any form; but many pent +up in our large towns will bear us out when we say that, on the whole, +a day's loch-fishing is the most convenient. One great matter is, that +the loch-fisher is dependent on nothing but enough wind to "curl" the +water,--and on a large loch it is very seldom that a dead calm prevails +all day,--and can make his arrangements for a day, weeks beforehand; +whereas the stream-fisher is dependent for a good take on the state of +the water: and however pleasant and easy it may be for one living near +the banks of a good trout stream or river, it is quite another matter to +arrange for a day's river-fishing, if one is looking forward to a +holiday at a date some weeks ahead. Providence may favour the expectant +angler with a "good" day, and the water in order; but experience has +taught most of us that the "good" days are in the minority, and that, as +is the case with our rapid running streams,--such as many of our +northern streams are,--the water is either too large or too small, +unless, as previously remarked, you live near at hand, and can catch it +at its best. + +A common belief in regard to loch-fishing is, that the tyro and the +experienced angler have nearly the same chance in fishing,--the one from +the stern and the other from the bow of the same boat. Of all the +absurd beliefs as to loch-fishing, this is one of the most absurd. Try +it. Give the tyro either end of the boat he likes; give him a cast of +any flies he may fancy, or even a cast similar to those which a "crack" +may be using; and if he catches one for every three the other has, he +may consider himself very lucky. Of course there are lochs where the +fish are not abundant, and a beginner may come across as many as an +older fisher; but we speak of lochs where there are fish to be caught, +and where each has a fair chance. + +Again, it is said that the boatman has as much to do with catching trout +in a loch as the angler. Well, we don't deny that. In an untried loch it +is necessary to have the guidance of a good boatman; but the same +argument holds good as to stream-fishing. There are "pools and pools," +and the experienced loch-fisher can "spot" a bay or promontory, where +trout are likely to be lying, with as much certainty as his brother +angler can calculate on the lie of fish in a stream. Then there are +objections to loch-fishing on the score of expense. These we are not +prepared to refute; for there is no doubt whatever that loch-fishing +means money. But what has made it so? The same reason that makes all +other things of more or less value--the common law of supply and demand. +Time was, and that not so long ago, when a boatman who used to get 3s., +or at most 4s. a-day, now gets his 5s. or 6s., and even at the latter +figure does not think himself too well paid. In the extreme north, +however, it is still possible to get a good man for 3s. a-day; and we +know of nothing more enjoyable than a fortnight's loch-fishing amidst +magnificent scenery in some of our northern counties. The expense of +getting there will always be a serious matter; but once there, the +fishing in itself is not dear. The boat is usually got for nothing; the +right of fishing, so far at least as trout are concerned, is free; and +the man's wage and lunch are decidedly cheap. But for a single day on +some of our nearer lochs,--such as Loch Leven, Loch Ard, or Loch +Lomond,--the expenses _are_ heavy, and the angler must always be the +best judge as to the likelihood of the "game being worth the candle." + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +EQUIPMENT. + + +This will be a short chapter, as tastes differ so very much, that many +things we might say would most probably be disregarded. But as to some +matters, there can only be one opinion. Do not fish in _light-coloured_ +clothes; and, should the weather be wet, do not wear a white macintosh +coat. We believe that the eyesight of a fish is the keenest sense which +it possesses; and, more especially should the day be clear and fine, +there is no doubt that an unusual white object within range of its +vision will make a fish, which might otherwise have taken the fly, turn +tail and flee. A good deal of what we hear spoken of as fish "rising +short," proceeds from this cause. No doubt they rise short sometimes on +seeing the angler himself, but he is much less likely to attract notice +if clad in dark-hued clothing. We know of nothing better for a fishing +rig-out than a suit made from dark Harris tweed--it will almost last a +lifetime, and is a warm and comfortable wear. Thus you will need a dark +macintosh and leggings; and a common sou'wester is, when needed, a very +useful head-gear. A pair of cloth-lined india-rubber gloves will be +found desirable in early spring, when it is quite possible that the +temperature may be low enough for snow. A pair of stout lacing boots, +made with uppers reaching well up the leg, will be found best, as they +protect the feet from getting damp when going into or leaving a boat, +even though one should need to step into the water; and if your +waterproof coat is long, as it should be, the necessity of wearing +leggings on a wet day is obviated. Lastly, _by all means keep the body +warm_, and remember that the more careful you are of yourself, even at +the risk of being thought "old wifish," you will, humanly speaking, be +enabled to enjoy the sport to a greater age than you might otherwise +do. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +TACKLE AND ACCESSORIES. + + +As this is likely to be one of the most important chapters in the book, +the reader must forgive us if we are particular--even to a fault--in +describing some of the necessaries towards the full enjoyment of the +pleasures of loch-fishing. So much depends on our being comfortable in +our enjoyments, that we have, perhaps, erred on the side of luxuriance; +but to those anglers who think so, there is nothing easier than their +leaving out what they think superfluous. + +_Creel, or Fishing-Bag._--The creel for loch-fishing should be of the +largest size made, so as to serve for all kinds of fish; and as the +angler is always in a boat, the difference of room occupied is of very +little moment. Besides, it accommodates his tackle and lunch, and even +waterproofs, though the latter are better to be strapped on outside. +These creels are neatest when made in French basket-work; and even the +lightest of them, with ordinary care, will last many years, more +especially if the edges and bottom are leather-bound. Almost any +tackle-shop will supply them plain, or bound with leather, as desired. +Brass hinges and hasp will also be found great improvements. The +fishing-bag is of somewhat recent development, and is very convenient; +but the objection to it is that, unless the waterproof cloth with which +it is lined be carefully washed after each day's fishing, a nasty smell +is apt to be contracted and retained. Though we use the bag often +ourselves, we incline for many reasons to the old-fashioned creel. Many +loch-fishers carry along with them a square basket about 16 in. × 8 +broad × 10 deep, which they use for carrying their tackle and lunch, +thus leaving the creel or fishing-bag free for fish alone. This is a +capital plan, the only objection being that it makes another article to +carry. As to its usefulness there can be no doubt, as nothing is more +undesirable than having tackle and fish in one basket or bag, even +though you should have something between. Some anglers go the length of +a luncheon-basket, but this savours so much of the picnic that we don't +approve of it. + +_Landing-Net and Gaff._--These may be got at any tackle shop, the only +care to be exercised being in the selection of a good long handle, and +in seeing that the net be made of twine which resists the catching of +hooks, and that it be of a size capable of landing a large fish, as the +gaff leaves an ugly mark, and should only be used when actually +necessary. The screw of the net-hoop and of the gaff will suit the same +handle. + +_Fishing-Rods._--For loch-fishing, it is desirable to use a rod not less +than 14 feet in length, if fishing for ordinary yellow trout; but if for +sea trout, and the chance of "a fish" _par excellence_, then the rod +should be a couple of feet longer. The angler will find that it is +better to have both rods with him--the spare one being handy in case of +calamity--as the extra trouble of carrying is very slight: rods and +landing-net handle can be easily tied up together with small leather +straps. Do not have a rod that bends too freely--rather err on the +other side; because in loch-fishing you have generally wind enough to +carry your flies out, and if you do get a 3 or 4 pounder, the advantage +of a fairly stiff rod is apparent. We prefer rods in three pieces--no +hollow-butts--and made of greenheart throughout. The first cost is more +than for rods whose various parts are made of different woods, but the +greenheart is the cheapest rod in the end. With the minimum of care, a +greenheart never gets out of order; and a good rod of this description +will be as straight at the end of a season as at the beginning. Avoid +all fancy rods, and do not be beguiled into buying them. + +_Reels and Lines._--Always carry a couple of reels with you, the smaller +with 60 yards of fine line, and the larger with not less than 100 yards +of grilse line. Silk-and-hair lines are not very expensive, and with a +little care will last a long time. They will be found the most +satisfactory for all kinds of fly-work. The reels which we consider best +are made of bronzed metal and vulcanite: they are light, and stand a lot +of wear. When buying your rods, get the reels fitted to them, and see +that the fit is sufficiently tight, as nothing is more annoying than to +find the ferrules loosening their hold of the reel, and that, perhaps, +at a most critical moment. Should the reels referred to not be heavy +enough to balance the rods properly--and this is a matter of great +importance--it may be as well to take reels made entirely of bronzed +metal. + +_Fly-Book._--We are not much in favour of fly-books. They are a great +temptation to keeping a large stock of flies; and in the following +chapter we will show that the fewer flies one possesses the better. A +serious objection to a fly-book is, that the flies get crushed in it, +and we consider a box a better receptacle; but if the angler will have a +fly-book, one of moderate size--rather to the big size if anything--made +of pig-skin leather, and well provided with pouches for holding +casting-lines, as well as the usual receptacles for flies, will be found +best. These books are to be had in great variety at any wholesale tackle +warehouse; and taste goes a long way in non-essentials. + +Beyond the articles mentioned, the angler should always have at hand the +following:-- + + Spring balance, weighing up to 20 lb. + Small screw-driver. + Small gimlet. + Small bottle clockmaker's oil. + Bottle varnish. + Carriage-lamp, and candles to fit, for travelling. + Two packs playing-cards. + Good-sized flask. + Flat glass or horn drinking-cup. + Pocket-scissors. The kind that shut up will be found very useful. + Corkscrew. + Hank of medium gut for emergencies. + Fine silk thread and resin. + Some common thin twine for tying joints of rod together. + Also articles named in Chapter V., p. 21, under "Trolling-Tackle and + Lures." + +Many of these things may be considered quite _de trop_; but the longer +one fishes, the more one finds out that the little luxuries give a vast +amount of enjoyment for the small amount of foresight required to have +them at hand when wanted. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +FLIES AND CASTING-LINES. + + +Flies.--Here we shall no doubt come into conflict with many opinions, +and most probably meet with the most criticism. However, as all we have +written, and mean to write, is the result of actual experience, we may +be pardoned for being somewhat dogmatic on the subject in hand. In the +first place, don't keep a large stock of flies. If going for a day's +fishing, buy as many as you think you'll need, and _no more_. Buy them +of different sizes; and if you get a few each time you go for an outing, +you will be astonished how soon a spare stock accumulates. Ascertain +carefully beforehand the _size_ suitable to the loch--the _kinds_ are +not of so much importance--and once you have made up a cast, in which +operation there is no harm in taking your boatman's suggestions, _do not +change_, unless it be to put on a smaller or larger size according to +the wind, or unless it is conclusively proved that other flies are +raising trout when yours cannot. Of course, if you are going for a +fortnight's fishing, you will require to lay in a fair stock; but even +then get as few as you think you can possibly do with. Do not run any +risk of running short, and do not place yourself in the position of +needing to use old casts: that is poor economy in the long-run. The +following is, we think, a fair list for a fortnight's sport in an +out-of-the-way place:-- + + Half-dozen harelugs. + " red and teal. + " orange and mallard. + " green and woodcock. + " black spiders with red tips, commonly called "Zulus." + " red spiders, hackle taken well down the hook. + " March Browns, which, though supposed to come out in March, + are really capital flies at any time. + " yellow body with cinnamon wings and golden-pheasant tip. + " dark harelug body, mallard wing and red tip. This is a + splendid spring fly. + +These we would get dressed on Loch Leven size--any fly-dresser knows +what that means; but perhaps the better way would be to get a quarter +dozen of each dressed on that size, and a quarter dozen of each on a +hook two sizes larger. The patterns in a tackle-maker's book are +endless, but for the most part are modifications or combinations of the +flies we have named; and the angler will soon discover for himself that +flies and old half-used casts, and often casts made up in the humour of +the moment, and never used at all, accumulate upon him so rapidly that +he is glad to find some enthusiastic boatman to bestow them upon. It is +needless to add, that a gift of this kind is usually very much +appreciated by the recipient. Tinsel is a very useful adjunct to a fly, +and should always be employed in those used in loch-fishing. If variety +is wanted in colouring, the least tip of Berlin or pig's wool of the +desired shade will be found very effective. Get your flies dressed on +Limerick-bend hooks, as the iron, should it chance not to be the best +tempered in the world, is not so liable to snap as the round bend. The +wings of the fly should be dressed so as to be distinctly apart both in +the water and out of it, thus-- + +[Illustration] + +It gives the fly a much more life-like appearance, and makes it swim +better in the water. When you give orders for flies, see that they are +dressed up to your instructions, as it is quite certain you will fish +with much more confidence when you have faith in what you are using. Do +not have them dressed on too fine gut, as they are apt to get twisted +round the casting-line (usually called "riding the line"), and put you +to the trouble of straightening them out every few minutes. These +remarks may seem trifling; but trifles are very irritating in most +pursuits, and the gentle art is no exception. Flies suitable for salmon +and sea-trout fishing on almost any loch will be supplied at any shop in +the trade on asking for Loch Lomond patterns. These patterns are +well-known, and are without exception as fine flies as one could wish +for. They are usually made very full in the body, and dressed with +heron's hackle. The varieties are red and teal, green and teal, orange +and mallard, or turkey, and a few variations of these,--sometimes a +yellow tip to the red and green bodies, or a red tip to the yellow; but +a cast composed of red or green and teal with orange and mallard is +unsurpassable. For this class of fishing, the flies should be dressed +with loops, and the bob should be fixed to the casting-line by means of +a small strand of gut. Two flies on a cast are quite sufficient when big +fish are expected. We can hardly advise the angler to try fly-dressing +on his own account. It is hardly worth his while, as flies are to be had +very reasonably from any respectable tackle-maker; and they are much +better dressed in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred than any amateur +performance. + + * * * * * + +_Casting-Lines._--Provide yourself with half a dozen each, of different +thickness--that is, fine, medium, and stout, the latter for salmon and +sea-trout fishing. That quantity should suffice for a fortnight's +outing, even making allowance for breakage, and leave you some over for +another time: but in this matter it is better to run no risk of being +short. The gut should be stained a light tea colour, or the faintest +blue: it can be bought so. There is no occasion for them being more +than three yards long, as we cannot advocate fishing with more than +three flies at a time. If three flies are properly placed on a line, and +the line be properly handled in the casting, they will cover as much +water as any number of flies. Besides, there is far less chance of a +"fankle," to use a most expressive Scotch word, than when four or more +flies are used. In this, however, _chacun à son goût_,--we are only +giving an opinion after trying both ways. + +In making up a cast of flies, _have no loops_ of any kind, excepting the +one by which the cast is attached to your silk-and-hair line. The +water-knot is so simple and neat, that it is the best for the purpose of +fixing on the tail-fly, which, by the way, should be the heaviest of +those you are about to use, if there is any difference between them. In +case our readers don't know the water-knot, we give an illustration +which explains itself-- + +[Illustration] + +The loops are pulled tight, and then the fly and the line are drawn in +opposite directions, the result being that the knots formed by the +loops meet and make a firm, and at the same time an almost +imperceptible, joining. You then clip off any ends that may remain. So +much for the tail fly. The putting on of the other two is simplicity +itself. You take the strand of gut on which the next fly you purpose +affixing is dressed, and laying it along the main line, _taking care to +have the hook lying in the reverse direction from the tail fly_, you tie +it into the line a yard from the fly already attached. In tying it in, +leave the hook hanging about two and a half inches from the line. The +third, or "bob" fly, is attached in like manner, and thus your cast of +flies is completed. The only objection to this method of making up a +cast is, that once the middle and bob flies are tied in, they cannot be +used again. This is quite true; but the keen angler will submit to the +little extra expense on this score for the gratification which the sight +of a really neat cast will afford him. The system of suspending hooks by +loops, especially when using fine tackle, is almost entirely exploded. +We should have said that previous to use, all gut should be soaked, and +the longer the better. It is a good plan to let it soak over night, and +make up your cast in the morning. When gut is thus thoroughly wet, it is +wonderful how easy it is of manipulation. On the other hand, dry gut is +very brittle, and will break on the slightest provocation. Fix the cast +and silk-and-hair line together, having previously made a single knot on +the end of the latter, as illustrated below-- + +[Illustration] + +It is prudent to have a second cast ready in case of breakage, as +nothing is more annoying than losing time making up one in the boat, and +that most probably when the trout are rising. Experience is a great +teacher; and it is wonderful how soon the angler learns the value of +every moment, and seeks beforehand, so far as human foresight can go, to +provide for all contingencies. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +TROLLING-TACKLE AND LURES. + + +Do not troll at all if you can get fishing with the fly; and under no +circumstances troll for trout in the very early part of the season, when +they are more or less in a "kelty" state, and take an artificial or +other minnow very keenly. True, you may catch fish, but it is a most +unsportsmanlike proceeding to take fish not in fair condition; and if +you, sir, who read this book, are not a sportsman, you had better stop +here, for it was compiled by a sportsman for sportsmen. There are some +miserable "pot-hunters" who want to kill anything that swims--be it +clean or unclean; but with them we have nothing whatever to do. But fair +trolling is quite legitimate, and in many cases it is absolutely +imperative to troll if a basket is to be made at all. Some days the fly +is of no use--either owing to a calm, or to a bright sky; and a +well-managed trolling-line or two is then the only resort, unless one +stops fishing altogether. And if big trout and _ferox_ are wanted, +nothing succeeds--indeed nothing _will_ succeed, except very +occasionally--but trolling, either with artificial or natural bait. So +to be complete you must have the requisite tackle, and we will tell you +what is necessary, both for small and large fish, in as few words as we +possibly can. A ROD specially adapted for trolling is almost a +necessity, as it is a great strain upon an ordinary fly-rod to have the +weight of 30 or 40 yards of line upon it: even a good rod is apt to get +an ugly bend from such treatment. The rod for trolling need not be +long--12 to 14 feet is quite sufficient--but it must be stiff; and we +consider that the rings through which the line is led ought to be large +and fixed--that is, standing out permanently from the wood, called by +the trade upright rings. A spare top will be supplied along with it. The +REEL should be of the largest description, and may be got as strong as +possible, lightness being no recommendation to one used exclusively for +trolling. The LINE ought to be at least 100 yards long--120 for +choice--and this suffices for any kind of fish. The material best +adapted for trolling is oiled silk-and-hair. There is a kind of line, +made in America, we believe, which is admirably adapted for the purpose. +It is strong as wire-rope, and does not "kink" under any +circumstances--which latter is a consideration, as sometimes a paltry +trout may come on, and you have only to haul him in hand-over-hand +without running the risk of your line getting into a mess. This saves +the trouble and waste of time in reeling up many yards of line every +time a "smout" comes on. The line to which we refer is somewhat +expensive, but will be found to be cheap in the long-run. An ordinary +silk-and-hair line does well enough, but is apt to twist sadly if the +minnow is not spinning properly, besides the trouble it entails after a +day's fishing of laying out two or three score yards for drying. The +troller will require to provide himself with MINNOW TRACES. These do not +require to be more than two yards in length, but in ordering them take +care that the swivels are sufficiently large to insure the +minnow--natural or artificial--spinning nicely. The angler can easily +procure swivels and make traces for himself; but he will find in this, +as in most things connected with fishing, that he cannot compete with +the tackle-maker, so we advise him to get them made up at a good +warehouse. Retail tackle-makers charge long prices, but in most large +towns there are warehouses which are specially suited for a customer +trade, thus saving the user a long intermediate profit. This is as it +should be. The thickness of the gut used for trolling should of course +be regulated, as in fly-fishing, by the size of fish you expect to +catch, and a few traces made of gimp for pike and _ferox_ should always +be in the troller's stock. By the way, and in case we forget to mention +it afterwards, always be provided with some split swan shot, to be used +in case of a very clear day, when it is desirable to sink line and +minnow below the surface. Also be provided with tackle--some mounted on +gut and some on gimp--for spinning natural minnow; and we know of none +better or more deadly for this purpose than that of which an +illustration is given on next page. It is very simple, and seldom misses +anything. + +[Illustration] + +The large hook is put in at the mouth of the minnow, and the point +brought out at a little above the tail--thus giving the minnow the +proper curve for spinning. One of the smaller hooks is put through +_both_ lips of the lure, to close the mouth and to keep the bait in +proper position, while the other is left to spin. Some advocate the use +of par-tail as a spinning bait; but as it is not right to kill par at +all, we omit any directions for its use. We have drifted into the +subject of LURES almost unconsciously. If you wish to use natural +minnows, see that they are neither too large nor too small--about two +inches long is a good size--and that the belly is silvery. It is better +to instruct your boatman to have a supply ready against your arrival at +the loch, as sometimes it is as difficult to catch minnows as to catch +any other fish. However, we believe that the want of them is so well +supplied by the phantom minnow, that little or no harm is done though +they are not to be had. And when the handling and bother of using live +bait is taken into consideration, we think that most folks will prefer +the artificial lure. The phantom we consider the very best of all the +imitations; and the troller should have them in different colours and +sizes, from Nos. 1 to 7. The hooks attached to the larger sizes should +be mounted on gimp, as in trolling for large fish--and especially for +_salmo ferox_--no risk should be run of the mountings giving way. Tin +boxes, divided into compartments, for holding the minnows, are very +convenient, and are to be had at most tackle shops. A spoon-bait is also +a splendid deception, and should not be awanting. A tackle-maker's +catalogue will tell the reader of many other "spinners;" but if he +cannot catch fish of all kinds with either a natural or phantom minnow +or a spoon, it is not the fault of the lure; and he may try anything +else he fancies, and come no better speed. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +DUTIES OF BOATMAN. + + +Very little requires to be said in this chapter regarding boatmen, as +when the angler gets into the habit of frequenting certain lochs, he +soon finds out for himself the steady reliable men in the neighbourhood, +and can generally engage one of them beforehand by writing to the hotel +at which he means to put up. But in going to a new fishing-ground, he is +better to leave himself in the hands of the landlord of the hotel, and if +not satisfied with his first day's experience of the man who accompanied +him, let him change. A good boatman is a treasure; and though we are +decidedly against the system of "tipping" indiscriminately, we say, when +you get a good man, pay him liberally. We know of some men with whom it +is a pleasure to be out all day, and whose company, in its own way, is +most enjoyable. Keen sportsmen these are, and the capture or loss of a +fish is a source of true pleasure or pain. Other men one comes across +seem but to row the boat, and nothing more; and an unproductive day in +such company is something to be looked back upon with horror. The +leading qualification of a boatman of the right sort is a strong +sympathy with the angler, which enables him almost instinctively to help +the angler to cover every inch of likely water with his flies, and makes +him experience the sensation of expecting a rise every cast; in other +words, he almost puts the fly into the fish's mouth. With such a man, +instructions regarding the management of the boat are superfluous; but +as it often happens that you do not get a first-rate hand, you have to +take matters into your own hands to some extent; and we shall give you a +few hints as to what is best to be done under such circumstances. It is +hardly to be supposed that your man is in ignorance of the best ground, +either from experience or hearsay, and it is only after you get there +that our instructions can possibly come into operation. If you are +obliged to take a perfect greenhorn, we know of no other course than to +order him to keep in the wake of some other boat, but that at such a +distance as not to be offensive. (See next chapter on the "Etiquette of +Loch-fishing.") But let us assume that you get on to ground where fish +are: the first point is to see that everything is in order, all +unnecessary articles put out of the way, and the landing-net and gaff +conveniently at hand. We ought to have said that a large stone in the +bow is useful, not only to balance the boat and make her drift better, +but also as a weight to which a rope may be attached, and thus let over +the side to the depth of a few feet, to prevent her drifting too rapidly +should there happen to be a heavy breeze on. The next thing is to get +the boat properly broadside to the wind, so that you may have next to no +trouble in casting. Should a fish be hooked, see that the man keeps +working the boat in such a manner that the fish cannot possibly get +underneath: a single stroke of the oar in the proper direction is +generally all that is necessary. You must also judge from the size of +the fish, and the length and strength of your tackle, whether it is +expedient that the man should follow the fish if he makes a very long +run. If your line happens to be short--which it will not be, if you have +followed the instructions given in Chapter III.--you need not be +surprised if you find nothing left but your rod and reel, your line, and +mayhap a "half-croon flee" flying about the loch in charge of a fish. +The management of the landing-net or gaff is another serious matter. If +the fish be small, tell the man to have the net ready, and "run it in;" +but if it is a good-sized fish, you must tell him not to put the net +near till he gets the word from you. Many a time we have suppressed an +exclamation--the reverse of a blessing--when we have seen the hoop of +the landing-net strike the fish, and were in suspense for a second or +two as to whether he was on or off. If the gaff is necessary, it is +almost as well to let your man hold the rod after you have tired the +fish thoroughly, and gaff him yourself. But if you think it unadvisable +to part with the rod, send the man to the other end of the boat from +yourself, and then lead the fish near him, so that he may have a fair +chance. He must put the gaff _over_ the fish till the point is in a +line with its broadside, and then with a sudden _jerk_ sink the steel +into, or even through, the animal, and lift him over the gunwale with +all possible speed. A sharp blow or two on the snout will deprive the +fish of life. Always kill your fish,--big or small,--as nothing ought to +be more repulsive to a true sportsman than to see or hear any animal he +has captured dying by inches. + +It is perhaps needless to say that in the matter of lunch and drink, due +consideration should always be paid to your boatman's wants; indeed if +he has had a hard time of it rowing against a stiff breeze, nothing is +lost by landing at mid-day and letting him enjoy half an hour's rest and +a smoke after he has refreshed his inner man. Sometimes--such as in a +club competition--such luxuries must be denied; but even then he can put +you on to a square drift, and enjoy his lunch and smoke while you are +fishing; and you, on the other hand, can take yours when he is changing +ground. These remarks may seem trifling; but we only give you our +experience, when we say that on some lochs where good boatmen are not +plentiful, the angler who has shown most kindness and consideration on +past occasions is never much put about for want of a man, even in a busy +season. And we have known, when every regular boatman was engaged, that +there was generally a boatman's "friend" in the neighbourhood who was +pressed into our service, and that often at a few minutes' notice. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +ETIQUETTE OF LOCH-FISHING. + + +Politeness is politeness all the world over, and in loch-fishing it is +particularly to be practised. The gentle art is peculiarly adapted for +gentlemen,--using the word in its truest sense,--and the true angler +will never be mistaken for anything else. In the Club to which we have +the honour to belong, there are certain rules which would commend +themselves naturally to any one of us; but in order that these may be +clear and well defined, they are circulated annually, and are in +themselves so admirable that we cannot do better than quote them:-- + + "1. No boat shall be entitled to take position in front of any other + boat which shall have already begun drifting, at a less distance + than three hundred yards. + + "2. Any competitor intending to drift a bay already in possession of + another competitor shall be obliged to take position behind, or on + the outside of and in a line with the latter, but at such a distance + as not to interfere with the boat first in possession of the drift. + + "3. In cases where boats are changing water, it shall not be + admissible for any boat so doing to go between the shore and any + other boat drifting close thereon." + +These rules, as may be inferred, refer to club competitions in +particular, but they are made the standard upon all occasions where +there is any chance of their becoming applicable. So much indeed have we +got into the way of regarding these rules,--strict as they are,--that we +observe them even when meeting with strangers on any loch in any part of +the kingdom. And pay special attention, if you happen to be trolling in +the neighbourhood, never to interfere with the drift on which a +fly-fisher is engaged. Nothing is more unbecoming, as it disturbs the +water which is his by right, if he has begun to drift; and it is an +unwritten rule that the fly-fisher should generally be allowed the first +of the ground, as his style of fishing does not make the same commotion +as a trolling boat and tackle do. Very few of us but have experienced +the annoyance of a minnow-boat crossing our drift when we were +fly-fishing; and though we had no redress, and could make no remarks +without lowering ourselves to the level of our offenders, we have, like +the nigger's parrot, "thought a mighty lot." Do not hesitate to put +yourself out of your way to help a neighbour in distress. He may have +hooked a large fish and be unprovided with a gaff: if you have one let +him have it instantly, taking his directions from which side you are to +approach him; and never let the loss of a few minutes, more or less, +deter you from following the golden rule of doing to him as you would +expect him to do to you were you similarly placed. And, as it sometimes +happens where boats are scarce and anglers many, when you are in the +same boat with a stranger, see that you confine yourself strictly to +your own share of the water, not making casts which endanger "fankling" +for the mere sake of covering a little more water with your flies. +Should you have a fly that is taking better than any other of your own +or his, offer him one; and in general try to make the day's fishing one +as much for the cultivation of goodwill and the promotion of +good-fellowship as for the mere sake of making a basket. A churlish +angler is an unnatural phenomenon, and, thank Providence! they seldom +turn up. A man who can look upon the beautiful scenery amid which he +takes his pleasure,--and there is none finer in the world than our +Scottish lochs and their surroundings,--and not feel grateful to the +Giver of all good, and at peace with all mankind, ought to burn his rod, +singe his flies, and only associate with men like himself. + +If the introduction of this chapter into our book will have the effect +of creating a better understanding on the etiquette of loch-fishing +between brothers of the angle, the object for which it was written will +have been accomplished--and, let us hope, a large amount of goodwill +thereby promoted. