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