The Hawaiian gazette., 1869-12-01
Trout Fishing in Scotland.
IxvrnARxAx. Aurust %. 1859.

ISvERARSAS, August 90. 1869.
! I'm thinking few notes on trout fishing in
the British Islands may not be unacceptable
I to American sportmen, and at late hour o,
the night, after an afternoons fishing, ven
ture to indite the said notes. And write as
/ n novice, giving only my present information.
l have fshed somewhat in England, none at
all in Wales, little in Scotland. cannot
/ therefore speak as one experienced, bat have
/ learned something.
/ The bronx trout of the British Islands is not
the same fish with our American trout 1t has
/ long been source of discomfort to anglers
that the writers on technology have such arbi-
/ trary ways Of determining species and even
genera. The Salmo Fontinalis includes many
| varieties of trout, and have no hesita ton in
stating that the trout of these Islands is very
different fish from the brook trout Of Ameri-
ca. In the first place he has distinct aud
visible scales. mean visible to the naked
eye. In the next place be is differently mark
ed. / have taken two kinds of trout here, the
one marked only with black spots these 1
took in Loeb Katrine) the others marked
with red and black spets-(these have taken
in the Wye in Derbyshire, and in this Glen
Falloeh whence L now write). In the next
place the habits of the FISH are different. I
shall not stop here to enumerate the various
differences, but addressing myself only to the
angler, | remark that | have never seen a
trout rise hc.e as in American. In general
the British trout rise very gently, following
the fy, and take it with open mouth, but not
with sharp strike. This explains much in
English books on angling which has been I'M
ineligible to us across the water. The care
full instructions given as to the turn Of the
wrist necessary in striking the fish, the gen.
tie stroke " and much of the same sort, are on
~ ineligible when it is known that the fish
rises very quietly, does not dash the fy with
his tail, but rather sucks it in as if it were A
floating food. AS yet 1 have seen nothing of
that superb rush and swirl which tells the an
gler on our waIers that the fish has his fly.
and gives him DO time to think of striking.
This morning was perfect in the eyes of one
going a fishing. The mists hung heavily on
the mountains. A gentle breeze came up the
valley from Loeb Lomond and rufied with
perfect ripple the surface Of the stream which
pours down Glen Faloch had nothing bet
ter to do after noOntime than to take out nv
Norris rod and stroll down the banks of the
Falloch, in the midst of the most glorious
scenery. Cascades on each side pour down
out of the very clouds, for the mountains hem
the valley in with preeipitous sides, and the
roar of the waterfalls is the only sound which
disturbs the peace of the glen. The hotel is
most beautifully located, and is withal place
of perfect comfort. l know no spot east of
the Atlantic ocean which has so charmed me
as this. One might linger here week after
week with perfect delight, looking at crags
and mountains, cascades and burns winding
am, ne meadows under the lofty hills.
Experience had taught the use of small flies,
not the gnats, but n size little larger. Direct
ly in the rear of the hotel I began to cast, and
at almost the first cast raised n small trout,
struck and landed him. He was beautifully
marked with black and red spots. the black
however resembling the finger marks" on
young salmon. The wind was freshening and
blowing up stream. This made casting down
stream difficult, and it was only now aud then
that | could get out full American cast of
seventy feet ard upwards. seldom failed to
strike a fish when / could get long cast
The season is late, the water very low and
very clear, and there have been few trout ia
ken lately in any of these waters Its impos-
sible to get fish with short casts under such cir
cumstances But such day was to be for
ever remembered, if only for the scenery which
surrounded the angler as he followed the Fall !
loch down to the head of Loeb Lomond / |
shall not give you the history of the country. |
Read it up my friend, if You care to know it. !
Every hill and crag has its story of Rob Boy. |
The mountains are eloquent because Scott |
made them so. How much of Scotland is the /
creation of the Wizard of the North? Travel |
ers 90 about seeking-nct the historical points |
but the points which his irnagnations have |
hallowed. Loeb Katrine would scarce ever
have been heard of but for the . Lady of that
Lake" and now all the incidents of the poem
are related by the guides as veritabe facts of
the past.
/ had reached the head of the Loeb with a
very respectable basket of fish, when observ-
ed that the water looked dark and deep in n
hole at the side of the river. The flies brought
up nothing, and l remem beTed that boatman
On Loeb Katrine had told me that large pike
we're taken in all these locks had in my fy
book small fly with silver spinner, one
which had last used for black bass on the
st. Lawrence. put it on and east across the
lark pool. What a rush an swirl that was
tic missed it and | cast again. Up he came,
hungry and mad, and seized the spoon, if so
nay call it, and sharp stroke drove it into
lis broad jaw. Then came short but sharp
truggle. He showed more game than pill or
,ickerel commonly show. 1t was desecrating
Norris rod of seven ounces to kill such fish
With it, but still did it, and in less than three
minutes he was on the grass, good five pound
like. / east again and to my great surprise
truck and landed a yellow perch. Then
topped, disguised. Trout, pike. perch and
| had kept on | am not sure hut should have
lad next bull-pont or n salmon,
The evening came on with heavy clouds, and
threatening of rain. Dinner over, 1 lit my I
igar, one Of the few remaining to me of the
'artagas Breyas in this land of miserable to- =
acco, and strolled out in front Of the hotel
was as calm, as still. as hushed as in the
'ildest American forest; only the sullen roar :
waterfall answering waterfall across the val
" broke the deep soleninity of Glen Falloch.
ar overhead the mountain peaks entered the
louds, but as the moon came up in the east.
tier in the evening, there were occasional
reaks of blue sky, ard here and there a star
} be seen. But saw only black mist hover
lg around the slopes and hiding the summit
Ben Lomond.