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +CASTING AND STRIKING. + + +We shall treat this subject under two aspects: first, if you have the +whole boat to yourself; and second, if it is being shared by some one +else. + +If you have a boat to yourself, stand as near the centre of it as you +possibly can without interfering with the boatman in rowing, and cover +every inch of the water in front of you and as far to the sides as the +wind will permit. Always be careful how you cast--that is, every time +you throw your flies see that they land lightly on the water, as no one +can expect to raise fish if any splash is made by either line or flies. +Fine casting is not quite so essential, of course, when a fair breeze is +blowing; but if the wind be light, then the difference between a +well-thrown fly and the reverse is very apparent. After you have made a +satisfactory cast, draw the line slowly to you by raising the point of +the rod, taking care to keep the line as taut as possible. Also see that +your bob-fly is tripping on the surface, as we consider that a +well-managed "bob" is the most life-like of the whole lot. Do not fish +with too long a line, unless, indeed, on an exceptional occasion, when +you wish to reach the lie of a feeding fish. It is difficult to define a +long line, but a good general rule is that it should never be longer +than when you have the consciousness that, if a fish should rise, you +have him at a fair and instantaneous striking distance. Remember that +the time the flies first touch the water after each cast is the most +deadly; therefore, cast often. + +If you have only the share of a boat, the rule is that one man takes the +stern up till lunch, and the other after it. For ourselves, we have a +preference for the bow, and we generally find that most anglers prefer +the luxury of the stern; so when both parties are pleased, there is no +occasion for changing at all. The most important thing to bear in mind +when you have a companion is, as we said in last chapter, to confine +yourself to your own water. If the left-hand cast is the one proper to +your end of the boat, cast as much to your right hand as you can without +infringing on your neighbour's share of the water: all the water to your +left hand is of course yours. The same remarks apply _vice versa_. +_Never stop casting_ so long as you are on fishable ground, for you know +not the moment a good fish may rise. Certain it is that unless you keep +your flies constantly going, you cannot expect to have the same basket +as the angler who does. Keep your eyes on your flies in a general way, +and do not let your attention be distracted so long as they are in the +water. Every angler has experienced the annoyance of missing fish when +looking elsewhere for a single moment--either at another boat, or at a +fish "rising to itself," or at the sky, or at something else. When the +eyes were turned to the point from which they should not have been +diverted, they were just in time to see the water swirl, and the hand +gave a futile strike at what had disappeared a second before. Perhaps we +should have said at the beginning of this chapter to place implicit +faith in the flies with which you are fishing. Nothing is more +ridiculous than whipping the water with a cast, of the suitableness of +which you have any doubt; and to guard against any such chance, study +carefully the state of the weather and the wind. If very clear, use +sombre flies; but if a dark day, use brighter flies. You will of course +regulate the size according to the breeze, but as a rule, err on the +side of small flies. When you raise a fish, _strike at once_. It is +quite possible that by this method you may once in a while strike the +least bit too soon, but it is a safe plan to go by. There is always a +particle of a moment spent in the tightening of the line; and by the +time the angler sees a fish at his flies, he may safely conclude that it +has already seized or missed them, and the sooner he ascertains the true +state of matters by striking instantaneously, the better. If the fish +has not been touched by line or hook, cast gently over him again: the +chances are that there will be another rise, and, if the fish has been +feeding, every likelihood that the second or even a third time may be +lucky. In striking small fish, the least tightening of the line is +sufficient; but with large fish, when your tackle and hooks are strong, +strike _firmly home_ to send the steel well in, right over the barb. +Tackle that will not stand this had better be given away or +destroyed,--the latter for choice. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +TROLLING. + + +Our readers will have guessed, from what has preceded this chapter, that +we don't believe in trolling if it can be avoided; but still there are +times and occasions on which it must be practised, and we plead guilty +to having gone in for it oftener than once, when we saw that fly-fishing +was useless. On the other hand, however, we have set out with a firm +determination to do a fair day's trolling,--and nothing but +trolling,--but somehow or another it has generally ended in fly-fishing +when we could, and trolling as a _dernier ressort_ when we could not. +This, we doubt not, has been the experience of many of our angling +friends to whom the mere killing of fish is a secondary consideration +compared with the enjoyment of real sport. But when trolling is the +order of the day, either from choice or necessity, then this is the way +to go about it. We assume, of course, that the angler is equipped with +tackle and lines specified in Chapter V., and that he has a supply also +of live minnows with him. The elaborate tin-cans for holding minnows are +quite unnecessary so far as loch-fishing is concerned; any ordinary +vessel will do well enough for a day, provided the water is changed now +and again. In trolling, two rods will be found ample. They should be +placed at right angles to the boat,--the "thowl-pin," or, if there is +not one near enough the stern, anything (a cheap gimlet answers +admirably) fixed into the gunwale, being sufficient to keep the rod in +position,--so that the spinners, of whatever kind they may be, will be +as far apart from each other as possible. Take care that the butts of +the rods are well at the bottom of the boat, as we have seen a rod not +sufficiently fixed go overboard before now. A main point in trolling is +to have plenty of line out. There should never be less than thirty yards +out from one rod, and not less that forty from the other. By this +means, should a fish not see the first lure, he may see the second. If +trolling with natural minnow, which is much more apt to get out of order +than artificial ones, see that the bait is intact and spinning properly. +This involves the trouble of hauling it in for examination now and then; +but it is better to be at that trouble than be fishing with, mayhap, a +mangled lure, or one that has got out of spinning order, and more likely +to act as a repellent than an attraction to any fish in the +neighbourhood. In trolling any likely ground, the proper way is to tell +your man to zigzag it, not pulling the boat in a straight line, but +going over the ground diagonally, and thus covering as much of it as it +is possible to do with a couple score yards of line behind. The turning +of the boat necessitates a considerable circle being taken to keep the +lures spinning, and so that the lines do not get mixed up; and your man, +after making the turn, should row in a slightly slanting direction +towards the point from which he originally started, thus-- + +[Illustration] + +and so on, till the chances of raising a fish on that beat are +exhausted. + +Should a small fish come on, haul it in hand-over-hand; and the man must +not stop rowing, as the other minnow is out, and must be kept spinning. +If, however, a fish that needs playing comes to you, you must seize the +rod to which he has come, and the boatman must take the other, and wind +in as fast as possible. You should not commence winding in till the +other line is wound up so far as to preclude the chance of the fish +mixing up both lines together. Barring the risk one runs of a serious +mess, it is not a bad plan to troll from a reel a cast of larger-sized +flies than would be used in ordinary fly-fishing. This line follows, of +course, in a _straight_ track behind the boat, and the minnows being +considerably to right and left of it, there is no danger of their +getting mixed so long as the boat is moving; but the risk is apparent +should a fish come to either of the three lines, and great activity is +then necessary on the part of yourself and boatman to keep things right. +You must keep the fish at as considerable a distance from the other +lines as you can, and trust a good deal to the chances of war for the +ultimate safety of all. Some days, even when casting was unproductive, +we have been fortunate in securing fish by trolling our flies in the +manner described. Indeed, unless the day or the season is decidedly in +favour of trolling minnows, we prefer, if only trolling two lines, to +troll from one of them with the minnow, and from the other with the fly. +This must always be decided, however, by the judgment of the angler, and +by his surroundings for the time being. One thing in favour of trolling +with the minnow is, that the best size of fish are caught by that means. +This is not invariably the case, but it is the rule. And in concluding +this chapter, we must not omit to acknowledge that we are glad to know +that when we are not so young as we once were, and when the wielding of +a rod all day long shall have come to be a serious matter, we shall +still have the pleasure of roaming about our lovely lochs--Highland or +Lowland--and have the excitement of landing fish, coupled with our +enjoyment of fresh air and grand scenery. For this reason, if for no +other, cultivate as often as you can, without entrenching on the nobler +pastime of fly-fishing, the art of trolling--for we must confess that +there is an art in this as in everything else; and should my reader be +sceptical on the point, he has only to try conclusions, when he gets the +chance, with some old troller, and he will be convinced before +supper-time. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +CAPTURE OF FISH. + + +Scotch loch-fishing, as usually practised, only embraces the capture of +the _salmo_ species--that is, the _salmo fario_, or common yellow trout; +the _salmo trutta_, or sea-trout; and _salmo salar_, the "fish," as most +boatmen call it, and the noblest game of the finny creation. Besides +these there is, of course, the _salmo ferox_; but it is comparatively +scarce, and only worth trolling for in some particular lochs, where they +are known to be more easily come across than in others. And sometimes +when worthier game is not to be had, we have a spin for pike, but Mr +Jack is as difficult to catch at times as his more aristocratic +comrades. In most Scotch lochs where any supervision is exercised at the +instance of our local clubs, the extermination of pike is most +vigorously carried on by means of fixed and splash nets. This, as +regards our large lochs, where there is room for all, we have no +hesitation in saying is a mistake, as it shuts up one means of enjoying +a day's fishing when nothing else in the way of fish is to be had; and +it must be borne in mind that there are some older anglers, to whom a +whole day's fly-fishing is a labour, who never object, when trolling, to +come across a pike: and no wonder, for a pike of 10 lb. and upwards +gives some fair play, though by no means to compare with what a fish of +the _salmo_ tribe of that weight would give. Then we have perch in +abundance, and splendid eels; but as these need a float and bait to +catch them, we dismiss them as quite _infra dig_. True a perch will come +at a minnow, and we have sometimes seen them take a fly; but they are +generally voted a nuisance, and expelled the boat. + +As regards the capture of fish, we shall proceed to deal with each in +order; and at the outset we remark, that when you have hooked a fish, it +is a safe general rule to waste no unnecessary time in bringing him to +the landing-net or gaff, and thence into the boat. When playing a fish, +never allow the line to get slack, unless, indeed, when he leaps into +the air,--then you must give him rope; but so soon as he gets into his +native element, feel his mouth instantly. Always play your fish to +_windward_ of the boat if there is some one sharing it with you, as this +allows him to go on casting to leeward. Of course, if you have the whole +boat to yourself, play your fish in any way that it will be most +expeditiously brought to basket. The angler ought to be well assured of +the strength of his tackle, and when he has confidence in that, he will +soon learn to judge of the proper strain to which it may be subjected. +In the case of COMMON YELLOW TROUT, averaging, as most loch trout do, +about three to the pound, there is no occasion to put off time with any +one of them; but in some lochs, such as Loch Leven, where the average is +fairly one pound, and where two and three pounders are by no means +uncommon, some care and a little play are absolutely necessary. But do +not, even in such a case, give him too much of his own way. We can +assure our readers that a three-pound Loch Leven trout, in good +condition, on fine gut and small irons, gives as nice a piece of play, +and exercise to the eye, hand, and judgment, as could well be desired. + +The SEA-TROUT is, for his size, the gamest of all fish. He is bold as a +lion, and fights harder for his life than a salmon twice his size. A +fish of three pounds will run out a considerable piece of line, and make +a splendid leap, or series of leaps,--and then is the trying time. As +often as not, your flies and the fish part company in the air, and you +have to sit down muttering "curses not loud but deep," till an +application to the flask soothes your wounded spirit, and invigorates +you for fresh effort. A beautiful sight it is to see a sea-trout rise. +No half-hearted attempt is his, but a determined rush for the fly, and +down again like thought, leaving you the tiniest part of a moment to +strike, and hardly time to admire his beautiful silvery coat. If you +have been fortunate enough to get the steel into him, you will have time +to admire him when you get him into the boat. Fishing for sea-trout with +the fly is, we consider, the most exciting of all kinds of fishing--that +is, if the fish run to a fair average weight. But we are sorry to say +that lochs where it is to be enjoyed are, with the solitary exception of +Loch Lomond, usually far out of ordinary reach,--and in the case of Loch +Lomond, it is only _habitués_ who usually come much speed on it; but +once the angler gets a fair day there, he finds his way back often. +True, there are some excellent sea-trout lochs in the north, and on the +west coast and islands, but they are a far cry from civilisation. +Nevertheless, if our readers can spare the time, let them find their way +into some unfrequented spot where sea-trout are plentiful, and they will +agree with us in thinking that that class of fishing is a most excellent +sport. Some parts of Ireland are famous for their fine sea-trout +fishing--white trout they call them there; and though we have never been +there ourselves, we mean to go some day, when the Land Bill has pacified +the natives, and made them law-abiding subjects. Meantime one runs the +risk of being mistaken for a non-resident landlord, and that would be a +pity for one's wife and family. But without any joking, this Irish +sea-trout fishing is a pleasure to which we look forward; and in this +work-a-day world, something to look forward to is half the enjoyment of +life. + +The capture of the SALMON is the ambition of all anglers, but we doubt +very much if the sport is to compare with ordinary loch or sea-trout +fishing, provided always that the latter are of good average weight. The +tackle used in salmon-fishing is proportionately heavy, and after the +first few rushes, if the fish be well hooked, there is little in it +except a matter of time. Indeed it is said that some anglers, after +hooking a salmon, hand the rod to a gillie to work and land the fish. +This seems going too much in the other direction, but it is quite +understandable. True, the size to which salmon run is a great inducement +to go after them; but even in Loch Tay, where the biggest average is to +be found, the sport, if such it can be called at all, is very +questionable. The rod, line, gut, and minnows used are on such a strong +scale, that a well-sized vessel might be moored with them without their +breaking; and with several scores of yards of line ready for a rush, +what earthly chance has the fish of escape, unless through the grossest +carelessness? The fish may be loosely hooked, and get off, but this is +quite a matter of chance, and the odds are that a hungry spring fish +will not miss the lure. Thus the charm of salmon-fishing is in the +raising and striking; and of all kinds of striking, the striking of the +salmon is the most difficult: the fish being so large and silvery, the +angler is certain to see him coming _at_ the fly, and is very apt to +strike too soon. But if it is borne in mind to strike _after_ the broken +water is visible, and not before it, this will soon be overcome. When +you do strike, don't let it be a mere tightening of the line, as in +trout-fishing, but a decided stroke. Some say that the salmon will hook +himself by his own weight. This may be so, though we doubt it,--but +don't trust to it. Certain it is, that the first rush of a fish does not +usually fix him certain; and should the hook happen to be in a piece of +hard gristle or on a bone, you will soon find this out for yourself, but +generally at the cost of the fish. + +Salmon-fishing is an expensive luxury; but if you can get it good, never +mind the expense, but give it a trial. If you get good sport, you may +not care to go in for smaller game again; but in all our experience we +never knew a salmon fisher who did not enjoy trout-fishing as much in +its own way as ever he did that of the nobler animal. There is something +in the gossamer gut and small flies irresistibly attractive to all +sportsmen, and from which no amount of salmon-fishing can ever wean +them. + +The _salmo ferox_ is a fish on which many opinions have been expressed; +and we have heard more than one old boatman say that he did not believe +it to be anything but a big loch-trout, as, they ask, Who ever saw a +young one? We see the young of all other fish, but why do we never come +across a young _ferox_? It seems pertinent enough questioning, and we do +not pretend to settle their doubts in either one way or another. Certain +it is, he is a big strong fish with some features distinct from the +ordinary loch trout, and that when caught he shows an amount of fight +not to be equalled by any of his neighbours, either white or brown. He +is usually caught by trolling either natural or artificial minnow; and +the tackle should be mounted on gimp and fixed to a strong line, and +plenty of it. We have read of a _ferox_ rising to the fly, but never +saw one so captured. There seems no reason why a gaudy fly should not +attract him. After he is hooked the fun begins. A _ferox_ of 10 to 12 +lb. will give you amusement and excitement for an indefinite time; and +you are never sure of him till he is in the boat. A friend of ours (a +capital angler to boot) fishing with us on Loch Assynt in +Sutherlandshire in 1877, hooked a fine specimen; and after battling with +him for an hour, had the mortification of seeing fish, angel-minnow, and +trace, disappear! A good boatman is a wonderful help in such a case; +indeed without his help your chances are small. To be sure it is slow +work trolling for _feroces_, and a whole day--yea, days--may be spent +without getting a run. The angler must always be the best judge as to +whether the chance is worth his while. Loch Awe, Loch Ericht, Loch +Rannoch, and Loch Assynt, are good lochs for trying one's luck in this +kind of fishing. + +Then to come from the nobler to an inferior species, we get to PIKE +fishing. Angling for this fish seems to be in great repute among our +southern brethren, if we may judge by the literature on the subject; but +somehow or other it is looked upon among our northern anglers with +somewhat the same aversion that a Jew has to bacon, and fishing for pike +is only resorted to when all chance of catching anything worthier is +gone. We don't profess to say whence this antipathy arises; but we have +heard stories from boatmen about the foul feeding of pike that makes the +idea of eating him repulsive. Not but that we have eaten him, but we +never did so with relish, however cunningly the _artiste_ may have +served him up. As a stock for soup he is good; but in Scotland it is +better not to say what the origin of the stock is till your friends are +at their _café noir_. But here we are only interested so far as the +sport he gives is concerned; and unless the pike be all the larger--say +not under 8 lb.--the sport is poor enough. Even a pike of 8 lb. and +over, when hooked (which is done by trolling or casting a minnow and +working it after the manner of a fly), makes one or two long pulls, not +rushes like a fish of the _salmo_ tribe; and after that he subsides into +a sulk from which you must trust to the strength of your tackle to +arouse him. The tackle should be mounted on gimp, for his teeth are very +sharp; and when removing the lure from his mouth, you will find it much +safer to have previously put the foot-spar between his jaws to prevent +him getting at your fingers. + +There is a fly, if such it can be called, used in pike-fishing. This fly +resembles a natural insect as much as a tea-pot resembles an elephant, +but it does attract pike--in the same way, we suppose, that a piece of +red flannel will attract a mackerel. If our readers wish to try it, they +can buy it at almost any tackle shop. Pike are to be found in almost all +lochs, though in the more frequented of our Scotch waters they are being +slowly but surely exterminated. In others, again, they reign almost +alone. But pike-fishing by itself is a poor affair, and we advise our +readers only to take to it when they can do nought better. If any of +them wish to go below the level of pike-fishing, we must refer them to +the copious instructions of many books, from Isaak Walton downwards. For +ourselves, when it comes to bait-fishing--except in running water, when +worm-fishing is an art--we prefer catching whitings and haddocks in some +of our beautiful salt-water lochs, to all the perch, roach, chub, and +such-like, that ever swam. But in this please note that we are only +expressing our own opinion, and with all respect to the opinions of many +worthy anglers. We may say this, however, with all safety, that in +angling, as in most other things, if one aims at the highest point of +the art he is not at all likely to condescend to the lowest. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +AFTER A DAY'S FISHING. + + +What a pleasant fatigue succeeds a day's fishing! There is not, or +should not be, a feeling of weariness, but just the satisfaction one +feels after enjoying a health-giving recreation. Health-giving it +certainly is to the body, and we have no hesitation in saying to the +mind also. It makes one forget for the time being all the evils to which +flesh is heir, and braces up the whole system to meet them when the +necessity arises. But we must not go in for more sentiment than is +actually needful. The practical duties after a day's fishing are these. +If the weather has been damp, change all wet garments _at once_, and if +at all practicable have a hot bath before sitting down to dinner. We say +dinner advisedly, for the angler should always have a good sound dinner +after a day's fishing, as however pleasant the work may have been, still +it is exhausting to the body, and a rough tea, though good in itself, +cannot pretend to have the reviving elements in it that a substantial +dinner has. A glass of whisky, or even two, in cold water, will be found +a very safe accompaniment. A good plan is to order your whisky by the +bottle, and put your card in a nick made in the cork: the ordering of +whisky in glasses is expensive and unsatisfactory. Your dinner over, +turn your attention to your tackle. Unwind your lines, so far as they +have been wet, from the reels, and lay them out on your bedroom floor; if +any chance of being interfered with, wind them round the backs of chairs +instead. They will be dry by the morning. Dry your reels thoroughly, and +put in a little oil wherever you think they would be the better of it; +and this should be done to any other article--spring-balance, gaff, +&c.--that is liable to rust. Your creel or fishing-bag should be washed +out and hung up to dry by the servants of the house immediately after +the fish have been removed, which latter should be done without delay. +Your landing-net should also be suspended in the open air, that it may +get dry as speedily as possible. A landing-net will last double the time +if attention is given to it in this way. Take out all used casting-lines +from your book, and lay them on the mantelpiece till morning: this will +insure the feathers being freed from moisture. And in the case of +expensive flies, this is a matter of consideration, both on the point of +expense as well as your possible inability to replace them where you may +happen to be sojourning for the time. If you mean to make up a new cast +or casts for the morrow, place the casting-lines in a little water in +your basin. They will be in excellent order next morning for +manipulation. Also soak in like manner the _gut_ on which the flies +which you mean to use are dressed. True, you may not be sure what flies +you will put on till you see what sort of a day it may prove to be, but +there is no harm done if you soak the gut (but only the gut) of as many +flies as will give you a good choice. + +We should have said nearer the beginning of this chapter to look well +after your waterproofs, that they are not hung up in a hot place. A dry +room or outhouse where there is a good draught is best. If your fishing +should happen to be over for the time being, put your tackle past (after +being thoroughly dried) in the most orderly fashion possible. For our +own part, we have the drawer in our bookcase spaced out into +compartments suitable for holding all our tackle, barring reels and such +like; and this arrangement we find extremely useful, and wonderfully +convenient when we wish to find anything. If, on the other hand, you are +out on a lengthy holiday, and have time at your disposal, after putting +things right for the day, and for next day too, we know of nothing +better than a _good_ rubber at whist for filling up the evening. It must +be a _good_ rubber, however, for the parlour game is neither relaxation +nor pleasure. Hence we would advise all our angling friends to acquire a +thorough knowledge of the game, as only to be learned with the aid of a +good book on the subject. Remember that when staying at some +out-of-the-way fishing hotel, you may be asked to form a table with good +players, and not to be able to hold your own on such occasions is a +great loss of pleasure to yourself, and usually a source of annoyance to +the others. These remarks are somewhat apart from the subject of this +book, but by way of an aside, they may be found not quite out of place. + +Do not be beguiled into keeping late hours, for no one can fish well +next day if he has not had a sufficient amount of sleep. But this is +also an aside; for some men need more sleep than others, and each angler +knows his own necessities best. We only promulgate the broad rule, that +without proper rest no one can be in good trim with hand and eye for a +pastime that needs both in a pre-eminent degree. We speak from +experience in this too; and have sometimes imagined that our right hand +had lost its cunning till we remembered that we had not been properly +rested the night before. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +REMINISCENCES. + + +Having exhausted, so far as we can imagine, the practical part of our +little treatise, we proceed--in accordance with an idea which we had in +our minds at starting--to give a few personal recollections, and to name +one or two lochs where we have enjoyed good sport, and where it is still +to be had for the trouble of going. Reminiscences are, as a rule, not +specially interesting to the general reader, hence we shall not make +them too lengthy; for we wish, above all things, that our readers shall +close this volume without experiencing a shadow of weariness. One thing, +however, we would like to say to our younger angling friends--Have as +many personal adventures to look back to as you possibly can. The +adventures themselves can be best sought after when the blood flows +fast; for the time will come when the rod and the tackle will perforce +have to be laid aside, and memory will then, unaided, afford you many a +pleasant retrospect, and you will--even companionless--fight your +battles over again. You remember the story of the illustrious Prince +Talleyrand: when a young man acknowledged to him that he could not play +whist, Talleyrand said to him--"Young man, what a sad old age you are +preparing for yourself!" We don't mean to go this length as regards +fishing; but we safely say that a man who lives to old age without +having been a keen angler, has not only deprived himself of great +enjoyments during his active life, but has neglected to lay up a +provision for the time when the memory of them would have made life's +closing seasons sweeter. + +Our first acquaintance with LOCH ARD was very pleasant--not, perhaps, so +much from any great expectation of sport, because at that time (many +years ago now) we were young at the pastime, but more from the feeling +of treading the ground made classical by the great Magician of the +North, as the scene of the most stirring incidents in 'Rob Roy.' +Attached to a big tree in front of the hotel at Aberfoyle there hangs a +coulter, which tradition assigns as the veritable article which Bailie +Nicol Jarvie made red-hot and used as a weapon of offence and defence +when he was in a dilemma in what was, at that time, a very inaccessible +part of the Highlands. Since then many a Glasgow magistrate has visited +the spot--the inspection of the line of the noble waterworks undertaking +which supplies the city being a sufficient excuse for the annual advent +of the civic rulers. A railway station (Bucklyvie) is within eight miles +of Aberfoyle, and Aberfoyle is within three miles of Loch Ard, and by +the time this book is in the hand of the reader there will most likely +be a railway station at Aberfoyle itself. Shade of Bailie Nicol Jarvie! +what would you say if you were now to be allowed to haunt the old spot? +to hear a locomotive screech where formerly you thought yourself so far +"frae the Sautmarket o' Glesca"? We don't like the idea ourselves, and +doubt very much if it will pay. However, it is the fishing alone which +concerns us meantime, and we can at once assure our angling friends that +the sport is good--not but what one has to fish hard for a basket; but +the same remark applies to all our near-at-hand lochs. On an ordinary +good day a dozen to eighteen trout may be captured, and sometimes the +baskets are heavier; but eighteen fish, weighing 9 lb. to 12 lb., is a +very fair day's work. The trout average fairly a half pound, and +pounders are by no means scarce: a two-pounder is come across +occasionally, but he is the exception. The fish are very pretty, and for +their size give excellent sport. Fine tackle is here absolutely +essential to success, and as a matter of sport should always be used in +fishing for common yellow trout. The loch, for its size, is much fished; +and we fear that when the railway facilities are completed, there will +require to be a considerable amount of restocking to keep it up to the +old mark. The scenery is unsurpassed--wood, water, and mountain, making +a picture of wondrous beauty. To the north of the loch, Ben Lomond rears +its mighty summit; and in the spring-time (for Loch Ard is an early +loch), before the summer sun has melted the winter's snow, the effect is +grand in the extreme. April, May, and June, are supposed to be the best +months for angling; but we see no reason why, if the weather be +favourable, these months should be singled out. The hotel accommodation +at Aberfoyle is excellent. In the early months you must engage a boat +beforehand: boatmen first-rate. Many a happy day we have spent on Loch +Ard--sometimes successful and sometimes much the reverse; but in any +case there is a witchery about the place that makes one enjoy himself in +spite of all cares. Mind and body recruit their jaded energies, and get +braced up to meet the stern realities of life. + +In strong contradistinction, in this respect, to Loch Ard, is LOCH +LEVEN. In the latter, if the angler is not catching fish, there is +little of the beautiful to commend itself to the senses. The island on +which the castle stands is pretty, and as a historic ruin is well worthy +of a visit, but otherwise the scenery is very tame, and the surroundings +not entrancing. But since we have drifted into speaking of Loch Leven, +we may as well tell of the sport which is to be had there,--and this, as +is well known, is exceptionally good. The quality of the fish is +wonderful; and after reading the statistics of a year's fishing--last +season something like 18,000 fish, weighing as many pounds, were +killed--one is puzzled to know how it is kept up. The loch itself is a +great natural feeding-pond, miles and miles of it being of an almost +uniform depth, and a boat may drift almost anywhere, the angler feeling +at the same time certain that fish are in his immediate vicinity. Trout +of two and three pounds are quite common; and it is a rare occasion that +a day's average does not come up to the pound for each fish. They are +very fine eating, and cut red as a grilse. The company which rents the +loch pay £800 to £1000 for the fishing, and they in turn keep a fleet of +large boats--twenty we think--and let them out to anglers at the rate of +2s. 6d. an hour. Any number may fish from one boat. There are two +boatmen in each boat,--one of whom is paid by the company, the other by +the angler; and we are sorry to say that these men, with a few +exceptions, are very much spoiled. There is a class of anglers(?) who +frequent Loch Leven, whose whole aim seems to be, not sport so far as +their own personal efforts are concerned, but the killing of as many +fish as possible. If such a one has engaged a boat, he arms each boatman +with a rod, and, of course, fishes himself, thus having three rods +going at once. As we said before, the loch can be drifted without any +attention from the men, after they have pulled up to the wind, and this +enables them to get casting all the time that their employer is doing +likewise. Not content with this, a couple of minnows are generally +trolled astern when changing ground. We don't say that a man has not a +right to do as he likes if he pays for his boat; but we _do_ ask, Is +this sport? And why should boatmen be spoiled in this way to such an +extent that we have known them sulk a whole day because a spare rod was +not allowed to be put up for their special benefit? But, of course, the +men are just as they have been made, and true anglers, who fish for a +day's sport, and not for the mere sake of slaughter, have the remedy in +their own hands. Don't let anything deter you from fishing Loch Leven. +It may be expensive; but if you get a good, or even a fair day, you will +not regret the expense. Get a friend to join you, and the expense is not +so heavy after all; and if your friend and yourself fish perseveringly +all day, you will usually be rewarded with a very fine show of fish. +There is no harm in letting your men fish when you are taking your +lunch, _but don't allow a third rod to be put up_. The boatmen are, as a +rule, only fifth-rate fishers, though, of course, a few of them handle a +rod well. Our recollections of Loch Leven are pleasant in some ways, in +others they are not; but don't fail to give it a trial, if only for the +pleasure of handling a big fish on fine gut. The manager of the Loch +Leven fishings, Captain Hall, fills a very difficult post with much +acceptance to all concerned. + +But to leave the Lowlands and go into the far North, we take you to LOCH +ASSYNT, in Sutherlandshire, and to a little loch near it,--LOCH AWE by +name. The journey to Assynt is long and weary: train to Lairg, and then +between thirty and forty miles driving, is a good long scamper for +fishing, but it is worth it. The inn at Inchnadamph is good, but when we +were there in 1877 the boat accommodation was poor enough: perhaps they +have improved upon that since. The first day after our arrival we had to +go to Loch Awe, as the boats on the large loch (Assynt) were taken up. +Such a morning of rain and wind! We were wet through our waterproofs +during the four-mile drive, but luckily the weather moderated, and we +had an excellent day's fishing. With two in the boat, we took 57 lb. +weight of beautiful fish,--not large, but very game, and spotted +intensely red. It must have been a good day, for many an angler tried +his luck after our success, but never came near that mark, at least when +we were there. Loch Assynt is more attractive, however, inasmuch as the +chances of big fish are not remote. Trout of a pound weight, and over, +are not uncommon, while the chance of a grilse adds excitement to the +sport. Then _ferox_, as we have said in a previous chapter, are, +comparatively speaking, not scarce, if one cares to go in for trolling +for them. But, in any case, the angler is always sure of a basket of +lovely yellow trout. On the hills behind the inn there is a small loch, +called the MULACH-CORRIE, in which it is said that the gillaroo trout +are to be found. Whether they are the real trout of that species or not, +we cannot say, but certainly they are beautiful fish,--pink in the +scales, and running to large sizes. We saw a basket taken by a friend, +and it was a treat to look at. The fish were all taken with the fly, +but we were told afterwards that worm is even deadlier than fly, and +that one should never go there without a supply of "wrigglers." The hill +between the inn and the Mulach-Corrie is a perfect paradise for +fern-gatherers. It is said that about two dozen different kinds can be +gathered; and we believe it, for even our untutored eyes discerned +sixteen varieties! Our visit to Inchnadamph must be placed among the +red-letter periods of our fishing life, and to be looked back to with +much enjoyment. + +LOCH MORAR, in Inverness-shire, is another delightful spot, and somewhat +out of the usual track. The fishing is most excellent, and yellow trout +of all sizes are very abundant. Sea-trout and salmon find their way +frequently into the angler's basket; and half-way up the loch, which is +a long one, at a bay into which the Meoble river flows, numbers of +sea-fish are to be found. The best way is to fly-fish up to that bay one +day, and seek shelter at night in some shepherd's cottage, thus being at +hand to prosecute salmon and sea-trout fishing the next day, or days, if +you find the sport good. It is right to take a supply of provisions and +liquor with you, for the accommodation is humble. We write this from +hearsay, as when we were there in mid-July salmon and sea-trout were not +in the loch in large numbers; but still we caught some of the latter, +and hooked, though, unfortunately, did not kill, any of the former. We +should think that the beginning of August would be the best time for +this loch as regards sea-fish; but the trout-fishing in July is +unsurpassable. During our sojourn in 1876 at Arisaig, the nearest +village to the loch, which is six miles off, and necessitating a drive +over what was then a road sadly in need of General Wade's good offices, +we had the services of a boatman, Angus by name, and his two boys, who +could not speak a word of English,--Angus managing one boat, and his +boys the other. We had the satisfaction--for indeed it was good fun--to +be out with the boys one day; and the management of the boat had to be +done by signals. It was wonderful how readily the boys got into the way +of it, and how well we got on together. The memory of the hospitality +which we enjoyed at Arisaig Inn will not be forgotten by any of our +party; and we hope that the then occupier, Mr Routledge, will be there +when we go back again. An inn was in course of being built at the +loch-side in 1876, but we do not know how it has succeeded. The easiest +way to Arisaig is by steamer, which usually goes once a-week; but the +angler should, if possible, go to Banavie or Fort-William,--the latter +for choice, as Banavie Hotel is famous for long bills (and we can +testify that its notoriety in this respect is deserved),--and then drive +to Arisaig. It is about thirty-eight miles from Fort-William to Arisaig, +but the drive is something to be remembered during a lifetime. After +having traversed this road, you will say, "There's no place like home" +for grand and beautiful scenery. We must see Loch Morar again if we +possibly can, before we bequeath our tackle to the next generation. + +The time would fail us to tell of many other lochs, more or less famous +for the good sport they afford; but the angler, if at all of an +enterprising nature, need have little hesitation in taking up Mr Lyall's +excellent 'Sportsman's Guide,' and making a selection on his own +account. The information is very correct so far as we have tried it, +sometimes--perhaps most anglers are inclined that way--erring a little +to the _couleur de rose_ side of things, but quite trustworthy in being +followed as a suggester for a fortnight's fishing. We have gained much +pleasure in exploring some of our more remote lochs, of the existence of +which we might never have been aware but for its information. We cannot, +however, close this long, but we hope not wearisome, chapter without +singing the praises of our Queen of Scottish Lakes, LOCH LOMOND. The +scenery of this beautiful spot is well known in some ways, but no amount +of travelling in a steamer will reveal its beauties. To the tourist we +would say, take a small boat at Luss and engage a man to row you among +the islands which lie between Luss and Balmaha. With this hint to the +tourist, we leave him, and turn the angler's attention to the +sport--very precarious at most times, but excellent at others--to be had +on Loch Lomond. Luss is the angling centre, and there are capital boats +and men to be had by writing beforehand to the hotel-keeper, Mr M'Nab, +who deserves much credit for the attention he pays to the wants of +anglers. + +The yellow-trout fishing is good, but, strange to say, this class of +sport is not much sought after. In April and May as good trout-fishing +is to be had as on some other lochs that enjoy a greater reputation. But +if the weather has been at all favourable to the fish running, the month +of June sees the sea-trout fishing fairly commenced. It is a hard loch +to fish; and if you are lucky enough to get two or three sea-trout in a +day, consider yourself fortunate. They are a good average--2 lb. to 3 +lb. being quite common--but they spread themselves so much over a large +portion of water that one may fish a whole day and not come across them. +This, however, is the exception, as in an ordinary fair fishing day in +June, July, August, and September, and even October if the weather is +mild, they are almost certain to be seen, if not caught. Some days +really good sport is to be had--indeed, one is surprised at the show of +fish; but fish or no fish, the charm of Loch Lomond is everlasting. The +angler finds his way back over and over again, till, as in our own +experience, the islands of Lonaig, Moan, Cruin, Fad, and last and least, +Darroch, the great landing-spot, are as familiar to him as his daily +business haunts. Then the chances of a salmon are good--indeed, this +year (1881) a great many have been killed; but somehow or another the +sea-trout fishing has not been so good, and though a salmon is always a +salmon, we would rather see a good show of sea-trout at any time. Like +our neighbours, we have had good and bad days on Loch Lomond; but +disappointment has never soured us--indeed, the fascination seems to get +stronger. And it is so very convenient for a day's fishing--down in the +morning and home at night, with a good long day between. The charge for +boatman is 5s. to 6s. and lunch; and though this seems high, it must not +be forgotten that the distances are great. A boat costs 2s. per day. The +men are good all over, some of them really first-rate. Many and many a +story we could tell of happy fishing days, and of days most enjoyably +spent when fishing was no go; but mostly every angler can do the same, +and we don't wish to become too tiresome. Perhaps if we get the chance +we may extend this chapter on some future occasion, and add some +experiences of as yet untried places. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +CONCLUSION. + + +Brother of the gentle art, we bid you farewell! We have done our best to +give you the benefit of our experience in the peaceful pursuit of +loch-fishing; and if we have said too much or too little, pray excuse +us, and in your goodness of heart reprove us for our verbosity, and tell +us what is awanting. The spirit on our part has been very willing; but +the memory may have been defective when it should have been most active, +and quite possibly our love for the art may have somewhere or another +led us into discursiveness where we should have been brief. We are all +human, and he is a poor mortal who thinks he cannot err. Again we say +farewell!--not for long, however, we hope. Who knows where we may meet? +If we do, and you recognise us, don't forget to give us a little +encouragement, and, if you can, new material for extending the +usefulness of this publication. As we write, the hand of winter is upon +us, and the rod and reel have been relegated to safe quarters; but +spring will return, and the enforced cessation of our enjoyment will +only add new zest to the music of the reel + + "When green leaves come again." + + + + +PRINTED BY WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS. + + + + + LATELY PUBLISHED, FIFTH EDITION, REVISED. + + THE MOOR AND THE LOCH. + + CONTAINING MINUTE INSTRUCTIONS IN ALL HIGHLAND SPORTS, + WITH WANDERINGS OVER CRAG AND CORRIE, + FLOOD AND FELL. + + BY JOHN COLQUHOUN. + + 2 vols. post 8vo, with Two Portraits and other Illustrations. 26s. + + + SOME OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. + +"In the present delightful volumes, however, he presents all lovers +of Scotland with the completest details of every Highland sport, on all +of which he is an unexceptionable authority; and with what many will +value even more, a series of life-like sketches of the rarer and more +interesting animals of the country. He has thus brought up to the +present level of knowledge the history of all the scarce birds and +beasts of Scotland.... Henceforth it must necessarily find a place +in the knapsack of every Northern tourist who is fond of our +wild creatures, and is simply indispensable in every Scotch +shooting-lodge."--_Academy._ + +"We should recommend fishers to study carefully all the chapters on +fishing for salmon, loch trout, sea trout, and yellow trout, whatever +may be their experience or erudition. They will find general hints of +immense use which they can apply to that local knowledge of their own +river or 'water' which no books can teach, and which Mr Colquhoun +himself would equally have to learn. But no chapter ought to be skipped, +even by a reader who aspires to far less than the fourfold distinction +of a Highland hunter, which consists in killing a red-deer, an eagle, a +salmon, and a seal."--_Saturday Review._ + +"The book is one written by a gentleman for gentlemen, healthy in tone, +earnest in purpose, and as fresh, breezy, and life-giving as the +mountain air of the hills amongst which the sport it chronicles is +carried on."--_The World._ + +"One of those rare and delightful books which, with all the fulness of +knowledge, breathe the very freshness of the country, and either console +you in your city confinement, or make you sigh to be away, according to +the humour in which you happen to read it."--_Blackwood's Magazine._ + + * * * * * + + LATELY PUBLISHED. + + A HANDBOOK OF DEER-STALKING. + + BY ALEXANDER MACRAE, + Late Forester to Lord Henry Bentinck. + + WITH INTRODUCTION BY HORATIO ROSS, ESQ. + + Fcap. 8vo, with Two Photos. from Life. 3s. 6d. + +"A work not only useful to sportsmen, but highly entertaining to the +general reader."--_United Service Gazette._ + +"The writer of this valuable little book speaks with authority, and sums +up in a few pages hints on deer-stalking which the experience of a +lifetime has enabled him to put forth.... We can only recommend every +one who pursues the fascinating sport of which the author writes, to +glance through, and indeed to read carefully, this handbook."--_Sporting +and Dramatic News._ + +"An interesting little book, alike because of the knowledge which its +author displays of his subject, and of the simple style in which it is +written. It is a handbook such as sportsmen must have long +desired."--_Scotsman._ + + * * * * * + + RECREATIONS + OF + CHRISTOPHER NORTH. + + With Portrait of the Author in his Sporting Jacket. + + New Edition. Two Vols., crown 8vo, 8s. + +"Welcome, right welcome, Christopher North; we cordially greet thee in +thy new dress, thou genial and hearty old man, whose 'Ambrosian Nights' +have so often in imagination transported us from solitude to the social +circle, and whose vivid pictures of flood and fell, of loch and glen, +have carried us in thought from the smoke, din, and pent-up opulence of +London, to the rushing stream or tranquil tarn of those +mountain-ranges."--_Times._ + + * * * * * + + W. BLACKWOOD & SONS, EDINBURGH AND LONDON. + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. Variant + and dialect spellings remain as printed. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Scotch Loch-Fishing + +Author: AKA Black Palmer, William Senior + +Release Date: July 16, 2008 [EBook #26072] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SCOTCH LOCH-FISHING *** + + + + +Produced by Stephen Blundell and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="bk1"><h1>SCOTCH LOCH-FISHING</h1> + +<h2><span class="fsm">BY</span><br /> +"BLACK PALMER"</h2> + +<p class="p1"><big>WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS</big><br /> +EDINBURGH AND LONDON<br /> +MDCCCLXXXII</p> + +<p class="center"><i><small>All Rights reserved</small></i></p></div> + +<hr /> + +<div class="p2"><b><big><i>Dedicated</i></big></b><br /> +<small>TO THE</small><br /> +<big>MEMBERS OF THE WESTERN ANGLING CLUB GLASGOW</big><br /> +IN REMEMBRANCE OF MANY HAPPY DAYS<br /> +SPENT IN THEIR COMPANY</div> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[vii]</a></span></p> +<h2>PREFACE.</h2> + +<p class="noin"><span class="smcap">The</span> Author of this very practical treatise +on Scotch Loch-Fishing desires chiefly +that it may be of use to all who read it. +He does not pretend to have written +anything new, but to have attempted to +put what he has to say in as readable +a form as possible. Everything in the +way of the history and habits of fish +has been studiously avoided, and technicalities +have been used as sparingly as +possible. The writing of this book has +afforded him much pleasure in his leisure +moments, and that pleasure would be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_viii" id="Page_viii">[viii]</a></span> +much increased if he knew that the perusal +of it would create any bond of sympathy +between himself and the angling +community in general. This edition is +interleaved with blank sheets for the +reader's notes. The Author need hardly +say that any suggestions addressed to +the care of the publishers, will meet with +consideration in a future edition.</p> + +<p class="p3"><span class="smcap">Glasgow</span>, <i>March 1882</i>.</p> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_ix" id="Page_ix">[ix]</a></span></p> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td class="td2"><small>CHAP.</small></td><td class="td2" colspan="2"><small>PAGE</small></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td2">I.</td><td class="td1">INTRODUCTORY,</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td2">II.</td><td class="td1">EQUIPMENT,</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_5">5</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td2">III.</td><td class="td1">TACKLE AND ACCESSORIES,</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_7">7</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td2">IV.</td><td class="td1">FLIES AND CASTING-LINES,</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_13">13</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td2">V.</td><td class="td1">TROLLING-TACKLE AND LURES,</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_21">21</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td2">VI.</td><td class="td1">DUTIES OF BOATMAN,</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_27">27</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td2">VII.</td><td class="td1">ETIQUETTE OF LOCH-FISHING,</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_33">33</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td2">VIII.</td><td class="td1">CASTING AND STRIKING,</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_37">37</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td2">IX.</td><td class="td1">TROLLING,</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_42">42</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td2">X.</td><td class="td1">CAPTURE OF FISH,</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_48">48</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td2">XI.</td><td class="td1">AFTER A DAY'S FISHING,</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_60">60</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td2">XII.</td><td class="td1">REMINISCENCES,</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_65">65</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="td2">XIII.</td><td class="td1">CONCLUSION,</td><td class="td2"><a href="#Page_80">80</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> +<h1>SCOTCH LOCH-FISHING.</h1> + +<h2>CHAPTER I.<br /> +<small>INTRODUCTORY.</small></h2> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">We</span> do not pretend to write or enlarge upon +a new subject. Much has been said +and written—and well said and written too—on +the art of fishing; but loch-fishing <i>per se</i> +has been rather looked upon as a second-rate +performance, and to dispel this idea is one of +the objects for which this present treatise has +been written. Far be it from us to say anything +against fishing, lawfully practised in any +form; but many pent up in our large towns will +bear us out when we say that, on the whole, a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span> +day's loch-fishing is the most convenient. One +great matter is, that the loch-fisher is dependent +on nothing but enough wind to "curl" the +water,—and on a large loch it is very seldom +that a dead calm prevails all day,—and can +make his arrangements for a day, weeks beforehand; +whereas the stream-fisher is dependent +for a good take on the state of the water: and +however pleasant and easy it may be for one +living near the banks of a good trout stream or +river, it is quite another matter to arrange for +a day's river-fishing, if one is looking forward +to a holiday at a date some weeks ahead. Providence +may favour the expectant angler with +a "good" day, and the water in order; but experience +has taught most of us that the "good" +days are in the minority, and that, as is the +case with our rapid running streams,—such as +many of our northern streams are,—the water +is either too large or too small, unless, as previously +remarked, you live near at hand, and can +catch it at its best.</p> + +<p>A common belief in regard to loch-fishing is, +that the tyro and the experienced angler have +nearly the same chance in fishing,—the one +from the stern and the other from the bow of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span> +the same boat. Of all the absurd beliefs as +to loch-fishing, this is one of the most absurd. +Try it. Give the tyro either end of the boat +he likes; give him a cast of any flies he may +fancy, or even a cast similar to those which a +"crack" may be using; and if he catches one +for every three the other has, he may consider +himself very lucky. Of course there are lochs +where the fish are not abundant, and a beginner +may come across as many as an older fisher; +but we speak of lochs where there are fish to +be caught, and where each has a fair chance.</p> + +<p>Again, it is said that the boatman has as +much to do with catching trout in a loch as +the angler. Well, we don't deny that. In an +untried loch it is necessary to have the guidance +of a good boatman; but the same argument +holds good as to stream-fishing. There +are "pools and pools," and the experienced +loch-fisher can "spot" a bay or promontory, +where trout are likely to be lying, with as +much certainty as his brother angler can calculate +on the lie of fish in a stream. Then +there are objections to loch-fishing on the score +of expense. These we are not prepared to refute; +for there is no doubt whatever that loch-fishing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> +means money. But what has made it +so? The same reason that makes all other +things of more or less value—the common law +of supply and demand. Time was, and that +not so long ago, when a boatman who used to +get 3s., or at most 4s. a-day, now gets his 5s. +or 6s., and even at the latter figure does not +think himself too well paid. In the extreme +north, however, it is still possible to get a good +man for 3s. a-day; and we know of nothing +more enjoyable than a fortnight's loch-fishing +amidst magnificent scenery in some of our +northern counties. The expense of getting +there will always be a serious matter; but +once there, the fishing in itself is not dear. +The boat is usually got for nothing; the right +of fishing, so far at least as trout are concerned, +is free; and the man's wage and lunch +are decidedly cheap. But for a single day on +some of our nearer lochs,—such as Loch Leven, +Loch Ard, or Loch Lomond,—the expenses <i>are</i> +heavy, and the angler must always be the best +judge as to the likelihood of the "game being +worth the candle."</p> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER II.<br /> +<small>EQUIPMENT.</small></h2> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">This</span> will be a short chapter, as tastes differ +so very much, that many things we might +say would most probably be disregarded. But +as to some matters, there can only be one +opinion. Do not fish in <i>light-coloured</i> clothes; +and, should the weather be wet, do not wear +a white macintosh coat. We believe that the +eyesight of a fish is the keenest sense which +it possesses; and, more especially should the +day be clear and fine, there is no doubt that +an unusual white object within range of its +vision will make a fish, which might otherwise +have taken the fly, turn tail and flee. A good +deal of what we hear spoken of as fish "rising +short," proceeds from this cause. No doubt +they rise short sometimes on seeing the angler<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> +himself, but he is much less likely to attract +notice if clad in dark-hued clothing. We +know of nothing better for a fishing rig-out +than a suit made from dark Harris tweed—it +will almost last a lifetime, and is a warm and +comfortable wear. Thus you will need a dark +macintosh and leggings; and a common sou'wester +is, when needed, a very useful head-gear. +A pair of cloth-lined india-rubber gloves +will be found desirable in early spring, when +it is quite possible that the temperature may +be low enough for snow. A pair of stout +lacing boots, made with uppers reaching well +up the leg, will be found best, as they protect +the feet from getting damp when going into +or leaving a boat, even though one should need +to step into the water; and if your waterproof +coat is long, as it should be, the necessity of +wearing leggings on a wet day is obviated. +Lastly, <i>by all means keep the body warm</i>, and +remember that the more careful you are of +yourself, even at the risk of being thought +"old wifish," you will, humanly speaking, be +enabled to enjoy the sport to a greater age +than you might otherwise do.</p> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER III.<br /> +<small>TACKLE AND ACCESSORIES.</small></h2> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">As</span> this is likely to be one of the most important +chapters in the book, the reader +must forgive us if we are particular—even to +a fault—in describing some of the necessaries +towards the full enjoyment of the pleasures of +loch-fishing. So much depends on our being +comfortable in our enjoyments, that we have, +perhaps, erred on the side of luxuriance; but +to those anglers who think so, there is nothing +easier than their leaving out what they think +superfluous.</p> + +<p><i>Creel, or Fishing-Bag.</i>—The creel for loch-fishing +should be of the largest size made, so +as to serve for all kinds of fish; and as the +angler is always in a boat, the difference of +room occupied is of very little moment. Besides,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> +it accommodates his tackle and lunch, +and even waterproofs, though the latter are +better to be strapped on outside. These creels +are neatest when made in French basket-work; +and even the lightest of them, with ordinary +care, will last many years, more especially if +the edges and bottom are leather-bound. Almost +any tackle-shop will supply them plain, +or bound with leather, as desired. Brass hinges +and hasp will also be found great improvements. +The fishing-bag is of somewhat recent +development, and is very convenient; but the +objection to it is that, unless the waterproof +cloth with which it is lined be carefully +washed after each day's fishing, a nasty smell +is apt to be contracted and retained. Though +we use the bag often ourselves, we incline for +many reasons to the old-fashioned creel. Many +loch-fishers carry along with them a square +basket about 16 in. × 8 broad × 10 deep, which +they use for carrying their tackle and lunch, +thus leaving the creel or fishing-bag free for +fish alone. This is a capital plan, the only +objection being that it makes another article +to carry. As to its usefulness there can be +no doubt, as nothing is more undesirable than<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> +having tackle and fish in one basket or bag, +even though you should have something between. +Some anglers go the length of a luncheon-basket, +but this savours so much of the +picnic that we don't approve of it.</p> + +<p><i>Landing-Net and Gaff.</i>—These may be got +at any tackle shop, the only care to be exercised +being in the selection of a good long +handle, and in seeing that the net be made +of twine which resists the catching of hooks, +and that it be of a size capable of landing a +large fish, as the gaff leaves an ugly mark, +and should only be used when actually necessary. +The screw of the net-hoop and of the +gaff will suit the same handle.</p> + +<p><i>Fishing-Rods.</i>—For loch-fishing, it is desirable +to use a rod not less than 14 feet in +length, if fishing for ordinary yellow trout; but +if for sea trout, and the chance of "a fish" <i>par +excellence</i>, then the rod should be a couple of +feet longer. The angler will find that it is +better to have both rods with him—the spare +one being handy in case of calamity—as the +extra trouble of carrying is very slight: rods +and landing-net handle can be easily tied up together +with small leather straps. Do not have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> +a rod that bends too freely—rather err on the +other side; because in loch-fishing you have +generally wind enough to carry your flies +out, and if you do get a 3 or 4 pounder, the +advantage of a fairly stiff rod is apparent. +We prefer rods in three pieces—no hollow-butts—and +made of greenheart throughout. +The first cost is more than for rods whose +various parts are made of different woods, but +the greenheart is the cheapest rod in the end. +With the minimum of care, a greenheart never +gets out of order; and a good rod of this +description will be as straight at the end of +a season as at the beginning. Avoid all +fancy rods, and do not be beguiled into buying +them.</p> + +<p><i>Reels and Lines.</i>—Always carry a couple of +reels with you, the smaller with 60 yards of +fine line, and the larger with not less than 100 +yards of grilse line. Silk-and-hair lines are +not very expensive, and with a little care will +last a long time. They will be found the most +satisfactory for all kinds of fly-work. The +reels which we consider best are made of +bronzed metal and vulcanite: they are light, +and stand a lot of wear. When buying your<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> +rods, get the reels fitted to them, and see that +the fit is sufficiently tight, as nothing is more +annoying than to find the ferrules loosening +their hold of the reel, and that, perhaps, at a +most critical moment. Should the reels referred +to not be heavy enough to balance the +rods properly—and this is a matter of great +importance—it may be as well to take reels +made entirely of bronzed metal.</p> + +<p><i>Fly-Book.</i>—We are not much in favour of +fly-books. They are a great temptation to +keeping a large stock of flies; and in the following +chapter we will show that the fewer +flies one possesses the better. A serious objection +to a fly-book is, that the flies get crushed +in it, and we consider a box a better receptacle; +but if the angler will have a fly-book, +one of moderate size—rather to the big size +if anything—made of pig-skin leather, and +well provided with pouches for holding casting-lines, +as well as the usual receptacles for flies, +will be found best. These books are to be had +in great variety at any wholesale tackle warehouse; +and taste goes a long way in non-essentials.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span></p> + +<p>Beyond the articles mentioned, the angler +should always have at hand the following:—</p> + +<ul><li>Spring balance, weighing up to 20 lb.</li> +<li>Small screw-driver.</li> +<li>Small gimlet.</li> +<li>Small bottle clockmaker's oil.</li> +<li>Bottle varnish.</li> +<li>Carriage-lamp, and candles to fit, for travelling.</li> +<li>Two packs playing-cards.</li> +<li>Good-sized flask.</li> +<li>Flat glass or horn drinking-cup.</li> +<li>Pocket-scissors. The kind that shut up will be found very useful.</li> +<li>Corkscrew.</li> +<li>Hank of medium gut for emergencies.</li> +<li>Fine silk thread and resin.</li> +<li>Some common thin twine for tying joints of rod together.</li> +<li>Also articles named in Chapter V., p. 21, under "Trolling-Tackle and Lures."</li></ul> + +<p>Many of these things may be considered +quite <i>de trop</i>; but the longer one fishes, the +more one finds out that the little luxuries +give a vast amount of enjoyment for the small +amount of foresight required to have them at +hand when wanted.</p> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER IV.<br /> +<small>FLIES AND CASTING-LINES.</small></h2> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Flies</span>.—Here we shall no doubt come into +conflict with many opinions, and most +probably meet with the most criticism. However, +as all we have written, and mean to +write, is the result of actual experience, we +may be pardoned for being somewhat dogmatic +on the subject in hand. In the first place, +don't keep a large stock of flies. If going for +a day's fishing, buy as many as you think +you'll need, and <i>no more</i>. Buy them of different +sizes; and if you get a few each time you +go for an outing, you will be astonished how +soon a spare stock accumulates. Ascertain +carefully beforehand the <i>size</i> suitable to the +loch—the <i>kinds</i> are not of so much importance—and +once you have made up a cast, in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +which operation there is no harm in taking +your boatman's suggestions, <i>do not change</i>, unless +it be to put on a smaller or larger size +according to the wind, or unless it is conclusively +proved that other flies are raising trout +when yours cannot. Of course, if you are +going for a fortnight's fishing, you will require +to lay in a fair stock; but even then get as few +as you think you can possibly do with. Do +not run any risk of running short, and do not +place yourself in the position of needing to use +old casts: that is poor economy in the long-run. +The following is, we think, a fair list for a fortnight's +sport in an out-of-the-way place:—</p> + +<table class="lftb" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td class="center" style="white-space: nowrap;">Half-dozen</td><td class="td3">harelugs.</td></tr> +<tr><td class="center">"</td><td class="td3">red and teal.</td></tr> +<tr><td class="center">"</td><td class="td3">orange and mallard.</td></tr> +<tr><td class="center">"</td><td class="td3">green and woodcock.</td></tr> +<tr><td class="center">"</td><td class="td3">black spiders with red tips, commonly called "Zulus."</td></tr> +<tr><td class="center">"</td><td class="td3">red spiders, hackle taken well down the hook.</td></tr> +<tr><td class="center">"</td><td class="td3">March Browns, which, though supposed to come out in March, are really capital flies at any time.</td></tr> +<tr><td class="center">"</td><td class="td3">yellow body with cinnamon wings and golden-pheasant tip.</td></tr> +<tr><td class="center">"</td><td class="td3">dark harelug body, mallard wing and red tip. This is a splendid spring fly.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class="clr">These we would get dressed on Loch Leven +size—any fly-dresser knows what that means; +but perhaps the better way would be to get a +quarter dozen of each dressed on that size, and a +quarter dozen of each on a hook two sizes larger. +The patterns in a tackle-maker's book are endless, +but for the most part are modifications or +combinations of the flies we have named; and +the angler will soon discover for himself that +flies and old half-used casts, and often casts made +up in the humour of the moment, and never +used at all, accumulate upon him so rapidly +that he is glad to find some enthusiastic boatman +to bestow them upon. It is needless to +add, that a gift of this kind is usually very +much appreciated by the recipient. Tinsel is +a very useful adjunct to a fly, and should always +be employed in those used in loch-fishing. +If variety is wanted in colouring, the +least tip of Berlin or pig's wool of the desired +shade will be found very effective. Get your +flies dressed on Limerick-bend hooks, as the +iron, should it chance not to be the best tempered +in the world, is not so liable to snap as +the round bend. The wings of the fly should +be dressed so as to be distinctly apart both in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +the water and out of it, thus—</p> + +<div class="bk1" style="width: 184px;"> +<img src="images/001.png" width="184" height="103" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p class="noin">It gives the fly a much more life-like appearance, +and makes it swim better in the water. +When you give orders for flies, see that they +are dressed up to your instructions, as it is +quite certain you will fish with much more +confidence when you have faith in what you +are using. Do not have them dressed on too +fine gut, as they are apt to get twisted round +the casting-line (usually called "riding the +line"), and put you to the trouble of straightening +them out every few minutes. These remarks +may seem trifling; but trifles are very irritating +in most pursuits, and the gentle art is no +exception. Flies suitable for salmon and sea-trout +fishing on almost any loch will be supplied +at any shop in the trade on asking for +Loch Lomond patterns. These patterns are +well-known, and are without exception as fine +flies as one could wish for. They are usually +made very full in the body, and dressed with +heron's hackle. The varieties are red and teal, +green and teal, orange and mallard, or turkey, +and a few variations of these,—sometimes a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> +yellow tip to the red and green bodies, or a +red tip to the yellow; but a cast composed of +red or green and teal with orange and mallard +is unsurpassable. For this class of fishing, +the flies should be dressed with loops, and +the bob should be fixed to the casting-line +by means of a small strand of gut. Two +flies on a cast are quite sufficient when big +fish are expected. We can hardly advise the +angler to try fly-dressing on his own account. +It is hardly worth his while, as flies are to +be had very reasonably from any respectable +tackle-maker; and they are much better +dressed in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred +than any amateur performance.</p> + +<hr class="min" /> + +<p><i>Casting-Lines.</i>—Provide yourself with half +a dozen each, of different thickness—that is, +fine, medium, and stout, the latter for salmon +and sea-trout fishing. That quantity should +suffice for a fortnight's outing, even making +allowance for breakage, and leave you some +over for another time: but in this matter it is +better to run no risk of being short. The gut +should be stained a light tea colour, or the +faintest blue: it can be bought so. There is<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +no occasion for them being more than three +yards long, as we cannot advocate fishing with +more than three flies at a time. If three flies +are properly placed on a line, and the line be +properly handled in the casting, they will cover +as much water as any number of flies. Besides, +there is far less chance of a "fankle," to use a +most expressive Scotch word, than when four +or more flies are used. In this, however, +<i>chacun à son goût</i>,—we are only giving an +opinion after trying both ways.</p> + +<p>In making up a cast of flies, <i>have no loops</i> +of any kind, excepting the one by which the +cast is attached to your silk-and-hair line. The +water-knot is so simple and neat, that it is the +best for the purpose of fixing on the tail-fly, +which, by the way, should be the heaviest of +those you are about to use, if there is any +difference between them. In case our readers +don't know the water-knot, we give an illustration +which explains itself—</p> + +<div class="bk1" style="width: 635px;"> +<img src="images/002.png" width="635" height="76" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p class="noin">The loops are pulled tight, and then the fly +and the line are drawn in opposite directions, +the result being that the knots formed by the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> +loops meet and make a firm, and at the same +time an almost imperceptible, joining. You +then clip off any ends that may remain. So +much for the tail fly. The putting on of the +other two is simplicity itself. You take the +strand of gut on which the next fly you purpose +affixing is dressed, and laying it along the +main line, <i>taking care to have the hook lying in +the reverse direction from the tail fly</i>, you tie +it into the line a yard from the fly already +attached. In tying it in, leave the hook hanging +about two and a half inches from the line. +The third, or "bob" fly, is attached in like +manner, and thus your cast of flies is completed. +The only objection to this method of +making up a cast is, that once the middle and +bob flies are tied in, they cannot be used again. +This is quite true; but the keen angler will +submit to the little extra expense on this score +for the gratification which the sight of a really +neat cast will afford him. The system of suspending +hooks by loops, especially when using +fine tackle, is almost entirely exploded. We +should have said that previous to use, all gut +should be soaked, and the longer the better. +It is a good plan to let it soak over night, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +make up your cast in the morning. When gut +is thus thoroughly wet, it is wonderful how +easy it is of manipulation. On the other hand, +dry gut is very brittle, and will break on the +slightest provocation. Fix the cast and silk-and-hair +line together, having previously made +a single knot on the end of the latter, as illustrated +below—</p> + +<div class="bk1" style="width: 618px;"> +<img src="images/003.png" width="618" height="49" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p class="noin">It is prudent to have a second cast ready in +case of breakage, as nothing is more annoying +than losing time making up one in the boat, +and that most probably when the trout are +rising. Experience is a great teacher; and it +is wonderful how soon the angler learns the +value of every moment, and seeks beforehand, +so far as human foresight can go, to provide +for all contingencies.</p> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER V.<br /> +<small>TROLLING-TACKLE AND LURES.</small></h2> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Do</span> not troll at all if you can get fishing +with the fly; and under no circumstances +troll for trout in the very early part of the +season, when they are more or less in a "kelty" +state, and take an artificial or other minnow +very keenly. True, you may catch fish, but it +is a most unsportsmanlike proceeding to take +fish not in fair condition; and if you, sir, who +read this book, are not a sportsman, you had +better stop here, for it was compiled by a +sportsman for sportsmen. There are some +miserable "pot-hunters" who want to kill anything +that swims—be it clean or unclean; but +with them we have nothing whatever to do. +But fair trolling is quite legitimate, and in +many cases it is absolutely imperative to troll<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> +if a basket is to be made at all. Some days +the fly is of no use—either owing to a calm, or +to a bright sky; and a well-managed trolling-line +or two is then the only resort, unless one +stops fishing altogether. And if big trout and +<i>ferox</i> are wanted, nothing succeeds—indeed +nothing <i>will</i> succeed, except very occasionally—but +trolling, either with artificial or natural +bait. So to be complete you must have the +requisite tackle, and we will tell you what is +necessary, both for small and large fish, in as +few words as we possibly can. A <span class="smcapl">ROD</span> specially +adapted for trolling is almost a necessity, as it +is a great strain upon an ordinary fly-rod to +have the weight of 30 or 40 yards of line +upon it: even a good rod is apt to get an ugly +bend from such treatment. The rod for trolling +need not be long—12 to 14 feet is quite sufficient—but +it must be stiff; and we consider +that the rings through which the line is led +ought to be large and fixed—that is, standing +out permanently from the wood, called by the +trade upright rings. A spare top will be supplied +along with it. The <span class="smcapl">REEL</span> should be of +the largest description, and may be got as +strong as possible, lightness being no recommendation<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> +to one used exclusively for trolling. +The <span class="smcapl">LINE</span> ought to be at least 100 yards long—120 +for choice—and this suffices for any kind +of fish. The material best adapted for trolling +is oiled silk-and-hair. There is a kind of line, +made in America, we believe, which is admirably +adapted for the purpose. It is strong as +wire-rope, and does not "kink" under any circumstances—which +latter is a consideration, as +sometimes a paltry trout may come on, and you +have only to haul him in hand-over-hand without +running the risk of your line getting into +a mess. This saves the trouble and waste of +time in reeling up many yards of line every +time a "smout" comes on. The line to which +we refer is somewhat expensive, but will be +found to be cheap in the long-run. An ordinary +silk-and-hair line does well enough, but +is apt to twist sadly if the minnow is not spinning +properly, besides the trouble it entails +after a day's fishing of laying out two or three +score yards for drying. The troller will require +to provide himself with <span class="smcapl">MINNOW TRACES</span>. These +do not require to be more than two yards in +length, but in ordering them take care that the +swivels are sufficiently large to insure the minnow—natural<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> +or artificial—spinning nicely. +The angler can easily procure swivels and make +traces for himself; but he will find in this, as in +most things connected with fishing, that he cannot +compete with the tackle-maker, so we advise +him to get them made up at a good warehouse. +Retail tackle-makers charge long prices, but in +most large towns there are warehouses which are +specially suited for a customer trade, thus saving +the user a long intermediate profit. This is as +it should be. The thickness of the gut used +for trolling should of course be regulated, as +in fly-fishing, by the size of fish you expect +to catch, and a few traces made of gimp +for pike and <i>ferox</i> should always be in the +troller's stock. By the way, and in case we forget +to mention it afterwards, always be provided +with some split swan shot, to be used in case of +a very clear day, when it is desirable to sink +line and minnow below the surface. Also be +provided with tackle—some mounted on gut +and some on gimp—for spinning natural minnow; +and we know of none better or more +deadly for this purpose than that of which an +illustration is given on next page. It is very +simple, and seldom misses anything.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span></p> + +<div class="bk1" style="width: 628px;"> +<img src="images/004.png" width="628" height="57" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p>The large hook is put in at the mouth of the +minnow, and the point brought out at a little +above the tail—thus giving the minnow the +proper curve for spinning. One of the smaller +hooks is put through <i>both</i> lips of the lure, to +close the mouth and to keep the bait in proper +position, while the other is left to spin. Some +advocate the use of par-tail as a spinning +bait; but as it is not right to kill par at all, +we omit any directions for its use. We have +drifted into the subject of <span class="smcapl">LURES</span> almost unconsciously. +If you wish to use natural minnows, +see that they are neither too large nor +too small—about two inches long is a good +size—and that the belly is silvery. It is +better to instruct your boatman to have a +supply ready against your arrival at the loch, +as sometimes it is as difficult to catch minnows +as to catch any other fish. However, we believe +that the want of them is so well supplied by +the phantom minnow, that little or no harm +is done though they are not to be had. And +when the handling and bother of using live<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +bait is taken into consideration, we think +that most folks will prefer the artificial lure. +The phantom we consider the very best of +all the imitations; and the troller should have +them in different colours and sizes, from Nos. +1 to 7. The hooks attached to the larger sizes +should be mounted on gimp, as in trolling for +large fish—and especially for <i>salmo ferox</i>—no +risk should be run of the mountings giving way. +Tin boxes, divided into compartments, for holding +the minnows, are very convenient, and are +to be had at most tackle shops. A spoon-bait +is also a splendid deception, and should not +be awanting. A tackle-maker's catalogue will +tell the reader of many other "spinners;" but +if he cannot catch fish of all kinds with either +a natural or phantom minnow or a spoon, it is +not the fault of the lure; and he may try anything +else he fancies, and come no better speed.</p> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VI.<br /> +<small>DUTIES OF BOATMAN.</small></h2> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Very</span> little requires to be said in this +chapter regarding boatmen, as when the +angler gets into the habit of frequenting certain +lochs, he soon finds out for himself the +steady reliable men in the neighbourhood, and +can generally engage one of them beforehand +by writing to the hotel at which he means to +put up. But in going to a new fishing-ground, +he is better to leave himself in the hands of +the landlord of the hotel, and if not satisfied +with his first day's experience of the man who +accompanied him, let him change. A good +boatman is a treasure; and though we are +decidedly against the system of "tipping" indiscriminately, +we say, when you get a good +man, pay him liberally. We know of some<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> +men with whom it is a pleasure to be out all +day, and whose company, in its own way, is +most enjoyable. Keen sportsmen these are, +and the capture or loss of a fish is a source of +true pleasure or pain. Other men one comes +across seem but to row the boat, and nothing +more; and an unproductive day in such company +is something to be looked back upon with +horror. The leading qualification of a boatman +of the right sort is a strong sympathy with the +angler, which enables him almost instinctively +to help the angler to cover every inch of likely +water with his flies, and makes him experience +the sensation of expecting a rise every cast; in +other words, he almost puts the fly into the +fish's mouth. With such a man, instructions +regarding the management of the boat are +superfluous; but as it often happens that you +do not get a first-rate hand, you have to take +matters into your own hands to some extent; +and we shall give you a few hints as to what +is best to be done under such circumstances. +It is hardly to be supposed that your man is +in ignorance of the best ground, either from +experience or hearsay, and it is only after you +get there that our instructions can possibly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> +come into operation. If you are obliged to +take a perfect greenhorn, we know of no other +course than to order him to keep in the wake +of some other boat, but that at such a distance +as not to be offensive. (See next chapter on +the "Etiquette of Loch-fishing.") But let us +assume that you get on to ground where fish +are: the first point is to see that everything +is in order, all unnecessary articles put out +of the way, and the landing-net and gaff conveniently +at hand. We ought to have said +that a large stone in the bow is useful, not +only to balance the boat and make her drift +better, but also as a weight to which a rope +may be attached, and thus let over the side +to the depth of a few feet, to prevent her +drifting too rapidly should there happen to +be a heavy breeze on. The next thing is to +get the boat properly broadside to the wind, +so that you may have next to no trouble in +casting. Should a fish be hooked, see that the +man keeps working the boat in such a manner +that the fish cannot possibly get underneath: +a single stroke of the oar in the proper direction +is generally all that is necessary. You +must also judge from the size of the fish, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +the length and strength of your tackle, whether +it is expedient that the man should follow the +fish if he makes a very long run. If your line +happens to be short—which it will not be, if +you have followed the instructions given in +Chapter III.—you need not be surprised if you +find nothing left but your rod and reel, your +line, and mayhap a "half-croon flee" flying +about the loch in charge of a fish. The management +of the landing-net or gaff is another +serious matter. If the fish be small, tell the man +to have the net ready, and "run it in;" but if +it is a good-sized fish, you must tell him not to +put the net near till he gets the word from you. +Many a time we have suppressed an exclamation—the +reverse of a blessing—when we have +seen the hoop of the landing-net strike the fish, +and were in suspense for a second or two as to +whether he was on or off. If the gaff is necessary, +it is almost as well to let your man hold +the rod after you have tired the fish thoroughly, +and gaff him yourself. But if you think it unadvisable +to part with the rod, send the man to +the other end of the boat from yourself, and +then lead the fish near him, so that he may +have a fair chance. He must put the gaff <i>over</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +the fish till the point is in a line with its +broadside, and then with a sudden <i>jerk</i> sink +the steel into, or even through, the animal, +and lift him over the gunwale with all possible +speed. A sharp blow or two on the snout will +deprive the fish of life. Always kill your fish,—big +or small,—as nothing ought to be more +repulsive to a true sportsman than to see or +hear any animal he has captured dying by +inches.</p> + +<p>It is perhaps needless to say that in the +matter of lunch and drink, due consideration +should always be paid to your boatman's wants; +indeed if he has had a hard time of it rowing +against a stiff breeze, nothing is lost by landing +at mid-day and letting him enjoy half an hour's +rest and a smoke after he has refreshed his +inner man. Sometimes—such as in a club +competition—such luxuries must be denied; +but even then he can put you on to a square +drift, and enjoy his lunch and smoke while you +are fishing; and you, on the other hand, can +take yours when he is changing ground. These +remarks may seem trifling; but we only give +you our experience, when we say that on some +lochs where good boatmen are not plentiful, the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> +angler who has shown most kindness and consideration +on past occasions is never much put +about for want of a man, even in a busy season. +And we have known, when every regular boatman +was engaged, that there was generally a +boatman's "friend" in the neighbourhood who +was pressed into our service, and that often at +a few minutes' notice.</p> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VII.<br /> +<small>ETIQUETTE OF LOCH-FISHING.</small></h2> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Politeness</span> is politeness all the world +over, and in loch-fishing it is particularly +to be practised. The gentle art is peculiarly +adapted for gentlemen,—using the word in +its truest sense,—and the true angler will never +be mistaken for anything else. In the Club to +which we have the honour to belong, there are +certain rules which would commend themselves +naturally to any one of us; but in order that +these may be clear and well defined, they are +circulated annually, and are in themselves so +admirable that we cannot do better than quote +them:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"1. No boat shall be entitled to take position in +front of any other boat which shall have already begun +drifting, at a less distance than three hundred yards.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span></p> + +<p>"2. Any competitor intending to drift a bay already +in possession of another competitor shall be obliged to +take position behind, or on the outside of and in a line +with the latter, but at such a distance as not to interfere +with the boat first in possession of the drift.</p> + +<p>"3. In cases where boats are changing water, it +shall not be admissible for any boat so doing to go +between the shore and any other boat drifting close +thereon."</p></div> + +<p>These rules, as may be inferred, refer to club +competitions in particular, but they are made +the standard upon all occasions where there is +any chance of their becoming applicable. So +much indeed have we got into the way of regarding +these rules,—strict as they are,—that we +observe them even when meeting with strangers +on any loch in any part of the kingdom. And +pay special attention, if you happen to be trolling +in the neighbourhood, never to interfere +with the drift on which a fly-fisher is engaged. +Nothing is more unbecoming, as it disturbs the +water which is his by right, if he has begun to +drift; and it is an unwritten rule that the fly-fisher +should generally be allowed the first of +the ground, as his style of fishing does not +make the same commotion as a trolling boat +and tackle do. Very few of us but have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> +experienced the annoyance of a minnow-boat +crossing our drift when we were fly-fishing; +and though we had no redress, and could make +no remarks without lowering ourselves to the +level of our offenders, we have, like the nigger's +parrot, "thought a mighty lot." Do not hesitate +to put yourself out of your way to help a +neighbour in distress. He may have hooked a +large fish and be unprovided with a gaff: if you +have one let him have it instantly, taking his +directions from which side you are to approach +him; and never let the loss of a few minutes, +more or less, deter you from following the +golden rule of doing to him as you would expect +him to do to you were you similarly placed. +And, as it sometimes happens where boats are +scarce and anglers many, when you are in the +same boat with a stranger, see that you confine +yourself strictly to your own share of the water, +not making casts which endanger "fankling" +for the mere sake of covering a little more +water with your flies. Should you have a fly +that is taking better than any other of your +own or his, offer him one; and in general try to +make the day's fishing one as much for the cultivation +of goodwill and the promotion of good-fellowship<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> +as for the mere sake of making a +basket. A churlish angler is an unnatural +phenomenon, and, thank Providence! they +seldom turn up. A man who can look upon +the beautiful scenery amid which he takes his +pleasure,—and there is none finer in the world +than our Scottish lochs and their surroundings,—and +not feel grateful to the Giver of all good, +and at peace with all mankind, ought to burn +his rod, singe his flies, and only associate with +men like himself.</p> + +<p>If the introduction of this chapter into our +book will have the effect of creating a better +understanding on the etiquette of loch-fishing +between brothers of the angle, the object for +which it was written will have been accomplished—and, +let us hope, a large amount of +goodwill thereby promoted.</p> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII.<br /> +<small>CASTING AND STRIKING.</small></h2> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">We</span> shall treat this subject under two +aspects: first, if you have the whole +boat to yourself; and second, if it is being +shared by some one else.</p> + +<p>If you have a boat to yourself, stand as near +the centre of it as you possibly can without +interfering with the boatman in rowing, and +cover every inch of the water in front of you +and as far to the sides as the wind will permit. +Always be careful how you cast—that +is, every time you throw your flies see that +they land lightly on the water, as no one can +expect to raise fish if any splash is made by +either line or flies. Fine casting is not quite +so essential, of course, when a fair breeze is +blowing; but if the wind be light, then the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> +difference between a well-thrown fly and the +reverse is very apparent. After you have made +a satisfactory cast, draw the line slowly to you +by raising the point of the rod, taking care to +keep the line as taut as possible. Also see +that your bob-fly is tripping on the surface, +as we consider that a well-managed "bob" is +the most life-like of the whole lot. Do not fish +with too long a line, unless, indeed, on an exceptional +occasion, when you wish to reach the lie +of a feeding fish. It is difficult to define a long +line, but a good general rule is that it should +never be longer than when you have the consciousness +that, if a fish should rise, you have +him at a fair and instantaneous striking distance. +Remember that the time the flies first +touch the water after each cast is the most +deadly; therefore, cast often.</p> + +<p>If you have only the share of a boat, the rule +is that one man takes the stern up till lunch, +and the other after it. For ourselves, we have +a preference for the bow, and we generally find +that most anglers prefer the luxury of the stern; +so when both parties are pleased, there is no occasion +for changing at all. The most important +thing to bear in mind when you have a companion<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> +is, as we said in last chapter, to confine +yourself to your own water. If the left-hand +cast is the one proper to your end of the boat, +cast as much to your right hand as you can +without infringing on your neighbour's share of +the water: all the water to your left hand is +of course yours. The same remarks apply <i>vice +versa</i>. <i>Never stop casting</i> so long as you are on +fishable ground, for you know not the moment +a good fish may rise. Certain it is that unless +you keep your flies constantly going, you cannot +expect to have the same basket as the angler +who does. Keep your eyes on your flies in a +general way, and do not let your attention be +distracted so long as they are in the water. +Every angler has experienced the annoyance of +missing fish when looking elsewhere for a single +moment—either at another boat, or at a fish +"rising to itself," or at the sky, or at something +else. When the eyes were turned to the point +from which they should not have been diverted, +they were just in time to see the water swirl, +and the hand gave a futile strike at what +had disappeared a second before. Perhaps we +should have said at the beginning of this chapter +to place implicit faith in the flies with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> +which you are fishing. Nothing is more ridiculous +than whipping the water with a cast, of +the suitableness of which you have any doubt; +and to guard against any such chance, study +carefully the state of the weather and the wind. +If very clear, use sombre flies; but if a dark +day, use brighter flies. You will of course regulate +the size according to the breeze, but as a +rule, err on the side of small flies. When you +raise a fish, <i>strike at once</i>. It is quite possible +that by this method you may once in a while +strike the least bit too soon, but it is a safe +plan to go by. There is always a particle of +a moment spent in the tightening of the line; +and by the time the angler sees a fish at his +flies, he may safely conclude that it has already +seized or missed them, and the sooner he ascertains +the true state of matters by striking instantaneously, +the better. If the fish has not +been touched by line or hook, cast gently over +him again: the chances are that there will be +another rise, and, if the fish has been feeding, +every likelihood that the second or even a third +time may be lucky. In striking small fish, the +least tightening of the line is sufficient; but<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> +with large fish, when your tackle and hooks +are strong, strike <i>firmly home</i> to send the steel +well in, right over the barb. Tackle that will +not stand this had better be given away or destroyed,—the +latter for choice.</p> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER IX.<br /> +<small>TROLLING.</small></h2> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Our</span> readers will have guessed, from what +has preceded this chapter, that we don't +believe in trolling if it can be avoided; but still +there are times and occasions on which it must +be practised, and we plead guilty to having +gone in for it oftener than once, when we saw +that fly-fishing was useless. On the other hand, +however, we have set out with a firm determination +to do a fair day's trolling,—and nothing +but trolling,—but somehow or another it has +generally ended in fly-fishing when we could, +and trolling as a <i>dernier ressort</i> when we could +not. This, we doubt not, has been the experience +of many of our angling friends to whom +the mere killing of fish is a secondary consideration<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> +compared with the enjoyment of real +sport. But when trolling is the order of the +day, either from choice or necessity, then this +is the way to go about it. We assume, of +course, that the angler is equipped with tackle +and lines specified in Chapter V., and that he +has a supply also of live minnows with him. +The elaborate tin-cans for holding minnows are +quite unnecessary so far as loch-fishing is concerned; +any ordinary vessel will do well enough +for a day, provided the water is changed now +and again. In trolling, two rods will be found +ample. They should be placed at right angles +to the boat,—the "thowl-pin," or, if there is not +one near enough the stern, anything (a cheap +gimlet answers admirably) fixed into the gunwale, +being sufficient to keep the rod in position,—so +that the spinners, of whatever kind +they may be, will be as far apart from each +other as possible. Take care that the butts of +the rods are well at the bottom of the boat, as +we have seen a rod not sufficiently fixed go +overboard before now. A main point in trolling +is to have plenty of line out. There should +never be less than thirty yards out from one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> +rod, and not less that forty from the other. By +this means, should a fish not see the first lure, +he may see the second. If trolling with natural +minnow, which is much more apt to get out of +order than artificial ones, see that the bait is intact +and spinning properly. This involves the +trouble of hauling it in for examination now +and then; but it is better to be at that trouble +than be fishing with, mayhap, a mangled lure, +or one that has got out of spinning order, and +more likely to act as a repellent than an attraction +to any fish in the neighbourhood. In +trolling any likely ground, the proper way is +to tell your man to zigzag it, not pulling the +boat in a straight line, but going over the +ground diagonally, and thus covering as much +of it as it is possible to do with a couple score +yards of line behind. The turning of the boat +necessitates a considerable circle being taken +to keep the lures spinning, and so that the +lines do not get mixed up; and your man, +after making the turn, should row in a slightly +slanting direction towards the point from which +he originally started, thus<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span>—</p> + +<div class="bk1" style="width: 586px;"> +<img src="images/005.png" width="586" height="236" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p class="noin">and so on, till the chances of raising a fish on +that beat are exhausted.</p> + +<p>Should a small fish come on, haul it in hand-over-hand; +and the man must not stop rowing, +as the other minnow is out, and must be kept +spinning. If, however, a fish that needs playing +comes to you, you must seize the rod to +which he has come, and the boatman must +take the other, and wind in as fast as possible. +You should not commence winding in till the +other line is wound up so far as to preclude +the chance of the fish mixing up both lines +together. Barring the risk one runs of a serious +mess, it is not a bad plan to troll from a +reel a cast of larger-sized flies than would be +used in ordinary fly-fishing. This line follows, +of course, in a <i>straight</i> track behind the boat, +and the minnows being considerably to right<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> +and left of it, there is no danger of their getting +mixed so long as the boat is moving; but the +risk is apparent should a fish come to either of +the three lines, and great activity is then necessary +on the part of yourself and boatman to +keep things right. You must keep the fish at +as considerable a distance from the other lines +as you can, and trust a good deal to the chances +of war for the ultimate safety of all. Some +days, even when casting was unproductive, we +have been fortunate in securing fish by trolling +our flies in the manner described. Indeed, unless +the day or the season is decidedly in favour +of trolling minnows, we prefer, if only trolling +two lines, to troll from one of them with the +minnow, and from the other with the fly. This +must always be decided, however, by the judgment +of the angler, and by his surroundings for +the time being. One thing in favour of trolling +with the minnow is, that the best size of fish are +caught by that means. This is not invariably +the case, but it is the rule. And in concluding +this chapter, we must not omit to acknowledge +that we are glad to know that when we are not +so young as we once were, and when the wielding<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> +of a rod all day long shall have come to be +a serious matter, we shall still have the pleasure +of roaming about our lovely lochs—Highland +or Lowland—and have the excitement of +landing fish, coupled with our enjoyment of +fresh air and grand scenery. For this reason, +if for no other, cultivate as often as you can, +without entrenching on the nobler pastime of +fly-fishing, the art of trolling—for we must confess +that there is an art in this as in everything +else; and should my reader be sceptical on the +point, he has only to try conclusions, when he +gets the chance, with some old troller, and he +will be convinced before supper-time.</p> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER X.<br /> +<small>CAPTURE OF FISH.</small></h2> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Scotch</span> loch-fishing, as usually practised, +only embraces the capture of the <i>salmo</i> +species—that is, the <i>salmo fario</i>, or common +yellow trout; the <i>salmo trutta</i>, or sea-trout; and +<i>salmo salar</i>, the "fish," as most boatmen call +it, and the noblest game of the finny creation. +Besides these there is, of course, the <i>salmo +ferox</i>; but it is comparatively scarce, and only +worth trolling for in some particular lochs, +where they are known to be more easily come +across than in others. And sometimes when +worthier game is not to be had, we have a +spin for pike, but Mr Jack is as difficult to +catch at times as his more aristocratic comrades. +In most Scotch lochs where any supervision +is exercised at the instance of our local<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> +clubs, the extermination of pike is most vigorously +carried on by means of fixed and splash +nets. This, as regards our large lochs, where +there is room for all, we have no hesitation in +saying is a mistake, as it shuts up one means +of enjoying a day's fishing when nothing else +in the way of fish is to be had; and it must +be borne in mind that there are some older +anglers, to whom a whole day's fly-fishing is +a labour, who never object, when trolling, to +come across a pike: and no wonder, for a pike +of 10 lb. and upwards gives some fair play, +though by no means to compare with what a +fish of the <i>salmo</i> tribe of that weight would +give. Then we have perch in abundance, and +splendid eels; but as these need a float and +bait to catch them, we dismiss them as quite +<i>infra dig</i>. True a perch will come at a minnow, +and we have sometimes seen them take +a fly; but they are generally voted a nuisance, +and expelled the boat.</p> + +<p>As regards the capture of fish, we shall proceed +to deal with each in order; and at the +outset we remark, that when you have hooked +a fish, it is a safe general rule to waste no +unnecessary time in bringing him to the landing-net<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +or gaff, and thence into the boat. +When playing a fish, never allow the line to +get slack, unless, indeed, when he leaps into +the air,—then you must give him rope; but so +soon as he gets into his native element, feel +his mouth instantly. Always play your fish +to <i>windward</i> of the boat if there is some one +sharing it with you, as this allows him to go +on casting to leeward. Of course, if you have +the whole boat to yourself, play your fish in +any way that it will be most expeditiously +brought to basket. The angler ought to be +well assured of the strength of his tackle, and +when he has confidence in that, he will soon +learn to judge of the proper strain to which it +may be subjected. In the case of <span class="smcapl">COMMON +YELLOW TROUT</span>, averaging, as most loch trout do, +about three to the pound, there is no occasion +to put off time with any one of them; but in +some lochs, such as Loch Leven, where the +average is fairly one pound, and where two +and three pounders are by no means uncommon, +some care and a little play are absolutely +necessary. But do not, even in such a case, +give him too much of his own way. We can +assure our readers that a three-pound Loch<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> +Leven trout, in good condition, on fine gut +and small irons, gives as nice a piece of play, +and exercise to the eye, hand, and judgment, +as could well be desired.</p> + +<p>The <span class="smcapl">SEA-TROUT</span> is, for his size, the gamest +of all fish. He is bold as a lion, and fights +harder for his life than a salmon twice his +size. A fish of three pounds will run out a +considerable piece of line, and make a splendid +leap, or series of leaps,—and then is the trying +time. As often as not, your flies and the fish +part company in the air, and you have to sit +down muttering "curses not loud but deep," +till an application to the flask soothes your +wounded spirit, and invigorates you for fresh +effort. A beautiful sight it is to see a sea-trout +rise. No half-hearted attempt is his, +but a determined rush for the fly, and down +again like thought, leaving you the tiniest part +of a moment to strike, and hardly time to +admire his beautiful silvery coat. If you have +been fortunate enough to get the steel into +him, you will have time to admire him when +you get him into the boat. Fishing for sea-trout +with the fly is, we consider, the most +exciting of all kinds of fishing—that is, if the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +fish run to a fair average weight. But we are +sorry to say that lochs where it is to be enjoyed +are, with the solitary exception of Loch +Lomond, usually far out of ordinary reach,—and +in the case of Loch Lomond, it is only +<i>habitués</i> who usually come much speed on it; +but once the angler gets a fair day there, he +finds his way back often. True, there are +some excellent sea-trout lochs in the north, +and on the west coast and islands, but they +are a far cry from civilisation. Nevertheless, +if our readers can spare the time, let them find +their way into some unfrequented spot where +sea-trout are plentiful, and they will agree +with us in thinking that that class of fishing +is a most excellent sport. Some parts of +Ireland are famous for their fine sea-trout +fishing—white trout they call them there; +and though we have never been there ourselves, +we mean to go some day, when the +Land Bill has pacified the natives, and made +them law-abiding subjects. Meantime one +runs the risk of being mistaken for a non-resident +landlord, and that would be a pity +for one's wife and family. But without any +joking, this Irish sea-trout fishing is a pleasure<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> +to which we look forward; and in this work-a-day +world, something to look forward to is half +the enjoyment of life.</p> + +<p>The capture of the <span class="smcapl">SALMON</span> is the ambition +of all anglers, but we doubt very much if the +sport is to compare with ordinary loch or sea-trout +fishing, provided always that the latter +are of good average weight. The tackle used +in salmon-fishing is proportionately heavy, and +after the first few rushes, if the fish be well +hooked, there is little in it except a matter of +time. Indeed it is said that some anglers, +after hooking a salmon, hand the rod to a +gillie to work and land the fish. This seems +going too much in the other direction, but +it is quite understandable. True, the size to +which salmon run is a great inducement to go +after them; but even in Loch Tay, where the +biggest average is to be found, the sport, if +such it can be called at all, is very questionable. +The rod, line, gut, and minnows used +are on such a strong scale, that a well-sized +vessel might be moored with them without +their breaking; and with several scores of +yards of line ready for a rush, what earthly +chance has the fish of escape, unless through<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> +the grossest carelessness? The fish may be +loosely hooked, and get off, but this is quite +a matter of chance, and the odds are that a +hungry spring fish will not miss the lure. +Thus the charm of salmon-fishing is in the +raising and striking; and of all kinds of +striking, the striking of the salmon is the most +difficult: the fish being so large and silvery, the +angler is certain to see him coming <i>at</i> the fly, +and is very apt to strike too soon. But if it is +borne in mind to strike <i>after</i> the broken water +is visible, and not before it, this will soon be +overcome. When you do strike, don't let it +be a mere tightening of the line, as in trout-fishing, +but a decided stroke. Some say that +the salmon will hook himself by his own +weight. This may be so, though we doubt +it,—but don't trust to it. Certain it is, that +the first rush of a fish does not usually fix +him certain; and should the hook happen to +be in a piece of hard gristle or on a bone, you +will soon find this out for yourself, but generally +at the cost of the fish.</p> + +<p>Salmon-fishing is an expensive luxury; but +if you can get it good, never mind the expense, +but give it a trial. If you get good sport, you<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> +may not care to go in for smaller game again; +but in all our experience we never knew a +salmon fisher who did not enjoy trout-fishing +as much in its own way as ever he did that of +the nobler animal. There is something in the +gossamer gut and small flies irresistibly attractive +to all sportsmen, and from which no +amount of salmon-fishing can ever wean them.</p> + +<p>The <i>salmo ferox</i> is a fish on which many +opinions have been expressed; and we have +heard more than one old boatman say that he +did not believe it to be anything but a big +loch-trout, as, they ask, Who ever saw a young +one? We see the young of all other fish, but +why do we never come across a young <i>ferox</i>? +It seems pertinent enough questioning, and we +do not pretend to settle their doubts in either +one way or another. Certain it is, he is a big +strong fish with some features distinct from the +ordinary loch trout, and that when caught he +shows an amount of fight not to be equalled +by any of his neighbours, either white or brown. +He is usually caught by trolling either natural +or artificial minnow; and the tackle should be +mounted on gimp and fixed to a strong line, +and plenty of it. We have read of a <i>ferox</i><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> +rising to the fly, but never saw one so captured. +There seems no reason why a gaudy fly should +not attract him. After he is hooked the fun +begins. A <i>ferox</i> of 10 to 12 lb. will give you +amusement and excitement for an indefinite +time; and you are never sure of him till he is +in the boat. A friend of ours (a capital angler +to boot) fishing with us on Loch Assynt in +Sutherlandshire in 1877, hooked a fine specimen; +and after battling with him for an hour, +had the mortification of seeing fish, angel-minnow, +and trace, disappear! A good boatman is a +wonderful help in such a case; indeed without +his help your chances are small. To be sure +it is slow work trolling for <i>feroces</i>, and a whole +day—yea, days—may be spent without getting +a run. The angler must always be the best +judge as to whether the chance is worth his +while. Loch Awe, Loch Ericht, Loch Rannoch, +and Loch Assynt, are good lochs for trying +one's luck in this kind of fishing.</p> + +<p>Then to come from the nobler to an inferior +species, we get to <span class="smcapl">PIKE</span> fishing. Angling for +this fish seems to be in great repute among +our southern brethren, if we may judge by +the literature on the subject; but somehow or<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> +other it is looked upon among our northern +anglers with somewhat the same aversion that +a Jew has to bacon, and fishing for pike is +only resorted to when all chance of catching +anything worthier is gone. We don't profess +to say whence this antipathy arises; but we +have heard stories from boatmen about the foul +feeding of pike that makes the idea of eating +him repulsive. Not but that we have eaten +him, but we never did so with relish, however +cunningly the <i>artiste</i> may have served him up. +As a stock for soup he is good; but in Scotland +it is better not to say what the origin of the +stock is till your friends are at their <i>café noir</i>. +But here we are only interested so far as the +sport he gives is concerned; and unless the +pike be all the larger—say not under 8 lb.—the +sport is poor enough. Even a pike of 8 lb. +and over, when hooked (which is done by trolling +or casting a minnow and working it after +the manner of a fly), makes one or two long +pulls, not rushes like a fish of the <i>salmo</i> tribe; +and after that he subsides into a sulk from +which you must trust to the strength of your +tackle to arouse him. The tackle should be +mounted on gimp, for his teeth are very sharp;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> +and when removing the lure from his mouth, +you will find it much safer to have previously +put the foot-spar between his jaws to prevent +him getting at your fingers.</p> + +<p>There is a fly, if such it can be called, used +in pike-fishing. This fly resembles a natural insect +as much as a tea-pot resembles an elephant, +but it does attract pike—in the same way, we +suppose, that a piece of red flannel will attract +a mackerel. If our readers wish to try it, they +can buy it at almost any tackle shop. Pike +are to be found in almost all lochs, though in +the more frequented of our Scotch waters they +are being slowly but surely exterminated. In +others, again, they reign almost alone. But +pike-fishing by itself is a poor affair, and we +advise our readers only to take to it when they +can do nought better. If any of them wish to +go below the level of pike-fishing, we must +refer them to the copious instructions of many +books, from Isaak Walton downwards. For +ourselves, when it comes to bait-fishing—except +in running water, when worm-fishing is +an art—we prefer catching whitings and haddocks +in some of our beautiful salt-water lochs, +to all the perch, roach, chub, and such-like,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> +that ever swam. But in this please note that +we are only expressing our own opinion, and +with all respect to the opinions of many +worthy anglers. We may say this, however, +with all safety, that in angling, as in most +other things, if one aims at the highest point +of the art he is not at all likely to condescend +to the lowest.</p> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XI.<br /> +<small>AFTER A DAY'S FISHING.</small></h2> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">What</span> a pleasant fatigue succeeds a day's +fishing! There is not, or should not be, +a feeling of weariness, but just the satisfaction +one feels after enjoying a health-giving recreation. +Health-giving it certainly is to the body, +and we have no hesitation in saying to the +mind also. It makes one forget for the time +being all the evils to which flesh is heir, and +braces up the whole system to meet them +when the necessity arises. But we must not +go in for more sentiment than is actually needful. +The practical duties after a day's fishing +are these. If the weather has been damp, +change all wet garments <i>at once</i>, and if at all +practicable have a hot bath before sitting +down to dinner. We say dinner advisedly,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> +for the angler should always have a good +sound dinner after a day's fishing, as however +pleasant the work may have been, still it +is exhausting to the body, and a rough tea, +though good in itself, cannot pretend to have +the reviving elements in it that a substantial +dinner has. A glass of whisky, or even two, +in cold water, will be found a very safe accompaniment. +A good plan is to order your +whisky by the bottle, and put your card in a +nick made in the cork: the ordering of whisky +in glasses is expensive and unsatisfactory. +Your dinner over, turn your attention to your +tackle. Unwind your lines, so far as they +have been wet, from the reels, and lay them +out on your bedroom floor; if any chance of +being interfered with, wind them round the +backs of chairs instead. They will be dry by +the morning. Dry your reels thoroughly, and +put in a little oil wherever you think they +would be the better of it; and this should be +done to any other article—spring-balance, gaff, +&c.—that is liable to rust. Your creel or fishing-bag +should be washed out and hung up to +dry by the servants of the house immediately +after the fish have been removed, which latter<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> +should be done without delay. Your landing-net +should also be suspended in the open air, +that it may get dry as speedily as possible. A +landing-net will last double the time if attention +is given to it in this way. Take out all +used casting-lines from your book, and lay +them on the mantelpiece till morning: this +will insure the feathers being freed from moisture. +And in the case of expensive flies, this is +a matter of consideration, both on the point of +expense as well as your possible inability to +replace them where you may happen to be +sojourning for the time. If you mean to make +up a new cast or casts for the morrow, place +the casting-lines in a little water in your basin. +They will be in excellent order next morning +for manipulation. Also soak in like manner +the <i>gut</i> on which the flies which you mean to +use are dressed. True, you may not be sure +what flies you will put on till you see what +sort of a day it may prove to be, but there is +no harm done if you soak the gut (but only +the gut) of as many flies as will give you a +good choice.</p> + +<p>We should have said nearer the beginning +of this chapter to look well after your waterproofs,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> +that they are not hung up in a hot +place. A dry room or outhouse where there is +a good draught is best. If your fishing should +happen to be over for the time being, put your +tackle past (after being thoroughly dried) in +the most orderly fashion possible. For our +own part, we have the drawer in our bookcase +spaced out into compartments suitable for +holding all our tackle, barring reels and such +like; and this arrangement we find extremely +useful, and wonderfully convenient when we +wish to find anything. If, on the other hand, +you are out on a lengthy holiday, and have +time at your disposal, after putting things right +for the day, and for next day too, we know of +nothing better than a <i>good</i> rubber at whist for +filling up the evening. It must be a <i>good</i> +rubber, however, for the parlour game is neither +relaxation nor pleasure. Hence we would +advise all our angling friends to acquire a +thorough knowledge of the game, as only to +be learned with the aid of a good book on +the subject. Remember that when staying +at some out-of-the-way fishing hotel, you +may be asked to form a table with good +players, and not to be able to hold your own<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> +on such occasions is a great loss of pleasure +to yourself, and usually a source of annoyance +to the others. These remarks are somewhat +apart from the subject of this book, but by +way of an aside, they may be found not quite +out of place.</p> + +<p>Do not be beguiled into keeping late hours, +for no one can fish well next day if he has not +had a sufficient amount of sleep. But this is +also an aside; for some men need more sleep +than others, and each angler knows his own +necessities best. We only promulgate the +broad rule, that without proper rest no one +can be in good trim with hand and eye for a +pastime that needs both in a pre-eminent degree. +We speak from experience in this too; +and have sometimes imagined that our right +hand had lost its cunning till we remembered +that we had not been properly rested the night +before.</p> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XII.<br /> +<small>REMINISCENCES.</small></h2> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Having</span> exhausted, so far as we can imagine, +the practical part of our little treatise, +we proceed—in accordance with an idea +which we had in our minds at starting—to +give a few personal recollections, and to name +one or two lochs where we have enjoyed good +sport, and where it is still to be had for the +trouble of going. Reminiscences are, as a rule, +not specially interesting to the general reader, +hence we shall not make them too lengthy; +for we wish, above all things, that our readers +shall close this volume without experiencing +a shadow of weariness. One thing, however, +we would like to say to our younger angling +friends—Have as many personal adventures to +look back to as you possibly can. The adventures<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> +themselves can be best sought after when +the blood flows fast; for the time will come +when the rod and the tackle will perforce have +to be laid aside, and memory will then, unaided, +afford you many a pleasant retrospect, and you +will—even companionless—fight your battles +over again. You remember the story of the +illustrious Prince Talleyrand: when a young +man acknowledged to him that he could not +play whist, Talleyrand said to him—"Young +man, what a sad old age you are preparing for +yourself!" We don't mean to go this length +as regards fishing; but we safely say that a +man who lives to old age without having been +a keen angler, has not only deprived himself +of great enjoyments during his active life, but +has neglected to lay up a provision for the time +when the memory of them would have made +life's closing seasons sweeter.</p> + +<p>Our first acquaintance with <span class="smcap">Loch Ard</span> was +very pleasant—not, perhaps, so much from any +great expectation of sport, because at that time +(many years ago now) we were young at the pastime, +but more from the feeling of treading the +ground made classical by the great Magician of +the North, as the scene of the most stirring incidents<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> +in 'Rob Roy.' Attached to a big tree +in front of the hotel at Aberfoyle there hangs +a coulter, which tradition assigns as the veritable +article which Bailie Nicol Jarvie made +red-hot and used as a weapon of offence and +defence when he was in a dilemma in what +was, at that time, a very inaccessible part of +the Highlands. Since then many a Glasgow +magistrate has visited the spot—the inspection +of the line of the noble waterworks undertaking +which supplies the city being a sufficient +excuse for the annual advent of the civic rulers. +A railway station (Bucklyvie) is within eight +miles of Aberfoyle, and Aberfoyle is within +three miles of Loch Ard, and by the time this +book is in the hand of the reader there will +most likely be a railway station at Aberfoyle +itself. Shade of Bailie Nicol Jarvie! what would +you say if you were now to be allowed to haunt +the old spot? to hear a locomotive screech +where formerly you thought yourself so far +"frae the Sautmarket o' Glesca"? We don't +like the idea ourselves, and doubt very much +if it will pay. However, it is the fishing alone +which concerns us meantime, and we can at once +assure our angling friends that the sport is good—not<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> +but what one has to fish hard for a basket; +but the same remark applies to all our near-at-hand +lochs. On an ordinary good day a dozen +to eighteen trout may be captured, and sometimes +the baskets are heavier; but eighteen +fish, weighing 9 lb. to 12 lb., is a very fair day's +work. The trout average fairly a half pound, +and pounders are by no means scarce: a two-pounder +is come across occasionally, but he is +the exception. The fish are very pretty, and +for their size give excellent sport. Fine tackle +is here absolutely essential to success, and as +a matter of sport should always be used in +fishing for common yellow trout. The loch, +for its size, is much fished; and we fear that +when the railway facilities are completed, there +will require to be a considerable amount of restocking +to keep it up to the old mark. The +scenery is unsurpassed—wood, water, and mountain, +making a picture of wondrous beauty. To +the north of the loch, Ben Lomond rears its +mighty summit; and in the spring-time (for +Loch Ard is an early loch), before the summer +sun has melted the winter's snow, the effect is +grand in the extreme. April, May, and June, +are supposed to be the best months for angling;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> +but we see no reason why, if the weather be +favourable, these months should be singled out. +The hotel accommodation at Aberfoyle is excellent. +In the early months you must engage +a boat beforehand: boatmen first-rate. Many +a happy day we have spent on Loch Ard—sometimes +successful and sometimes much the +reverse; but in any case there is a witchery +about the place that makes one enjoy himself +in spite of all cares. Mind and body recruit +their jaded energies, and get braced up to meet +the stern realities of life.</p> + +<p>In strong contradistinction, in this respect, +to Loch Ard, is <span class="smcap">Loch Leven</span>. In the latter, if +the angler is not catching fish, there is little of +the beautiful to commend itself to the senses. +The island on which the castle stands is pretty, +and as a historic ruin is well worthy of a visit, +but otherwise the scenery is very tame, and the +surroundings not entrancing. But since we +have drifted into speaking of Loch Leven, we +may as well tell of the sport which is to be had +there,—and this, as is well known, is exceptionally +good. The quality of the fish is wonderful; +and after reading the statistics of a year's +fishing—last season something like 18,000 fish,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> +weighing as many pounds, were killed—one is +puzzled to know how it is kept up. The loch +itself is a great natural feeding-pond, miles and +miles of it being of an almost uniform depth, +and a boat may drift almost anywhere, the +angler feeling at the same time certain that +fish are in his immediate vicinity. Trout of +two and three pounds are quite common; and +it is a rare occasion that a day's average does +not come up to the pound for each fish. They +are very fine eating, and cut red as a grilse. +The company which rents the loch pay £800 +to £1000 for the fishing, and they in turn keep +a fleet of large boats—twenty we think—and +let them out to anglers at the rate of 2s. 6d. +an hour. Any number may fish from one boat. +There are two boatmen in each boat,—one of +whom is paid by the company, the other by +the angler; and we are sorry to say that these +men, with a few exceptions, are very much +spoiled. There is a class of anglers(?) who +frequent Loch Leven, whose whole aim seems +to be, not sport so far as their own personal +efforts are concerned, but the killing of as many +fish as possible. If such a one has engaged a +boat, he arms each boatman with a rod, and, of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> +course, fishes himself, thus having three rods +going at once. As we said before, the loch can +be drifted without any attention from the men, +after they have pulled up to the wind, and this +enables them to get casting all the time that +their employer is doing likewise. Not content +with this, a couple of minnows are generally +trolled astern when changing ground. We don't +say that a man has not a right to do as he +likes if he pays for his boat; but we <i>do</i> ask, +Is this sport? And why should boatmen be +spoiled in this way to such an extent that we +have known them sulk a whole day because a +spare rod was not allowed to be put up for +their special benefit? But, of course, the men +are just as they have been made, and true +anglers, who fish for a day's sport, and not for +the mere sake of slaughter, have the remedy in +their own hands. Don't let anything deter you +from fishing Loch Leven. It may be expensive; +but if you get a good, or even a fair day, +you will not regret the expense. Get a friend +to join you, and the expense is not so heavy +after all; and if your friend and yourself fish +perseveringly all day, you will usually be rewarded +with a very fine show of fish. There is<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> +no harm in letting your men fish when you are +taking your lunch, <i>but don't allow a third rod +to be put up</i>. The boatmen are, as a rule, only +fifth-rate fishers, though, of course, a few of +them handle a rod well. Our recollections of +Loch Leven are pleasant in some ways, in +others they are not; but don't fail to give it a +trial, if only for the pleasure of handling a big +fish on fine gut. The manager of the Loch +Leven fishings, Captain Hall, fills a very difficult +post with much acceptance to all concerned.</p> + +<p>But to leave the Lowlands and go into the +far North, we take you to <span class="smcap">Loch Assynt</span>, in +Sutherlandshire, and to a little loch near it,—<span class="smcap">Loch +Awe</span> by name. The journey to Assynt +is long and weary: train to Lairg, and then +between thirty and forty miles driving, is a +good long scamper for fishing, but it is worth +it. The inn at Inchnadamph is good, but when +we were there in 1877 the boat accommodation +was poor enough: perhaps they have improved +upon that since. The first day after our arrival +we had to go to Loch Awe, as the boats on the +large loch (Assynt) were taken up. Such a +morning of rain and wind! We were wet<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> +through our waterproofs during the four-mile +drive, but luckily the weather moderated, and +we had an excellent day's fishing. With two +in the boat, we took 57 lb. weight of beautiful +fish,—not large, but very game, and spotted +intensely red. It must have been a good day, +for many an angler tried his luck after our success, +but never came near that mark, at least +when we were there. Loch Assynt is more +attractive, however, inasmuch as the chances +of big fish are not remote. Trout of a pound +weight, and over, are not uncommon, while the +chance of a grilse adds excitement to the sport. +Then <i>ferox</i>, as we have said in a previous chapter, +are, comparatively speaking, not scarce, if +one cares to go in for trolling for them. But, +in any case, the angler is always sure of a +basket of lovely yellow trout. On the hills +behind the inn there is a small loch, called the +<span class="smcap">Mulach-Corrie</span>, in which it is said that the +gillaroo trout are to be found. Whether they +are the real trout of that species or not, we +cannot say, but certainly they are beautiful +fish,—pink in the scales, and running to large +sizes. We saw a basket taken by a friend, and +it was a treat to look at. The fish were all<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> +taken with the fly, but we were told afterwards +that worm is even deadlier than fly, and that +one should never go there without a supply of +"wrigglers." The hill between the inn and the +Mulach-Corrie is a perfect paradise for fern-gatherers. +It is said that about two dozen different +kinds can be gathered; and we believe it, +for even our untutored eyes discerned sixteen +varieties! Our visit to Inchnadamph must be +placed among the red-letter periods of our fishing +life, and to be looked back to with much +enjoyment.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Loch Morar</span>, in Inverness-shire, is another +delightful spot, and somewhat out of the usual +track. The fishing is most excellent, and yellow +trout of all sizes are very abundant. Sea-trout +and salmon find their way frequently into +the angler's basket; and half-way up the loch, +which is a long one, at a bay into which the +Meoble river flows, numbers of sea-fish are to +be found. The best way is to fly-fish up to +that bay one day, and seek shelter at night in +some shepherd's cottage, thus being at hand to +prosecute salmon and sea-trout fishing the next +day, or days, if you find the sport good. It is +right to take a supply of provisions and liquor<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> +with you, for the accommodation is humble. We +write this from hearsay, as when we were there +in mid-July salmon and sea-trout were not +in the loch in large numbers; but still we +caught some of the latter, and hooked, though, +unfortunately, did not kill, any of the former. +We should think that the beginning of August +would be the best time for this loch as regards +sea-fish; but the trout-fishing in July is unsurpassable. +During our sojourn in 1876 at Arisaig, +the nearest village to the loch, which is six +miles off, and necessitating a drive over what +was then a road sadly in need of General +Wade's good offices, we had the services of a +boatman, Angus by name, and his two boys, +who could not speak a word of English,—Angus +managing one boat, and his boys the +other. We had the satisfaction—for indeed it +was good fun—to be out with the boys one +day; and the management of the boat had to be +done by signals. It was wonderful how readily +the boys got into the way of it, and how well +we got on together. The memory of the hospitality +which we enjoyed at Arisaig Inn will not +be forgotten by any of our party; and we hope +that the then occupier, Mr Routledge, will be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> +there when we go back again. An inn was in +course of being built at the loch-side in 1876, +but we do not know how it has succeeded. The +easiest way to Arisaig is by steamer, which +usually goes once a-week; but the angler +should, if possible, go to Banavie or Fort-William,—the +latter for choice, as Banavie +Hotel is famous for long bills (and we can +testify that its notoriety in this respect is +deserved),—and then drive to Arisaig. It is +about thirty-eight miles from Fort-William to +Arisaig, but the drive is something to be remembered +during a lifetime. After having +traversed this road, you will say, "There's no +place like home" for grand and beautiful scenery. +We must see Loch Morar again if we +possibly can, before we bequeath our tackle to +the next generation.</p> + +<p>The time would fail us to tell of many other +lochs, more or less famous for the good sport +they afford; but the angler, if at all of an enterprising +nature, need have little hesitation in +taking up Mr Lyall's excellent 'Sportsman's +Guide,' and making a selection on his own +account. The information is very correct so far +as we have tried it, sometimes—perhaps most<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> +anglers are inclined that way—erring a little +to the <i>couleur de rose</i> side of things, but quite +trustworthy in being followed as a suggester +for a fortnight's fishing. We have gained much +pleasure in exploring some of our more remote +lochs, of the existence of which we might +never have been aware but for its information. +We cannot, however, close this long, but we +hope not wearisome, chapter without singing +the praises of our Queen of Scottish Lakes, <span class="smcap">Loch +Lomond</span>. The scenery of this beautiful spot +is well known in some ways, but no amount +of travelling in a steamer will reveal its +beauties. To the tourist we would say, take +a small boat at Luss and engage a man to row +you among the islands which lie between Luss +and Balmaha. With this hint to the tourist, +we leave him, and turn the angler's attention +to the sport—very precarious at most times, +but excellent at others—to be had on Loch +Lomond. Luss is the angling centre, and there +are capital boats and men to be had by writing +beforehand to the hotel-keeper, Mr M'Nab, +who deserves much credit for the attention +he pays to the wants of anglers.</p> + +<p>The yellow-trout fishing is good, but, strange<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> +to say, this class of sport is not much sought +after. In April and May as good trout-fishing +is to be had as on some other lochs that +enjoy a greater reputation. But if the weather +has been at all favourable to the fish running, +the month of June sees the sea-trout fishing +fairly commenced. It is a hard loch to fish; +and if you are lucky enough to get two or +three sea-trout in a day, consider yourself +fortunate. They are a good average—2 lb. to +3 lb. being quite common—but they spread +themselves so much over a large portion of +water that one may fish a whole day and not +come across them. This, however, is the exception, +as in an ordinary fair fishing day in +June, July, August, and September, and even +October if the weather is mild, they are almost +certain to be seen, if not caught. Some days +really good sport is to be had—indeed, one is +surprised at the show of fish; but fish or no +fish, the charm of Loch Lomond is everlasting. +The angler finds his way back over and over +again, till, as in our own experience, the islands +of Lonaig, Moan, Cruin, Fad, and last and least, +Darroch, the great landing-spot, are as familiar +to him as his daily business haunts. Then the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> +chances of a salmon are good—indeed, this +year (1881) a great many have been killed; but +somehow or another the sea-trout fishing has +not been so good, and though a salmon is +always a salmon, we would rather see a good +show of sea-trout at any time. Like our +neighbours, we have had good and bad days +on Loch Lomond; but disappointment has +never soured us—indeed, the fascination seems +to get stronger. And it is so very convenient +for a day's fishing—down in the morning and +home at night, with a good long day between. +The charge for boatman is 5s. to 6s. and lunch; +and though this seems high, it must not be +forgotten that the distances are great. A boat +costs 2s. per day. The men are good all over, +some of them really first-rate. Many and +many a story we could tell of happy fishing +days, and of days most enjoyably spent when +fishing was no go; but mostly every angler can +do the same, and we don't wish to become too +tiresome. Perhaps if we get the chance we +may extend this chapter on some future occasion, +and add some experiences of as yet untried +places.</p> + +<hr /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XIII.<br /> +<small>CONCLUSION.</small></h2> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">Brother</span> of the gentle art, we bid you farewell! +We have done our best to give +you the benefit of our experience in the peaceful +pursuit of loch-fishing; and if we have +said too much or too little, pray excuse us, and +in your goodness of heart reprove us for our +verbosity, and tell us what is awanting. The +spirit on our part has been very willing; but +the memory may have been defective when it +should have been most active, and quite possibly +our love for the art may have somewhere +or another led us into discursiveness where we +should have been brief. We are all human, +and he is a poor mortal who thinks he cannot +err. Again we say farewell!—not for long, +however, we hope. Who knows where we may<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> +meet? If we do, and you recognise us, don't +forget to give us a little encouragement, and, +if you can, new material for extending the usefulness +of this publication. As we write, the +hand of winter is upon us, and the rod and +reel have been relegated to safe quarters; but +spring will return, and the enforced cessation +of our enjoyment will only add new zest to +the music of the reel</p> + +<div class="bk1">"When green leaves come again."</div> + +<hr /> + +<div class="center"><small>PRINTED BY WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS.</small></div> + +<hr /> + +<div class="bk1"><span class="smcap">Lately Published, Fifth Edition, Revised.</span></div> + +<div class="bk1"><span class="fsxl">THE MOOR AND THE LOCH.</span></div> + +<div class="bk1"><span class="smcap">Containing Minute Instructions in all Highland Sports,<br /> +with Wanderings over Crag and Corrie,<br /> +Flood and Fell.</span></div> + +<div class="bk1"><span class="smcap"><big>By JOHN COLQUHOUN.</big></span></div> + +<div class="bk1">2 vols. post 8vo, with Two Portraits and other Illustrations. 26s.</div> + +<div class="p3"><p class="center">SOME OPINIONS OF THE PRESS.</p></div> + +<p><small>"In the present delightful volumes, however, he presents all +lovers of Scotland with the completest details of every Highland +sport, on all of which he is an unexceptionable authority; and with +what many will value even more, a series of life-like sketches of +the rarer and more interesting animals of the country. He has +thus brought up to the present level of knowledge the history of +all the scarce birds and beasts of Scotland.... Henceforth +it must necessarily find a place in the knapsack of every Northern +tourist who is fond of our wild creatures, and is simply indispensable +in every Scotch shooting-lodge."—<i>Academy.</i></small></p> + +<p><small>"We should recommend fishers to study carefully all the chapters +on fishing for salmon, loch trout, sea trout, and yellow trout, +whatever may be their experience or erudition. They will find +general hints of immense use which they can apply to that local +knowledge of their own river or 'water' which no books can +teach, and which Mr Colquhoun himself would equally have to +learn. But no chapter ought to be skipped, even by a reader +who aspires to far less than the fourfold distinction of a Highland +hunter, which consists in killing a red-deer, an eagle, a salmon, +and a seal."—<i>Saturday Review.</i></small></p> + +<p><small>"The book is one written by a gentleman for gentlemen, +healthy in tone, earnest in purpose, and as fresh, breezy, and +life-giving as the mountain air of the hills amongst which the +sport it chronicles is carried on."—<i>The World.</i></small></p> + +<p><small>"One of those rare and delightful books which, with all the +fulness of knowledge, breathe the very freshness of the country, +and either console you in your city confinement, or make you +sigh to be away, according to the humour in which you happen +to read it."—<i>Blackwood's Magazine.</i></small></p> + +<hr class="min" /> + +<div class="bk1"><span class="smcap">Lately Published</span>.</div> + +<div class="bk1"><span class="fsxl">A HANDBOOK OF DEER-STALKING.</span></div> + +<div class="bk1"><span class="smcap"><big>By ALEXANDER MACRAE</big></span>,<br /> +<small>Late Forester to Lord Henry Bentinck.</small></div> + +<div class="bk1"><span class="smcap">With Introduction by Horatio Ross, Esq.</span></div> + +<div class="bk1">Fcap. 8vo, with Two Photos. from Life. 3s. 6d.</div> + +<p><small>"A work not only useful to sportsmen, but highly entertaining +to the general reader."—<i>United Service Gazette.</i></small></p> + +<p><small>"The writer of this valuable little book speaks with authority, +and sums up in a few pages hints on deer-stalking which the experience +of a lifetime has enabled him to put forth.... We can +only recommend every one who pursues the fascinating sport of +which the author writes, to glance through, and indeed to read +carefully, this handbook."—<i>Sporting and Dramatic News.</i></small></p> + +<p><small>"An interesting little book, alike because of the knowledge +which its author displays of his subject, and of the simple style +in which it is written. It is a handbook such as sportsmen must +have long desired."—<i>Scotsman.</i></small></p> + +<hr class="min" /> + +<div class="bk1"><span class="fsxl">RECREATIONS</span><br /> +OF<br /> +<span class="fsxl">CHRISTOPHER NORTH.</span></div> + +<div class="bk1">With Portrait of the Author in his Sporting Jacket.</div> + +<div class="bk1">New Edition. Two Vols., crown 8vo, 8s.</div> + +<p><small>"Welcome, right welcome, Christopher North; we cordially +greet thee in thy new dress, thou genial and hearty old man, +whose 'Ambrosian Nights' have so often in imagination transported +us from solitude to the social circle, and whose vivid pictures +of flood and fell, of loch and glen, have carried us in thought +from the smoke, din, and pent-up opulence of London, to the +rushing stream or tranquil tarn of those mountain-ranges."—<i>Times.</i></small></p> + +<hr class="min" /> + +<div class="center"><span class="smcap">W. BLACKWOOD & SONS, Edinburgh and London.</span></div> + +<div class="trn"><b>Transcriber's Note:</b> +Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. +Variant and dialect spellings remain as printed. +Hyphenation has been standardised.</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Scotch Loch-Fishing, by +AKA Black Palmer, William Senior + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SCOTCH LOCH-FISHING *** + +***** This file should be named 26072-h.htm or 26072-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/6/0/7/26072/ + +Produced by Stephen Blundell and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Scotch Loch-Fishing + +Author: AKA Black Palmer, William Senior + +Release Date: July 16, 2008 [EBook #26072] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SCOTCH LOCH-FISHING *** + + + + +Produced by Stephen Blundell and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + + + + + SCOTCH LOCH-FISHING + + + BY + "BLACK PALMER" + + + WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS + EDINBURGH AND LONDON + MDCCCLXXXII + + _All Rights reserved_ + + + + + DEDICATED + + TO THE + + MEMBERS OF THE WESTERN ANGLING CLUB GLASGOW + + IN REMEMBRANCE OF MANY HAPPY DAYS + + SPENT IN THEIR COMPANY + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The Author of this very practical treatise on Scotch Loch-Fishing +desires chiefly that it may be of use to all who read it. He does not +pretend to have written anything new, but to have attempted to put what +he has to say in as readable a form as possible. Everything in the way +of the history and habits of fish has been studiously avoided, and +technicalities have been used as sparingly as possible. The writing of +this book has afforded him much pleasure in his leisure moments, and +that pleasure would be much increased if he knew that the perusal of it +would create any bond of sympathy between himself and the angling +community in general. This edition is interleaved with blank sheets for +the reader's notes. The Author need hardly say that any suggestions +addressed to the care of the publishers, will meet with consideration in +a future edition. + +GLASGOW, _March 1882_. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAP. PAGE + + I. INTRODUCTORY, 1 + + II. EQUIPMENT, 5 + + III. TACKLE AND ACCESSORIES, 7 + + IV. FLIES AND CASTING-LINES, 13 + + V. TROLLING-TACKLE AND LURES, 21 + + VI. DUTIES OF BOATMAN, 27 + + VII. ETIQUETTE OF LOCH-FISHING, 33 + + VIII. CASTING AND STRIKING, 37 + + IX. TROLLING, 42 + + X. CAPTURE OF FISH, 48 + + XI. AFTER A DAY'S FISHING, 60 + + XII. REMINISCENCES, 65 + + XIII. CONCLUSION, 80 + + + + +SCOTCH LOCH-FISHING. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +INTRODUCTORY. + + +We do not pretend to write or enlarge upon a new subject. Much has been +said and written--and well said and written too--on the art of fishing; +but loch-fishing _per se_ has been rather looked upon as a second-rate +performance, and to dispel this idea is one of the objects for which +this present treatise has been written. Far be it from us to say +anything against fishing, lawfully practised in any form; but many pent +up in our large towns will bear us out when we say that, on the whole, +a day's loch-fishing is the most convenient. One great matter is, that +the loch-fisher is dependent on nothing but enough wind to "curl" the +water,--and on a large loch it is very seldom that a dead calm prevails +all day,--and can make his arrangements for a day, weeks beforehand; +whereas the stream-fisher is dependent for a good take on the state of +the water: and however pleasant and easy it may be for one living near +the banks of a good trout stream or river, it is quite another matter to +arrange for a day's river-fishing, if one is looking forward to a +holiday at a date some weeks ahead. Providence may favour the expectant +angler with a "good" day, and the water in order; but experience has +taught most of us that the "good" days are in the minority, and that, as +is the case with our rapid running streams,--such as many of our +northern streams are,--the water is either too large or too small, +unless, as previously remarked, you live near at hand, and can catch it +at its best. + +A common belief in regard to loch-fishing is, that the tyro and the +experienced angler have nearly the same chance in fishing,--the one from +the stern and the other from the bow of the same boat. Of all the +absurd beliefs as to loch-fishing, this is one of the most absurd. Try +it. Give the tyro either end of the boat he likes; give him a cast of +any flies he may fancy, or even a cast similar to those which a "crack" +may be using; and if he catches one for every three the other has, he +may consider himself very lucky. Of course there are lochs where the +fish are not abundant, and a beginner may come across as many as an +older fisher; but we speak of lochs where there are fish to be caught, +and where each has a fair chance. + +Again, it is said that the boatman has as much to do with catching trout +in a loch as the angler. Well, we don't deny that. In an untried loch it +is necessary to have the guidance of a good boatman; but the same +argument holds good as to stream-fishing. There are "pools and pools," +and the experienced loch-fisher can "spot" a bay or promontory, where +trout are likely to be lying, with as much certainty as his brother +angler can calculate on the lie of fish in a stream. Then there are +objections to loch-fishing on the score of expense. These we are not +prepared to refute; for there is no doubt whatever that loch-fishing +means money. But what has made it so? The same reason that makes all +other things of more or less value--the common law of supply and demand. +Time was, and that not so long ago, when a boatman who used to get 3s., +or at most 4s. a-day, now gets his 5s. or 6s., and even at the latter +figure does not think himself too well paid. In the extreme north, +however, it is still possible to get a good man for 3s. a-day; and we +know of nothing more enjoyable than a fortnight's loch-fishing amidst +magnificent scenery in some of our northern counties. The expense of +getting there will always be a serious matter; but once there, the +fishing in itself is not dear. The boat is usually got for nothing; the +right of fishing, so far at least as trout are concerned, is free; and +the man's wage and lunch are decidedly cheap. But for a single day on +some of our nearer lochs,--such as Loch Leven, Loch Ard, or Loch +Lomond,--the expenses _are_ heavy, and the angler must always be the +best judge as to the likelihood of the "game being worth the candle." + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +EQUIPMENT. + + +This will be a short chapter, as tastes differ so very much, that many +things we might say would most probably be disregarded. But as to some +matters, there can only be one opinion. Do not fish in _light-coloured_ +clothes; and, should the weather be wet, do not wear a white macintosh +coat. We believe that the eyesight of a fish is the keenest sense which +it possesses; and, more especially should the day be clear and fine, +there is no doubt that an unusual white object within range of its +vision will make a fish, which might otherwise have taken the fly, turn +tail and flee. A good deal of what we hear spoken of as fish "rising +short," proceeds from this cause. No doubt they rise short sometimes on +seeing the angler himself, but he is much less likely to attract notice +if clad in dark-hued clothing. We know of nothing better for a fishing +rig-out than a suit made from dark Harris tweed--it will almost last a +lifetime, and is a warm and comfortable wear. Thus you will need a dark +macintosh and leggings; and a common sou'wester is, when needed, a very +useful head-gear. A pair of cloth-lined india-rubber gloves will be +found desirable in early spring, when it is quite possible that the +temperature may be low enough for snow. A pair of stout lacing boots, +made with uppers reaching well up the leg, will be found best, as they +protect the feet from getting damp when going into or leaving a boat, +even though one should need to step into the water; and if your +waterproof coat is long, as it should be, the necessity of wearing +leggings on a wet day is obviated. Lastly, _by all means keep the body +warm_, and remember that the more careful you are of yourself, even at +the risk of being thought "old wifish," you will, humanly speaking, be +enabled to enjoy the sport to a greater age than you might otherwise +do. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +TACKLE AND ACCESSORIES. + + +As this is likely to be one of the most important chapters in the book, +the reader must forgive us if we are particular--even to a fault--in +describing some of the necessaries towards the full enjoyment of the +pleasures of loch-fishing. So much depends on our being comfortable in +our enjoyments, that we have, perhaps, erred on the side of luxuriance; +but to those anglers who think so, there is nothing easier than their +leaving out what they think superfluous. + +_Creel, or Fishing-Bag._--The creel for loch-fishing should be of the +largest size made, so as to serve for all kinds of fish; and as the +angler is always in a boat, the difference of room occupied is of very +little moment. Besides, it accommodates his tackle and lunch, and even +waterproofs, though the latter are better to be strapped on outside. +These creels are neatest when made in French basket-work; and even the +lightest of them, with ordinary care, will last many years, more +especially if the edges and bottom are leather-bound. Almost any +tackle-shop will supply them plain, or bound with leather, as desired. +Brass hinges and hasp will also be found great improvements. The +fishing-bag is of somewhat recent development, and is very convenient; +but the objection to it is that, unless the waterproof cloth with which +it is lined be carefully washed after each day's fishing, a nasty smell +is apt to be contracted and retained. Though we use the bag often +ourselves, we incline for many reasons to the old-fashioned creel. Many +loch-fishers carry along with them a square basket about 16 in. x 8 +broad x 10 deep, which they use for carrying their tackle and lunch, +thus leaving the creel or fishing-bag free for fish alone. This is a +capital plan, the only objection being that it makes another article to +carry. As to its usefulness there can be no doubt, as nothing is more +undesirable than having tackle and fish in one basket or bag, even +though you should have something between. Some anglers go the length of +a luncheon-basket, but this savours so much of the picnic that we don't +approve of it. + +_Landing-Net and Gaff._--These may be got at any tackle shop, the only +care to be exercised being in the selection of a good long handle, and +in seeing that the net be made of twine which resists the catching of +hooks, and that it be of a size capable of landing a large fish, as the +gaff leaves an ugly mark, and should only be used when actually +necessary. The screw of the net-hoop and of the gaff will suit the same +handle. + +_Fishing-Rods._--For loch-fishing, it is desirable to use a rod not less +than 14 feet in length, if fishing for ordinary yellow trout; but if for +sea trout, and the chance of "a fish" _par excellence_, then the rod +should be a couple of feet longer. The angler will find that it is +better to have both rods with him--the spare one being handy in case of +calamity--as the extra trouble of carrying is very slight: rods and +landing-net handle can be easily tied up together with small leather +straps. Do not have a rod that bends too freely--rather err on the +other side; because in loch-fishing you have generally wind enough to +carry your flies out, and if you do get a 3 or 4 pounder, the advantage +of a fairly stiff rod is apparent. We prefer rods in three pieces--no +hollow-butts--and made of greenheart throughout. The first cost is more +than for rods whose various parts are made of different woods, but the +greenheart is the cheapest rod in the end. With the minimum of care, a +greenheart never gets out of order; and a good rod of this description +will be as straight at the end of a season as at the beginning. Avoid +all fancy rods, and do not be beguiled into buying them. + +_Reels and Lines._--Always carry a couple of reels with you, the smaller +with 60 yards of fine line, and the larger with not less than 100 yards +of grilse line. Silk-and-hair lines are not very expensive, and with a +little care will last a long time. They will be found the most +satisfactory for all kinds of fly-work. The reels which we consider best +are made of bronzed metal and vulcanite: they are light, and stand a lot +of wear. When buying your rods, get the reels fitted to them, and see +that the fit is sufficiently tight, as nothing is more annoying than to +find the ferrules loosening their hold of the reel, and that, perhaps, +at a most critical moment. Should the reels referred to not be heavy +enough to balance the rods properly--and this is a matter of great +importance--it may be as well to take reels made entirely of bronzed +metal. + +_Fly-Book._--We are not much in favour of fly-books. They are a great +temptation to keeping a large stock of flies; and in the following +chapter we will show that the fewer flies one possesses the better. A +serious objection to a fly-book is, that the flies get crushed in it, +and we consider a box a better receptacle; but if the angler will have a +fly-book, one of moderate size--rather to the big size if anything--made +of pig-skin leather, and well provided with pouches for holding +casting-lines, as well as the usual receptacles for flies, will be found +best. These books are to be had in great variety at any wholesale tackle +warehouse; and taste goes a long way in non-essentials. + +Beyond the articles mentioned, the angler should always have at hand the +following:-- + + Spring balance, weighing up to 20 lb. + Small screw-driver. + Small gimlet. + Small bottle clockmaker's oil. + Bottle varnish. + Carriage-lamp, and candles to fit, for travelling. + Two packs playing-cards. + Good-sized flask. + Flat glass or horn drinking-cup. + Pocket-scissors. The kind that shut up will be found very useful. + Corkscrew. + Hank of medium gut for emergencies. + Fine silk thread and resin. + Some common thin twine for tying joints of rod together. + Also articles named in Chapter V., p. 21, under "Trolling-Tackle and + Lures." + +Many of these things may be considered quite _de trop_; but the longer +one fishes, the more one finds out that the little luxuries give a vast +amount of enjoyment for the small amount of foresight required to have +them at hand when wanted. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +FLIES AND CASTING-LINES. + + +Flies.--Here we shall no doubt come into conflict with many opinions, +and most probably meet with the most criticism. However, as all we have +written, and mean to write, is the result of actual experience, we may +be pardoned for being somewhat dogmatic on the subject in hand. In the +first place, don't keep a large stock of flies. If going for a day's +fishing, buy as many as you think you'll need, and _no more_. Buy them +of different sizes; and if you get a few each time you go for an outing, +you will be astonished how soon a spare stock accumulates. Ascertain +carefully beforehand the _size_ suitable to the loch--the _kinds_ are +not of so much importance--and once you have made up a cast, in which +operation there is no harm in taking your boatman's suggestions, _do not +change_, unless it be to put on a smaller or larger size according to +the wind, or unless it is conclusively proved that other flies are +raising trout when yours cannot. Of course, if you are going for a +fortnight's fishing, you will require to lay in a fair stock; but even +then get as few as you think you can possibly do with. Do not run any +risk of running short, and do not place yourself in the position of +needing to use old casts: that is poor economy in the long-run. The +following is, we think, a fair list for a fortnight's sport in an +out-of-the-way place:-- + + Half-dozen harelugs. + " red and teal. + " orange and mallard. + " green and woodcock. + " black spiders with red tips, commonly called "Zulus." + " red spiders, hackle taken well down the hook. + " March Browns, which, though supposed to come out in March, + are really capital flies at any time. + " yellow body with cinnamon wings and golden-pheasant tip. + " dark harelug body, mallard wing and red tip. This is a + splendid spring fly. + +These we would get dressed on Loch Leven size--any fly-dresser knows +what that means; but perhaps the better way would be to get a quarter +dozen of each dressed on that size, and a quarter dozen of each on a +hook two sizes larger. The patterns in a tackle-maker's book are +endless, but for the most part are modifications or combinations of the +flies we have named; and the angler will soon discover for himself that +flies and old half-used casts, and often casts made up in the humour of +the moment, and never used at all, accumulate upon him so rapidly that +he is glad to find some enthusiastic boatman to bestow them upon. It is +needless to add, that a gift of this kind is usually very much +appreciated by the recipient. Tinsel is a very useful adjunct to a fly, +and should always be employed in those used in loch-fishing. If variety +is wanted in colouring, the least tip of Berlin or pig's wool of the +desired shade will be found very effective. Get your flies dressed on +Limerick-bend hooks, as the iron, should it chance not to be the best +tempered in the world, is not so liable to snap as the round bend. The +wings of the fly should be dressed so as to be distinctly apart both in +the water and out of it, thus-- + +[Illustration] + +It gives the fly a much more life-like appearance, and makes it swim +better in the water. When you give orders for flies, see that they are +dressed up to your instructions, as it is quite certain you will fish +with much more confidence when you have faith in what you are using. Do +not have them dressed on too fine gut, as they are apt to get twisted +round the casting-line (usually called "riding the line"), and put you +to the trouble of straightening them out every few minutes. These +remarks may seem trifling; but trifles are very irritating in most +pursuits, and the gentle art is no exception. Flies suitable for salmon +and sea-trout fishing on almost any loch will be supplied at any shop in +the trade on asking for Loch Lomond patterns. These patterns are +well-known, and are without exception as fine flies as one could wish +for. They are usually made very full in the body, and dressed with +heron's hackle. The varieties are red and teal, green and teal, orange +and mallard, or turkey, and a few variations of these,--sometimes a +yellow tip to the red and green bodies, or a red tip to the yellow; but +a cast composed of red or green and teal with orange and mallard is +unsurpassable. For this class of fishing, the flies should be dressed +with loops, and the bob should be fixed to the casting-line by means of +a small strand of gut. Two flies on a cast are quite sufficient when big +fish are expected. We can hardly advise the angler to try fly-dressing +on his own account. It is hardly worth his while, as flies are to be had +very reasonably from any respectable tackle-maker; and they are much +better dressed in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred than any amateur +performance. + + * * * * * + +_Casting-Lines._--Provide yourself with half a dozen each, of different +thickness--that is, fine, medium, and stout, the latter for salmon and +sea-trout fishing. That quantity should suffice for a fortnight's +outing, even making allowance for breakage, and leave you some over for +another time: but in this matter it is better to run no risk of being +short. The gut should be stained a light tea colour, or the faintest +blue: it can be bought so. There is no occasion for them being more +than three yards long, as we cannot advocate fishing with more than +three flies at a time. If three flies are properly placed on a line, and +the line be properly handled in the casting, they will cover as much +water as any number of flies. Besides, there is far less chance of a +"fankle," to use a most expressive Scotch word, than when four or more +flies are used. In this, however, _chacun a son gout_,--we are only +giving an opinion after trying both ways. + +In making up a cast of flies, _have no loops_ of any kind, excepting the +one by which the cast is attached to your silk-and-hair line. The +water-knot is so simple and neat, that it is the best for the purpose of +fixing on the tail-fly, which, by the way, should be the heaviest of +those you are about to use, if there is any difference between them. In +case our readers don't know the water-knot, we give an illustration +which explains itself-- + +[Illustration] + +The loops are pulled tight, and then the fly and the line are drawn in +opposite directions, the result being that the knots formed by the +loops meet and make a firm, and at the same time an almost +imperceptible, joining. You then clip off any ends that may remain. So +much for the tail fly. The putting on of the other two is simplicity +itself. You take the strand of gut on which the next fly you purpose +affixing is dressed, and laying it along the main line, _taking care to +have the hook lying in the reverse direction from the tail fly_, you tie +it into the line a yard from the fly already attached. In tying it in, +leave the hook hanging about two and a half inches from the line. The +third, or "bob" fly, is attached in like manner, and thus your cast of +flies is completed. The only objection to this method of making up a +cast is, that once the middle and bob flies are tied in, they cannot be +used again. This is quite true; but the keen angler will submit to the +little extra expense on this score for the gratification which the sight +of a really neat cast will afford him. The system of suspending hooks by +loops, especially when using fine tackle, is almost entirely exploded. +We should have said that previous to use, all gut should be soaked, and +the longer the better. It is a good plan to let it soak over night, and +make up your cast in the morning. When gut is thus thoroughly wet, it is +wonderful how easy it is of manipulation. On the other hand, dry gut is +very brittle, and will break on the slightest provocation. Fix the cast +and silk-and-hair line together, having previously made a single knot on +the end of the latter, as illustrated below-- + +[Illustration] + +It is prudent to have a second cast ready in case of breakage, as +nothing is more annoying than losing time making up one in the boat, and +that most probably when the trout are rising. Experience is a great +teacher; and it is wonderful how soon the angler learns the value of +every moment, and seeks beforehand, so far as human foresight can go, to +provide for all contingencies. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +TROLLING-TACKLE AND LURES. + + +Do not troll at all if you can get fishing with the fly; and under no +circumstances troll for trout in the very early part of the season, when +they are more or less in a "kelty" state, and take an artificial or +other minnow very keenly. True, you may catch fish, but it is a most +unsportsmanlike proceeding to take fish not in fair condition; and if +you, sir, who read this book, are not a sportsman, you had better stop +here, for it was compiled by a sportsman for sportsmen. There are some +miserable "pot-hunters" who want to kill anything that swims--be it +clean or unclean; but with them we have nothing whatever to do. But fair +trolling is quite legitimate, and in many cases it is absolutely +imperative to troll if a basket is to be made at all. Some days the fly +is of no use--either owing to a calm, or to a bright sky; and a +well-managed trolling-line or two is then the only resort, unless one +stops fishing altogether. And if big trout and _ferox_ are wanted, +nothing succeeds--indeed nothing _will_ succeed, except very +occasionally--but trolling, either with artificial or natural bait. So +to be complete you must have the requisite tackle, and we will tell you +what is necessary, both for small and large fish, in as few words as we +possibly can. A ROD specially adapted for trolling is almost a +necessity, as it is a great strain upon an ordinary fly-rod to have the +weight of 30 or 40 yards of line upon it: even a good rod is apt to get +an ugly bend from such treatment. The rod for trolling need not be +long--12 to 14 feet is quite sufficient--but it must be stiff; and we +consider that the rings through which the line is led ought to be large +and fixed--that is, standing out permanently from the wood, called by +the trade upright rings. A spare top will be supplied along with it. The +REEL should be of the largest description, and may be got as strong as +possible, lightness being no recommendation to one used exclusively for +trolling. The LINE ought to be at least 100 yards long--120 for +choice--and this suffices for any kind of fish. The material best +adapted for trolling is oiled silk-and-hair. There is a kind of line, +made in America, we believe, which is admirably adapted for the purpose. +It is strong as wire-rope, and does not "kink" under any +circumstances--which latter is a consideration, as sometimes a paltry +trout may come on, and you have only to haul him in hand-over-hand +without running the risk of your line getting into a mess. This saves +the trouble and waste of time in reeling up many yards of line every +time a "smout" comes on. The line to which we refer is somewhat +expensive, but will be found to be cheap in the long-run. An ordinary +silk-and-hair line does well enough, but is apt to twist sadly if the +minnow is not spinning properly, besides the trouble it entails after a +day's fishing of laying out two or three score yards for drying. The +troller will require to provide himself with MINNOW TRACES. These do not +require to be more than two yards in length, but in ordering them take +care that the swivels are sufficiently large to insure the +minnow--natural or artificial--spinning nicely. The angler can easily +procure swivels and make traces for himself; but he will find in this, +as in most things connected with fishing, that he cannot compete with +the tackle-maker, so we advise him to get them made up at a good +warehouse. Retail tackle-makers charge long prices, but in most large +towns there are warehouses which are specially suited for a customer +trade, thus saving the user a long intermediate profit. This is as it +should be. The thickness of the gut used for trolling should of course +be regulated, as in fly-fishing, by the size of fish you expect to +catch, and a few traces made of gimp for pike and _ferox_ should always +be in the troller's stock. By the way, and in case we forget to mention +it afterwards, always be provided with some split swan shot, to be used +in case of a very clear day, when it is desirable to sink line and +minnow below the surface. Also be provided with tackle--some mounted on +gut and some on gimp--for spinning natural minnow; and we know of none +better or more deadly for this purpose than that of which an +illustration is given on next page. It is very simple, and seldom misses +anything. + +[Illustration] + +The large hook is put in at the mouth of the minnow, and the point +brought out at a little above the tail--thus giving the minnow the +proper curve for spinning. One of the smaller hooks is put through +_both_ lips of the lure, to close the mouth and to keep the bait in +proper position, while the other is left to spin. Some advocate the use +of par-tail as a spinning bait; but as it is not right to kill par at +all, we omit any directions for its use. We have drifted into the +subject of LURES almost unconsciously. If you wish to use natural +minnows, see that they are neither too large nor too small--about two +inches long is a good size--and that the belly is silvery. It is better +to instruct your boatman to have a supply ready against your arrival at +the loch, as sometimes it is as difficult to catch minnows as to catch +any other fish. However, we believe that the want of them is so well +supplied by the phantom minnow, that little or no harm is done though +they are not to be had. And when the handling and bother of using live +bait is taken into consideration, we think that most folks will prefer +the artificial lure. The phantom we consider the very best of all the +imitations; and the troller should have them in different colours and +sizes, from Nos. 1 to 7. The hooks attached to the larger sizes should +be mounted on gimp, as in trolling for large fish--and especially for +_salmo ferox_--no risk should be run of the mountings giving way. Tin +boxes, divided into compartments, for holding the minnows, are very +convenient, and are to be had at most tackle shops. A spoon-bait is also +a splendid deception, and should not be awanting. A tackle-maker's +catalogue will tell the reader of many other "spinners;" but if he +cannot catch fish of all kinds with either a natural or phantom minnow +or a spoon, it is not the fault of the lure; and he may try anything +else he fancies, and come no better speed. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +DUTIES OF BOATMAN. + + +Very little requires to be said in this chapter regarding boatmen, as +when the angler gets into the habit of frequenting certain lochs, he +soon finds out for himself the steady reliable men in the neighbourhood, +and can generally engage one of them beforehand by writing to the hotel +at which he means to put up. But in going to a new fishing-ground, he is +better to leave himself in the hands of the landlord of the hotel, and if +not satisfied with his first day's experience of the man who accompanied +him, let him change. A good boatman is a treasure; and though we are +decidedly against the system of "tipping" indiscriminately, we say, when +you get a good man, pay him liberally. We know of some men with whom it +is a pleasure to be out all day, and whose company, in its own way, is +most enjoyable. Keen sportsmen these are, and the capture or loss of a +fish is a source of true pleasure or pain. Other men one comes across +seem but to row the boat, and nothing more; and an unproductive day in +such company is something to be looked back upon with horror. The +leading qualification of a boatman of the right sort is a strong +sympathy with the angler, which enables him almost instinctively to help +the angler to cover every inch of likely water with his flies, and makes +him experience the sensation of expecting a rise every cast; in other +words, he almost puts the fly into the fish's mouth. With such a man, +instructions regarding the management of the boat are superfluous; but +as it often happens that you do not get a first-rate hand, you have to +take matters into your own hands to some extent; and we shall give you a +few hints as to what is best to be done under such circumstances. It is +hardly to be supposed that your man is in ignorance of the best ground, +either from experience or hearsay, and it is only after you get there +that our instructions can possibly come into operation. If you are +obliged to take a perfect greenhorn, we know of no other course than to +order him to keep in the wake of some other boat, but that at such a +distance as not to be offensive. (See next chapter on the "Etiquette of +Loch-fishing.") But let us assume that you get on to ground where fish +are: the first point is to see that everything is in order, all +unnecessary articles put out of the way, and the landing-net and gaff +conveniently at hand. We ought to have said that a large stone in the +bow is useful, not only to balance the boat and make her drift better, +but also as a weight to which a rope may be attached, and thus let over +the side to the depth of a few feet, to prevent her drifting too rapidly +should there happen to be a heavy breeze on. The next thing is to get +the boat properly broadside to the wind, so that you may have next to no +trouble in casting. Should a fish be hooked, see that the man keeps +working the boat in such a manner that the fish cannot possibly get +underneath: a single stroke of the oar in the proper direction is +generally all that is necessary. You must also judge from the size of +the fish, and the length and strength of your tackle, whether it is +expedient that the man should follow the fish if he makes a very long +run. If your line happens to be short--which it will not be, if you have +followed the instructions given in Chapter III.--you need not be +surprised if you find nothing left but your rod and reel, your line, and +mayhap a "half-croon flee" flying about the loch in charge of a fish. +The management of the landing-net or gaff is another serious matter. If +the fish be small, tell the man to have the net ready, and "run it in;" +but if it is a good-sized fish, you must tell him not to put the net +near till he gets the word from you. Many a time we have suppressed an +exclamation--the reverse of a blessing--when we have seen the hoop of +the landing-net strike the fish, and were in suspense for a second or +two as to whether he was on or off. If the gaff is necessary, it is +almost as well to let your man hold the rod after you have tired the +fish thoroughly, and gaff him yourself. But if you think it unadvisable +to part with the rod, send the man to the other end of the boat from +yourself, and then lead the fish near him, so that he may have a fair +chance. He must put the gaff _over_ the fish till the point is in a +line with its broadside, and then with a sudden _jerk_ sink the steel +into, or even through, the animal, and lift him over the gunwale with +all possible speed. A sharp blow or two on the snout will deprive the +fish of life. Always kill your fish,--big or small,--as nothing ought to +be more repulsive to a true sportsman than to see or hear any animal he +has captured dying by inches. + +It is perhaps needless to say that in the matter of lunch and drink, due +consideration should always be paid to your boatman's wants; indeed if +he has had a hard time of it rowing against a stiff breeze, nothing is +lost by landing at mid-day and letting him enjoy half an hour's rest and +a smoke after he has refreshed his inner man. Sometimes--such as in a +club competition--such luxuries must be denied; but even then he can put +you on to a square drift, and enjoy his lunch and smoke while you are +fishing; and you, on the other hand, can take yours when he is changing +ground. These remarks may seem trifling; but we only give you our +experience, when we say that on some lochs where good boatmen are not +plentiful, the angler who has shown most kindness and consideration on +past occasions is never much put about for want of a man, even in a busy +season. And we have known, when every regular boatman was engaged, that +there was generally a boatman's "friend" in the neighbourhood who was +pressed into our service, and that often at a few minutes' notice. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +ETIQUETTE OF LOCH-FISHING. + + +Politeness is politeness all the world over, and in loch-fishing it is +particularly to be practised. The gentle art is peculiarly adapted for +gentlemen,--using the word in its truest sense,--and the true angler +will never be mistaken for anything else. In the Club to which we have +the honour to belong, there are certain rules which would commend +themselves naturally to any one of us; but in order that these may be +clear and well defined, they are circulated annually, and are in +themselves so admirable that we cannot do better than quote them:-- + + "1. No boat shall be entitled to take position in front of any other + boat which shall have already begun drifting, at a less distance + than three hundred yards. + + "2. Any competitor intending to drift a bay already in possession of + another competitor shall be obliged to take position behind, or on + the outside of and in a line with the latter, but at such a distance + as not to interfere with the boat first in possession of the drift. + + "3. In cases where boats are changing water, it shall not be + admissible for any boat so doing to go between the shore and any + other boat drifting close thereon." + +These rules, as may be inferred, refer to club competitions in +particular, but they are made the standard upon all occasions where +there is any chance of their becoming applicable. So much indeed have we +got into the way of regarding these rules,--strict as they are,--that we +observe them even when meeting with strangers on any loch in any part of +the kingdom. And pay special attention, if you happen to be trolling in +the neighbourhood, never to interfere with the drift on which a +fly-fisher is engaged. Nothing is more unbecoming, as it disturbs the +water which is his by right, if he has begun to drift; and it is an +unwritten rule that the fly-fisher should generally be allowed the first +of the ground, as his style of fishing does not make the same commotion +as a trolling boat and tackle do. Very few of us but have experienced +the annoyance of a minnow-boat crossing our drift when we were +fly-fishing; and though we had no redress, and could make no remarks +without lowering ourselves to the level of our offenders, we have, like +the nigger's parrot, "thought a mighty lot." Do not hesitate to put +yourself out of your way to help a neighbour in distress. He may have +hooked a large fish and be unprovided with a gaff: if you have one let +him have it instantly, taking his directions from which side you are to +approach him; and never let the loss of a few minutes, more or less, +deter you from following the golden rule of doing to him as you would +expect him to do to you were you similarly placed. And, as it sometimes +happens where boats are scarce and anglers many, when you are in the +same boat with a stranger, see that you confine yourself strictly to +your own share of the water, not making casts which endanger "fankling" +for the mere sake of covering a little more water with your flies. +Should you have a fly that is taking better than any other of your own +or his, offer him one; and in general try to make the day's fishing one +as much for the cultivation of goodwill and the promotion of +good-fellowship as for the mere sake of making a basket. A churlish +angler is an unnatural phenomenon, and, thank Providence! they seldom +turn up. A man who can look upon the beautiful scenery amid which he +takes his pleasure,--and there is none finer in the world than our +Scottish lochs and their surroundings,--and not feel grateful to the +Giver of all good, and at peace with all mankind, ought to burn his rod, +singe his flies, and only associate with men like himself. + +If the introduction of this chapter into our book will have the effect +of creating a better understanding on the etiquette of loch-fishing +between brothers of the angle, the object for which it was written will +have been accomplished--and, let us hope, a large amount of goodwill +thereby promoted. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +CASTING AND STRIKING. + + +We shall treat this subject under two aspects: first, if you have the +whole boat to yourself; and second, if it is being shared by some one +else. + +If you have a boat to yourself, stand as near the centre of it as you +possibly can without interfering with the boatman in rowing, and cover +every inch of the water in front of you and as far to the sides as the +wind will permit. Always be careful how you cast--that is, every time +you throw your flies see that they land lightly on the water, as no one +can expect to raise fish if any splash is made by either line or flies. +Fine casting is not quite so essential, of course, when a fair breeze is +blowing; but if the wind be light, then the difference between a +well-thrown fly and the reverse is very apparent. After you have made a +satisfactory cast, draw the line slowly to you by raising the point of +the rod, taking care to keep the line as taut as possible. Also see that +your bob-fly is tripping on the surface, as we consider that a +well-managed "bob" is the most life-like of the whole lot. Do not fish +with too long a line, unless, indeed, on an exceptional occasion, when +you wish to reach the lie of a feeding fish. It is difficult to define a +long line, but a good general rule is that it should never be longer +than when you have the consciousness that, if a fish should rise, you +have him at a fair and instantaneous striking distance. Remember that +the time the flies first touch the water after each cast is the most +deadly; therefore, cast often. + +If you have only the share of a boat, the rule is that one man takes the +stern up till lunch, and the other after it. For ourselves, we have a +preference for the bow, and we generally find that most anglers prefer +the luxury of the stern; so when both parties are pleased, there is no +occasion for changing at all. The most important thing to bear in mind +when you have a companion is, as we said in last chapter, to confine +yourself to your own water. If the left-hand cast is the one proper to +your end of the boat, cast as much to your right hand as you can without +infringing on your neighbour's share of the water: all the water to your +left hand is of course yours. The same remarks apply _vice versa_. +_Never stop casting_ so long as you are on fishable ground, for you know +not the moment a good fish may rise. Certain it is that unless you keep +your flies constantly going, you cannot expect to have the same basket +as the angler who does. Keep your eyes on your flies in a general way, +and do not let your attention be distracted so long as they are in the +water. Every angler has experienced the annoyance of missing fish when +looking elsewhere for a single moment--either at another boat, or at a +fish "rising to itself," or at the sky, or at something else. When the +eyes were turned to the point from which they should not have been +diverted, they were just in time to see the water swirl, and the hand +gave a futile strike at what had disappeared a second before. Perhaps we +should have said at the beginning of this chapter to place implicit +faith in the flies with which you are fishing. Nothing is more +ridiculous than whipping the water with a cast, of the suitableness of +which you have any doubt; and to guard against any such chance, study +carefully the state of the weather and the wind. If very clear, use +sombre flies; but if a dark day, use brighter flies. You will of course +regulate the size according to the breeze, but as a rule, err on the +side of small flies. When you raise a fish, _strike at once_. It is +quite possible that by this method you may once in a while strike the +least bit too soon, but it is a safe plan to go by. There is always a +particle of a moment spent in the tightening of the line; and by the +time the angler sees a fish at his flies, he may safely conclude that it +has already seized or missed them, and the sooner he ascertains the true +state of matters by striking instantaneously, the better. If the fish +has not been touched by line or hook, cast gently over him again: the +chances are that there will be another rise, and, if the fish has been +feeding, every likelihood that the second or even a third time may be +lucky. In striking small fish, the least tightening of the line is +sufficient; but with large fish, when your tackle and hooks are strong, +strike _firmly home_ to send the steel well in, right over the barb. +Tackle that will not stand this had better be given away or +destroyed,--the latter for choice. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +TROLLING. + + +Our readers will have guessed, from what has preceded this chapter, that +we don't believe in trolling if it can be avoided; but still there are +times and occasions on which it must be practised, and we plead guilty +to having gone in for it oftener than once, when we saw that fly-fishing +was useless. On the other hand, however, we have set out with a firm +determination to do a fair day's trolling,--and nothing but +trolling,--but somehow or another it has generally ended in fly-fishing +when we could, and trolling as a _dernier ressort_ when we could not. +This, we doubt not, has been the experience of many of our angling +friends to whom the mere killing of fish is a secondary consideration +compared with the enjoyment of real sport. But when trolling is the +order of the day, either from choice or necessity, then this is the way +to go about it. We assume, of course, that the angler is equipped with +tackle and lines specified in Chapter V., and that he has a supply also +of live minnows with him. The elaborate tin-cans for holding minnows are +quite unnecessary so far as loch-fishing is concerned; any ordinary +vessel will do well enough for a day, provided the water is changed now +and again. In trolling, two rods will be found ample. They should be +placed at right angles to the boat,--the "thowl-pin," or, if there is +not one near enough the stern, anything (a cheap gimlet answers +admirably) fixed into the gunwale, being sufficient to keep the rod in +position,--so that the spinners, of whatever kind they may be, will be +as far apart from each other as possible. Take care that the butts of +the rods are well at the bottom of the boat, as we have seen a rod not +sufficiently fixed go overboard before now. A main point in trolling is +to have plenty of line out. There should never be less than thirty yards +out from one rod, and not less that forty from the other. By this +means, should a fish not see the first lure, he may see the second. If +trolling with natural minnow, which is much more apt to get out of order +than artificial ones, see that the bait is intact and spinning properly. +This involves the trouble of hauling it in for examination now and then; +but it is better to be at that trouble than be fishing with, mayhap, a +mangled lure, or one that has got out of spinning order, and more likely +to act as a repellent than an attraction to any fish in the +neighbourhood. In trolling any likely ground, the proper way is to tell +your man to zigzag it, not pulling the boat in a straight line, but +going over the ground diagonally, and thus covering as much of it as it +is possible to do with a couple score yards of line behind. The turning +of the boat necessitates a considerable circle being taken to keep the +lures spinning, and so that the lines do not get mixed up; and your man, +after making the turn, should row in a slightly slanting direction +towards the point from which he originally started, thus-- + +[Illustration] + +and so on, till the chances of raising a fish on that beat are +exhausted. + +Should a small fish come on, haul it in hand-over-hand; and the man must +not stop rowing, as the other minnow is out, and must be kept spinning. +If, however, a fish that needs playing comes to you, you must seize the +rod to which he has come, and the boatman must take the other, and wind +in as fast as possible. You should not commence winding in till the +other line is wound up so far as to preclude the chance of the fish +mixing up both lines together. Barring the risk one runs of a serious +mess, it is not a bad plan to troll from a reel a cast of larger-sized +flies than would be used in ordinary fly-fishing. This line follows, of +course, in a _straight_ track behind the boat, and the minnows being +considerably to right and left of it, there is no danger of their +getting mixed so long as the boat is moving; but the risk is apparent +should a fish come to either of the three lines, and great activity is +then necessary on the part of yourself and boatman to keep things right. +You must keep the fish at as considerable a distance from the other +lines as you can, and trust a good deal to the chances of war for the +ultimate safety of all. Some days, even when casting was unproductive, +we have been fortunate in securing fish by trolling our flies in the +manner described. Indeed, unless the day or the season is decidedly in +favour of trolling minnows, we prefer, if only trolling two lines, to +troll from one of them with the minnow, and from the other with the fly. +This must always be decided, however, by the judgment of the angler, and +by his surroundings for the time being. One thing in favour of trolling +with the minnow is, that the best size of fish are caught by that means. +This is not invariably the case, but it is the rule. And in concluding +this chapter, we must not omit to acknowledge that we are glad to know +that when we are not so young as we once were, and when the wielding of +a rod all day long shall have come to be a serious matter, we shall +still have the pleasure of roaming about our lovely lochs--Highland or +Lowland--and have the excitement of landing fish, coupled with our +enjoyment of fresh air and grand scenery. For this reason, if for no +other, cultivate as often as you can, without entrenching on the nobler +pastime of fly-fishing, the art of trolling--for we must confess that +there is an art in this as in everything else; and should my reader be +sceptical on the point, he has only to try conclusions, when he gets the +chance, with some old troller, and he will be convinced before +supper-time. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +CAPTURE OF FISH. + + +Scotch loch-fishing, as usually practised, only embraces the capture of +the _salmo_ species--that is, the _salmo fario_, or common yellow trout; +the _salmo trutta_, or sea-trout; and _salmo salar_, the "fish," as most +boatmen call it, and the noblest game of the finny creation. Besides +these there is, of course, the _salmo ferox_; but it is comparatively +scarce, and only worth trolling for in some particular lochs, where they +are known to be more easily come across than in others. And sometimes +when worthier game is not to be had, we have a spin for pike, but Mr +Jack is as difficult to catch at times as his more aristocratic +comrades. In most Scotch lochs where any supervision is exercised at the +instance of our local clubs, the extermination of pike is most +vigorously carried on by means of fixed and splash nets. This, as +regards our large lochs, where there is room for all, we have no +hesitation in saying is a mistake, as it shuts up one means of enjoying +a day's fishing when nothing else in the way of fish is to be had; and +it must be borne in mind that there are some older anglers, to whom a +whole day's fly-fishing is a labour, who never object, when trolling, to +come across a pike: and no wonder, for a pike of 10 lb. and upwards +gives some fair play, though by no means to compare with what a fish of +the _salmo_ tribe of that weight would give. Then we have perch in +abundance, and splendid eels; but as these need a float and bait to +catch them, we dismiss them as quite _infra dig_. True a perch will come +at a minnow, and we have sometimes seen them take a fly; but they are +generally voted a nuisance, and expelled the boat. + +As regards the capture of fish, we shall proceed to deal with each in +order; and at the outset we remark, that when you have hooked a fish, it +is a safe general rule to waste no unnecessary time in bringing him to +the landing-net or gaff, and thence into the boat. When playing a fish, +never allow the line to get slack, unless, indeed, when he leaps into +the air,--then you must give him rope; but so soon as he gets into his +native element, feel his mouth instantly. Always play your fish to +_windward_ of the boat if there is some one sharing it with you, as this +allows him to go on casting to leeward. Of course, if you have the whole +boat to yourself, play your fish in any way that it will be most +expeditiously brought to basket. The angler ought to be well assured of +the strength of his tackle, and when he has confidence in that, he will +soon learn to judge of the proper strain to which it may be subjected. +In the case of COMMON YELLOW TROUT, averaging, as most loch trout do, +about three to the pound, there is no occasion to put off time with any +one of them; but in some lochs, such as Loch Leven, where the average is +fairly one pound, and where two and three pounders are by no means +uncommon, some care and a little play are absolutely necessary. But do +not, even in such a case, give him too much of his own way. We can +assure our readers that a three-pound Loch Leven trout, in good +condition, on fine gut and small irons, gives as nice a piece of play, +and exercise to the eye, hand, and judgment, as could well be desired. + +The SEA-TROUT is, for his size, the gamest of all fish. He is bold as a +lion, and fights harder for his life than a salmon twice his size. A +fish of three pounds will run out a considerable piece of line, and make +a splendid leap, or series of leaps,--and then is the trying time. As +often as not, your flies and the fish part company in the air, and you +have to sit down muttering "curses not loud but deep," till an +application to the flask soothes your wounded spirit, and invigorates +you for fresh effort. A beautiful sight it is to see a sea-trout rise. +No half-hearted attempt is his, but a determined rush for the fly, and +down again like thought, leaving you the tiniest part of a moment to +strike, and hardly time to admire his beautiful silvery coat. If you +have been fortunate enough to get the steel into him, you will have time +to admire him when you get him into the boat. Fishing for sea-trout with +the fly is, we consider, the most exciting of all kinds of fishing--that +is, if the fish run to a fair average weight. But we are sorry to say +that lochs where it is to be enjoyed are, with the solitary exception of +Loch Lomond, usually far out of ordinary reach,--and in the case of Loch +Lomond, it is only _habitues_ who usually come much speed on it; but +once the angler gets a fair day there, he finds his way back often. +True, there are some excellent sea-trout lochs in the north, and on the +west coast and islands, but they are a far cry from civilisation. +Nevertheless, if our readers can spare the time, let them find their way +into some unfrequented spot where sea-trout are plentiful, and they will +agree with us in thinking that that class of fishing is a most excellent +sport. Some parts of Ireland are famous for their fine sea-trout +fishing--white trout they call them there; and though we have never been +there ourselves, we mean to go some day, when the Land Bill has pacified +the natives, and made them law-abiding subjects. Meantime one runs the +risk of being mistaken for a non-resident landlord, and that would be a +pity for one's wife and family. But without any joking, this Irish +sea-trout fishing is a pleasure to which we look forward; and in this +work-a-day world, something to look forward to is half the enjoyment of +life. + +The capture of the SALMON is the ambition of all anglers, but we doubt +very much if the sport is to compare with ordinary loch or sea-trout +fishing, provided always that the latter are of good average weight. The +tackle used in salmon-fishing is proportionately heavy, and after the +first few rushes, if the fish be well hooked, there is little in it +except a matter of time. Indeed it is said that some anglers, after +hooking a salmon, hand the rod to a gillie to work and land the fish. +This seems going too much in the other direction, but it is quite +understandable. True, the size to which salmon run is a great inducement +to go after them; but even in Loch Tay, where the biggest average is to +be found, the sport, if such it can be called at all, is very +questionable. The rod, line, gut, and minnows used are on such a strong +scale, that a well-sized vessel might be moored with them without their +breaking; and with several scores of yards of line ready for a rush, +what earthly chance has the fish of escape, unless through the grossest +carelessness? The fish may be loosely hooked, and get off, but this is +quite a matter of chance, and the odds are that a hungry spring fish +will not miss the lure. Thus the charm of salmon-fishing is in the +raising and striking; and of all kinds of striking, the striking of the +salmon is the most difficult: the fish being so large and silvery, the +angler is certain to see him coming _at_ the fly, and is very apt to +strike too soon. But if it is borne in mind to strike _after_ the broken +water is visible, and not before it, this will soon be overcome. When +you do strike, don't let it be a mere tightening of the line, as in +trout-fishing, but a decided stroke. Some say that the salmon will hook +himself by his own weight. This may be so, though we doubt it,--but +don't trust to it. Certain it is, that the first rush of a fish does not +usually fix him certain; and should the hook happen to be in a piece of +hard gristle or on a bone, you will soon find this out for yourself, but +generally at the cost of the fish. + +Salmon-fishing is an expensive luxury; but if you can get it good, never +mind the expense, but give it a trial. If you get good sport, you may +not care to go in for smaller game again; but in all our experience we +never knew a salmon fisher who did not enjoy trout-fishing as much in +its own way as ever he did that of the nobler animal. There is something +in the gossamer gut and small flies irresistibly attractive to all +sportsmen, and from which no amount of salmon-fishing can ever wean +them. + +The _salmo ferox_ is a fish on which many opinions have been expressed; +and we have heard more than one old boatman say that he did not believe +it to be anything but a big loch-trout, as, they ask, Who ever saw a +young one? We see the young of all other fish, but why do we never come +across a young _ferox_? It seems pertinent enough questioning, and we do +not pretend to settle their doubts in either one way or another. Certain +it is, he is a big strong fish with some features distinct from the +ordinary loch trout, and that when caught he shows an amount of fight +not to be equalled by any of his neighbours, either white or brown. He +is usually caught by trolling either natural or artificial minnow; and +the tackle should be mounted on gimp and fixed to a strong line, and +plenty of it. We have read of a _ferox_ rising to the fly, but never +saw one so captured. There seems no reason why a gaudy fly should not +attract him. After he is hooked the fun begins. A _ferox_ of 10 to 12 +lb. will give you amusement and excitement for an indefinite time; and +you are never sure of him till he is in the boat. A friend of ours (a +capital angler to boot) fishing with us on Loch Assynt in +Sutherlandshire in 1877, hooked a fine specimen; and after battling with +him for an hour, had the mortification of seeing fish, angel-minnow, and +trace, disappear! A good boatman is a wonderful help in such a case; +indeed without his help your chances are small. To be sure it is slow +work trolling for _feroces_, and a whole day--yea, days--may be spent +without getting a run. The angler must always be the best judge as to +whether the chance is worth his while. Loch Awe, Loch Ericht, Loch +Rannoch, and Loch Assynt, are good lochs for trying one's luck in this +kind of fishing. + +Then to come from the nobler to an inferior species, we get to PIKE +fishing. Angling for this fish seems to be in great repute among our +southern brethren, if we may judge by the literature on the subject; but +somehow or other it is looked upon among our northern anglers with +somewhat the same aversion that a Jew has to bacon, and fishing for pike +is only resorted to when all chance of catching anything worthier is +gone. We don't profess to say whence this antipathy arises; but we have +heard stories from boatmen about the foul feeding of pike that makes the +idea of eating him repulsive. Not but that we have eaten him, but we +never did so with relish, however cunningly the _artiste_ may have +served him up. As a stock for soup he is good; but in Scotland it is +better not to say what the origin of the stock is till your friends are +at their _cafe noir_. But here we are only interested so far as the +sport he gives is concerned; and unless the pike be all the larger--say +not under 8 lb.--the sport is poor enough. Even a pike of 8 lb. and +over, when hooked (which is done by trolling or casting a minnow and +working it after the manner of a fly), makes one or two long pulls, not +rushes like a fish of the _salmo_ tribe; and after that he subsides into +a sulk from which you must trust to the strength of your tackle to +arouse him. The tackle should be mounted on gimp, for his teeth are very +sharp; and when removing the lure from his mouth, you will find it much +safer to have previously put the foot-spar between his jaws to prevent +him getting at your fingers. + +There is a fly, if such it can be called, used in pike-fishing. This fly +resembles a natural insect as much as a tea-pot resembles an elephant, +but it does attract pike--in the same way, we suppose, that a piece of +red flannel will attract a mackerel. If our readers wish to try it, they +can buy it at almost any tackle shop. Pike are to be found in almost all +lochs, though in the more frequented of our Scotch waters they are being +slowly but surely exterminated. In others, again, they reign almost +alone. But pike-fishing by itself is a poor affair, and we advise our +readers only to take to it when they can do nought better. If any of +them wish to go below the level of pike-fishing, we must refer them to +the copious instructions of many books, from Isaak Walton downwards. For +ourselves, when it comes to bait-fishing--except in running water, when +worm-fishing is an art--we prefer catching whitings and haddocks in some +of our beautiful salt-water lochs, to all the perch, roach, chub, and +such-like, that ever swam. But in this please note that we are only +expressing our own opinion, and with all respect to the opinions of many +worthy anglers. We may say this, however, with all safety, that in +angling, as in most other things, if one aims at the highest point of +the art he is not at all likely to condescend to the lowest. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +AFTER A DAY'S FISHING. + + +What a pleasant fatigue succeeds a day's fishing! There is not, or +should not be, a feeling of weariness, but just the satisfaction one +feels after enjoying a health-giving recreation. Health-giving it +certainly is to the body, and we have no hesitation in saying to the +mind also. It makes one forget for the time being all the evils to which +flesh is heir, and braces up the whole system to meet them when the +necessity arises. But we must not go in for more sentiment than is +actually needful. The practical duties after a day's fishing are these. +If the weather has been damp, change all wet garments _at once_, and if +at all practicable have a hot bath before sitting down to dinner. We say +dinner advisedly, for the angler should always have a good sound dinner +after a day's fishing, as however pleasant the work may have been, still +it is exhausting to the body, and a rough tea, though good in itself, +cannot pretend to have the reviving elements in it that a substantial +dinner has. A glass of whisky, or even two, in cold water, will be found +a very safe accompaniment. A good plan is to order your whisky by the +bottle, and put your card in a nick made in the cork: the ordering of +whisky in glasses is expensive and unsatisfactory. Your dinner over, +turn your attention to your tackle. Unwind your lines, so far as they +have been wet, from the reels, and lay them out on your bedroom floor; if +any chance of being interfered with, wind them round the backs of chairs +instead. They will be dry by the morning. Dry your reels thoroughly, and +put in a little oil wherever you think they would be the better of it; +and this should be done to any other article--spring-balance, gaff, +&c.--that is liable to rust. Your creel or fishing-bag should be washed +out and hung up to dry by the servants of the house immediately after +the fish have been removed, which latter should be done without delay. +Your landing-net should also be suspended in the open air, that it may +get dry as speedily as possible. A landing-net will last double the time +if attention is given to it in this way. Take out all used casting-lines +from your book, and lay them on the mantelpiece till morning: this will +insure the feathers being freed from moisture. And in the case of +expensive flies, this is a matter of consideration, both on the point of +expense as well as your possible inability to replace them where you may +happen to be sojourning for the time. If you mean to make up a new cast +or casts for the morrow, place the casting-lines in a little water in +your basin. They will be in excellent order next morning for +manipulation. Also soak in like manner the _gut_ on which the flies +which you mean to use are dressed. True, you may not be sure what flies +you will put on till you see what sort of a day it may prove to be, but +there is no harm done if you soak the gut (but only the gut) of as many +flies as will give you a good choice. + +We should have said nearer the beginning of this chapter to look well +after your waterproofs, that they are not hung up in a hot place. A dry +room or outhouse where there is a good draught is best. If your fishing +should happen to be over for the time being, put your tackle past (after +being thoroughly dried) in the most orderly fashion possible. For our +own part, we have the drawer in our bookcase spaced out into +compartments suitable for holding all our tackle, barring reels and such +like; and this arrangement we find extremely useful, and wonderfully +convenient when we wish to find anything. If, on the other hand, you are +out on a lengthy holiday, and have time at your disposal, after putting +things right for the day, and for next day too, we know of nothing +better than a _good_ rubber at whist for filling up the evening. It must +be a _good_ rubber, however, for the parlour game is neither relaxation +nor pleasure. Hence we would advise all our angling friends to acquire a +thorough knowledge of the game, as only to be learned with the aid of a +good book on the subject. Remember that when staying at some +out-of-the-way fishing hotel, you may be asked to form a table with good +players, and not to be able to hold your own on such occasions is a +great loss of pleasure to yourself, and usually a source of annoyance to +the others. These remarks are somewhat apart from the subject of this +book, but by way of an aside, they may be found not quite out of place. + +Do not be beguiled into keeping late hours, for no one can fish well +next day if he has not had a sufficient amount of sleep. But this is +also an aside; for some men need more sleep than others, and each angler +knows his own necessities best. We only promulgate the broad rule, that +without proper rest no one can be in good trim with hand and eye for a +pastime that needs both in a pre-eminent degree. We speak from +experience in this too; and have sometimes imagined that our right hand +had lost its cunning till we remembered that we had not been properly +rested the night before. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +REMINISCENCES. + + +Having exhausted, so far as we can imagine, the practical part of our +little treatise, we proceed--in accordance with an idea which we had in +our minds at starting--to give a few personal recollections, and to name +one or two lochs where we have enjoyed good sport, and where it is still +to be had for the trouble of going. Reminiscences are, as a rule, not +specially interesting to the general reader, hence we shall not make +them too lengthy; for we wish, above all things, that our readers shall +close this volume without experiencing a shadow of weariness. One thing, +however, we would like to say to our younger angling friends--Have as +many personal adventures to look back to as you possibly can. The +adventures themselves can be best sought after when the blood flows +fast; for the time will come when the rod and the tackle will perforce +have to be laid aside, and memory will then, unaided, afford you many a +pleasant retrospect, and you will--even companionless--fight your +battles over again. You remember the story of the illustrious Prince +Talleyrand: when a young man acknowledged to him that he could not play +whist, Talleyrand said to him--"Young man, what a sad old age you are +preparing for yourself!" We don't mean to go this length as regards +fishing; but we safely say that a man who lives to old age without +having been a keen angler, has not only deprived himself of great +enjoyments during his active life, but has neglected to lay up a +provision for the time when the memory of them would have made life's +closing seasons sweeter. + +Our first acquaintance with LOCH ARD was very pleasant--not, perhaps, so +much from any great expectation of sport, because at that time (many +years ago now) we were young at the pastime, but more from the feeling +of treading the ground made classical by the great Magician of the +North, as the scene of the most stirring incidents in 'Rob Roy.' +Attached to a big tree in front of the hotel at Aberfoyle there hangs a +coulter, which tradition assigns as the veritable article which Bailie +Nicol Jarvie made red-hot and used as a weapon of offence and defence +when he was in a dilemma in what was, at that time, a very inaccessible +part of the Highlands. Since then many a Glasgow magistrate has visited +the spot--the inspection of the line of the noble waterworks undertaking +which supplies the city being a sufficient excuse for the annual advent +of the civic rulers. A railway station (Bucklyvie) is within eight miles +of Aberfoyle, and Aberfoyle is within three miles of Loch Ard, and by +the time this book is in the hand of the reader there will most likely +be a railway station at Aberfoyle itself. Shade of Bailie Nicol Jarvie! +what would you say if you were now to be allowed to haunt the old spot? +to hear a locomotive screech where formerly you thought yourself so far +"frae the Sautmarket o' Glesca"? We don't like the idea ourselves, and +doubt very much if it will pay. However, it is the fishing alone which +concerns us meantime, and we can at once assure our angling friends that +the sport is good--not but what one has to fish hard for a basket; but +the same remark applies to all our near-at-hand lochs. On an ordinary +good day a dozen to eighteen trout may be captured, and sometimes the +baskets are heavier; but eighteen fish, weighing 9 lb. to 12 lb., is a +very fair day's work. The trout average fairly a half pound, and +pounders are by no means scarce: a two-pounder is come across +occasionally, but he is the exception. The fish are very pretty, and for +their size give excellent sport. Fine tackle is here absolutely +essential to success, and as a matter of sport should always be used in +fishing for common yellow trout. The loch, for its size, is much fished; +and we fear that when the railway facilities are completed, there will +require to be a considerable amount of restocking to keep it up to the +old mark. The scenery is unsurpassed--wood, water, and mountain, making +a picture of wondrous beauty. To the north of the loch, Ben Lomond rears +its mighty summit; and in the spring-time (for Loch Ard is an early +loch), before the summer sun has melted the winter's snow, the effect is +grand in the extreme. April, May, and June, are supposed to be the best +months for angling; but we see no reason why, if the weather be +favourable, these months should be singled out. The hotel accommodation +at Aberfoyle is excellent. In the early months you must engage a boat +beforehand: boatmen first-rate. Many a happy day we have spent on Loch +Ard--sometimes successful and sometimes much the reverse; but in any +case there is a witchery about the place that makes one enjoy himself in +spite of all cares. Mind and body recruit their jaded energies, and get +braced up to meet the stern realities of life. + +In strong contradistinction, in this respect, to Loch Ard, is LOCH +LEVEN. In the latter, if the angler is not catching fish, there is +little of the beautiful to commend itself to the senses. The island on +which the castle stands is pretty, and as a historic ruin is well worthy +of a visit, but otherwise the scenery is very tame, and the surroundings +not entrancing. But since we have drifted into speaking of Loch Leven, +we may as well tell of the sport which is to be had there,--and this, as +is well known, is exceptionally good. The quality of the fish is +wonderful; and after reading the statistics of a year's fishing--last +season something like 18,000 fish, weighing as many pounds, were +killed--one is puzzled to know how it is kept up. The loch itself is a +great natural feeding-pond, miles and miles of it being of an almost +uniform depth, and a boat may drift almost anywhere, the angler feeling +at the same time certain that fish are in his immediate vicinity. Trout +of two and three pounds are quite common; and it is a rare occasion that +a day's average does not come up to the pound for each fish. They are +very fine eating, and cut red as a grilse. The company which rents the +loch pay L800 to L1000 for the fishing, and they in turn keep a fleet of +large boats--twenty we think--and let them out to anglers at the rate of +2s. 6d. an hour. Any number may fish from one boat. There are two +boatmen in each boat,--one of whom is paid by the company, the other by +the angler; and we are sorry to say that these men, with a few +exceptions, are very much spoiled. There is a class of anglers(?) who +frequent Loch Leven, whose whole aim seems to be, not sport so far as +their own personal efforts are concerned, but the killing of as many +fish as possible. If such a one has engaged a boat, he arms each boatman +with a rod, and, of course, fishes himself, thus having three rods +going at once. As we said before, the loch can be drifted without any +attention from the men, after they have pulled up to the wind, and this +enables them to get casting all the time that their employer is doing +likewise. Not content with this, a couple of minnows are generally +trolled astern when changing ground. We don't say that a man has not a +right to do as he likes if he pays for his boat; but we _do_ ask, Is +this sport? And why should boatmen be spoiled in this way to such an +extent that we have known them sulk a whole day because a spare rod was +not allowed to be put up for their special benefit? But, of course, the +men are just as they have been made, and true anglers, who fish for a +day's sport, and not for the mere sake of slaughter, have the remedy in +their own hands. Don't let anything deter you from fishing Loch Leven. +It may be expensive; but if you get a good, or even a fair day, you will +not regret the expense. Get a friend to join you, and the expense is not +so heavy after all; and if your friend and yourself fish perseveringly +all day, you will usually be rewarded with a very fine show of fish. +There is no harm in letting your men fish when you are taking your +lunch, _but don't allow a third rod to be put up_. The boatmen are, as a +rule, only fifth-rate fishers, though, of course, a few of them handle a +rod well. Our recollections of Loch Leven are pleasant in some ways, in +others they are not; but don't fail to give it a trial, if only for the +pleasure of handling a big fish on fine gut. The manager of the Loch +Leven fishings, Captain Hall, fills a very difficult post with much +acceptance to all concerned. + +But to leave the Lowlands and go into the far North, we take you to LOCH +ASSYNT, in Sutherlandshire, and to a little loch near it,--LOCH AWE by +name. The journey to Assynt is long and weary: train to Lairg, and then +between thirty and forty miles driving, is a good long scamper for +fishing, but it is worth it. The inn at Inchnadamph is good, but when we +were there in 1877 the boat accommodation was poor enough: perhaps they +have improved upon that since. The first day after our arrival we had to +go to Loch Awe, as the boats on the large loch (Assynt) were taken up. +Such a morning of rain and wind! We were wet through our waterproofs +during the four-mile drive, but luckily the weather moderated, and we +had an excellent day's fishing. With two in the boat, we took 57 lb. +weight of beautiful fish,--not large, but very game, and spotted +intensely red. It must have been a good day, for many an angler tried +his luck after our success, but never came near that mark, at least when +we were there. Loch Assynt is more attractive, however, inasmuch as the +chances of big fish are not remote. Trout of a pound weight, and over, +are not uncommon, while the chance of a grilse adds excitement to the +sport. Then _ferox_, as we have said in a previous chapter, are, +comparatively speaking, not scarce, if one cares to go in for trolling +for them. But, in any case, the angler is always sure of a basket of +lovely yellow trout. On the hills behind the inn there is a small loch, +called the MULACH-CORRIE, in which it is said that the gillaroo trout +are to be found. Whether they are the real trout of that species or not, +we cannot say, but certainly they are beautiful fish,--pink in the +scales, and running to large sizes. We saw a basket taken by a friend, +and it was a treat to look at. The fish were all taken with the fly, +but we were told afterwards that worm is even deadlier than fly, and +that one should never go there without a supply of "wrigglers." The hill +between the inn and the Mulach-Corrie is a perfect paradise for +fern-gatherers. It is said that about two dozen different kinds can be +gathered; and we believe it, for even our untutored eyes discerned +sixteen varieties! Our visit to Inchnadamph must be placed among the +red-letter periods of our fishing life, and to be looked back to with +much enjoyment. + +LOCH MORAR, in Inverness-shire, is another delightful spot, and somewhat +out of the usual track. The fishing is most excellent, and yellow trout +of all sizes are very abundant. Sea-trout and salmon find their way +frequently into the angler's basket; and half-way up the loch, which is +a long one, at a bay into which the Meoble river flows, numbers of +sea-fish are to be found. The best way is to fly-fish up to that bay one +day, and seek shelter at night in some shepherd's cottage, thus being at +hand to prosecute salmon and sea-trout fishing the next day, or days, if +you find the sport good. It is right to take a supply of provisions and +liquor with you, for the accommodation is humble. We write this from +hearsay, as when we were there in mid-July salmon and sea-trout were not +in the loch in large numbers; but still we caught some of the latter, +and hooked, though, unfortunately, did not kill, any of the former. We +should think that the beginning of August would be the best time for +this loch as regards sea-fish; but the trout-fishing in July is +unsurpassable. During our sojourn in 1876 at Arisaig, the nearest +village to the loch, which is six miles off, and necessitating a drive +over what was then a road sadly in need of General Wade's good offices, +we had the services of a boatman, Angus by name, and his two boys, who +could not speak a word of English,--Angus managing one boat, and his +boys the other. We had the satisfaction--for indeed it was good fun--to +be out with the boys one day; and the management of the boat had to be +done by signals. It was wonderful how readily the boys got into the way +of it, and how well we got on together. The memory of the hospitality +which we enjoyed at Arisaig Inn will not be forgotten by any of our +party; and we hope that the then occupier, Mr Routledge, will be there +when we go back again. An inn was in course of being built at the +loch-side in 1876, but we do not know how it has succeeded. The easiest +way to Arisaig is by steamer, which usually goes once a-week; but the +angler should, if possible, go to Banavie or Fort-William,--the latter +for choice, as Banavie Hotel is famous for long bills (and we can +testify that its notoriety in this respect is deserved),--and then drive +to Arisaig. It is about thirty-eight miles from Fort-William to Arisaig, +but the drive is something to be remembered during a lifetime. After +having traversed this road, you will say, "There's no place like home" +for grand and beautiful scenery. We must see Loch Morar again if we +possibly can, before we bequeath our tackle to the next generation. + +The time would fail us to tell of many other lochs, more or less famous +for the good sport they afford; but the angler, if at all of an +enterprising nature, need have little hesitation in taking up Mr Lyall's +excellent 'Sportsman's Guide,' and making a selection on his own +account. The information is very correct so far as we have tried it, +sometimes--perhaps most anglers are inclined that way--erring a little +to the _couleur de rose_ side of things, but quite trustworthy in being +followed as a suggester for a fortnight's fishing. We have gained much +pleasure in exploring some of our more remote lochs, of the existence of +which we might never have been aware but for its information. We cannot, +however, close this long, but we hope not wearisome, chapter without +singing the praises of our Queen of Scottish Lakes, LOCH LOMOND. The +scenery of this beautiful spot is well known in some ways, but no amount +of travelling in a steamer will reveal its beauties. To the tourist we +would say, take a small boat at Luss and engage a man to row you among +the islands which lie between Luss and Balmaha. With this hint to the +tourist, we leave him, and turn the angler's attention to the +sport--very precarious at most times, but excellent at others--to be had +on Loch Lomond. Luss is the angling centre, and there are capital boats +and men to be had by writing beforehand to the hotel-keeper, Mr M'Nab, +who deserves much credit for the attention he pays to the wants of +anglers. + +The yellow-trout fishing is good, but, strange to say, this class of +sport is not much sought after. In April and May as good trout-fishing +is to be had as on some other lochs that enjoy a greater reputation. But +if the weather has been at all favourable to the fish running, the month +of June sees the sea-trout fishing fairly commenced. It is a hard loch +to fish; and if you are lucky enough to get two or three sea-trout in a +day, consider yourself fortunate. They are a good average--2 lb. to 3 +lb. being quite common--but they spread themselves so much over a large +portion of water that one may fish a whole day and not come across them. +This, however, is the exception, as in an ordinary fair fishing day in +June, July, August, and September, and even October if the weather is +mild, they are almost certain to be seen, if not caught. Some days +really good sport is to be had--indeed, one is surprised at the show of +fish; but fish or no fish, the charm of Loch Lomond is everlasting. The +angler finds his way back over and over again, till, as in our own +experience, the islands of Lonaig, Moan, Cruin, Fad, and last and least, +Darroch, the great landing-spot, are as familiar to him as his daily +business haunts. Then the chances of a salmon are good--indeed, this +year (1881) a great many have been killed; but somehow or another the +sea-trout fishing has not been so good, and though a salmon is always a +salmon, we would rather see a good show of sea-trout at any time. Like +our neighbours, we have had good and bad days on Loch Lomond; but +disappointment has never soured us--indeed, the fascination seems to get +stronger. And it is so very convenient for a day's fishing--down in the +morning and home at night, with a good long day between. The charge for +boatman is 5s. to 6s. and lunch; and though this seems high, it must not +be forgotten that the distances are great. A boat costs 2s. per day. The +men are good all over, some of them really first-rate. Many and many a +story we could tell of happy fishing days, and of days most enjoyably +spent when fishing was no go; but mostly every angler can do the same, +and we don't wish to become too tiresome. Perhaps if we get the chance +we may extend this chapter on some future occasion, and add some +experiences of as yet untried places. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +CONCLUSION. + + +Brother of the gentle art, we bid you farewell! We have done our best to +give you the benefit of our experience in the peaceful pursuit of +loch-fishing; and if we have said too much or too little, pray excuse +us, and in your goodness of heart reprove us for our verbosity, and tell +us what is awanting. The spirit on our part has been very willing; but +the memory may have been defective when it should have been most active, +and quite possibly our love for the art may have somewhere or another +led us into discursiveness where we should have been brief. We are all +human, and he is a poor mortal who thinks he cannot err. Again we say +farewell!--not for long, however, we hope. Who knows where we may meet? +If we do, and you recognise us, don't forget to give us a little +encouragement, and, if you can, new material for extending the +usefulness of this publication. As we write, the hand of winter is upon +us, and the rod and reel have been relegated to safe quarters; but +spring will return, and the enforced cessation of our enjoyment will +only add new zest to the music of the reel + + "When green leaves come again." + + + + +PRINTED BY WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS. + + + + + LATELY PUBLISHED, FIFTH EDITION, REVISED. + + THE MOOR AND THE LOCH. + + CONTAINING MINUTE INSTRUCTIONS IN ALL HIGHLAND SPORTS, + WITH WANDERINGS OVER CRAG AND CORRIE, + FLOOD AND FELL. + + BY JOHN COLQUHOUN. + + 2 vols. post 8vo, with Two Portraits and other Illustrations. 26s. + + + SOME OPINIONS OF THE PRESS. + +"In the present delightful volumes, however, he presents all lovers +of Scotland with the completest details of every Highland sport, on all +of which he is an unexceptionable authority; and with what many will +value even more, a series of life-like sketches of the rarer and more +interesting animals of the country. He has thus brought up to the +present level of knowledge the history of all the scarce birds and +beasts of Scotland.... Henceforth it must necessarily find a place +in the knapsack of every Northern tourist who is fond of our +wild creatures, and is simply indispensable in every Scotch +shooting-lodge."--_Academy._ + +"We should recommend fishers to study carefully all the chapters on +fishing for salmon, loch trout, sea trout, and yellow trout, whatever +may be their experience or erudition. They will find general hints of +immense use which they can apply to that local knowledge of their own +river or 'water' which no books can teach, and which Mr Colquhoun +himself would equally have to learn. But no chapter ought to be skipped, +even by a reader who aspires to far less than the fourfold distinction +of a Highland hunter, which consists in killing a red-deer, an eagle, a +salmon, and a seal."--_Saturday Review._ + +"The book is one written by a gentleman for gentlemen, healthy in tone, +earnest in purpose, and as fresh, breezy, and life-giving as the +mountain air of the hills amongst which the sport it chronicles is +carried on."--_The World._ + +"One of those rare and delightful books which, with all the fulness of +knowledge, breathe the very freshness of the country, and either console +you in your city confinement, or make you sigh to be away, according to +the humour in which you happen to read it."--_Blackwood's Magazine._ + + * * * * * + + LATELY PUBLISHED. + + A HANDBOOK OF DEER-STALKING. + + BY ALEXANDER MACRAE, + Late Forester to Lord Henry Bentinck. + + WITH INTRODUCTION BY HORATIO ROSS, ESQ. + + Fcap. 8vo, with Two Photos. from Life. 3s. 6d. + +"A work not only useful to sportsmen, but highly entertaining to the +general reader."--_United Service Gazette._ + +"The writer of this valuable little book speaks with authority, and sums +up in a few pages hints on deer-stalking which the experience of a +lifetime has enabled him to put forth.... We can only recommend every +one who pursues the fascinating sport of which the author writes, to +glance through, and indeed to read carefully, this handbook."--_Sporting +and Dramatic News._ + +"An interesting little book, alike because of the knowledge which its +author displays of his subject, and of the simple style in which it is +written. It is a handbook such as sportsmen must have long +desired."--_Scotsman._ + + * * * * * + + RECREATIONS + OF + CHRISTOPHER NORTH. + + With Portrait of the Author in his Sporting Jacket. + + New Edition. Two Vols., crown 8vo, 8s. + +"Welcome, right welcome, Christopher North; we cordially greet thee in +thy new dress, thou genial and hearty old man, whose 'Ambrosian Nights' +have so often in imagination transported us from solitude to the social +circle, and whose vivid pictures of flood and fell, of loch and glen, +have carried us in thought from the smoke, din, and pent-up opulence of +London, to the rushing stream or tranquil tarn of those +mountain-ranges."--_Times._ + + * * * * * + + W. BLACKWOOD & SONS, EDINBURGH AND LONDON. + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. Variant + and dialect spellings remain as printed. Hyphenation has been + standardised. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Scotch Loch-Fishing, by +AKA Black Palmer, William Senior + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SCOTCH LOCH-FISHING *** + +***** This file should be named 26072.txt or 26072.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/6/0/7/26072/ + +Produced by Stephen Blundell and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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