THE RIVER TWEED.
I will begin with this large and beautiful salmon river, which runs rapidly along the borders of England and Scotland, taking a course from West to East. It flows majestically through a highly picturesque and cultivated country, washing many good towns on its way to the sea, where it discharges its valuable waters at Berwick.
The town of Kelso is the best station, as there is good fishing above and below it. There is a magnificent spot for a month or more of salmon fishing at a place called "The Throughs," three miles above the town,—it is a real picture of a place to the eyes of the fisher. Higher up is St. Boswell's, and a little higher, Melrose—both charming places. There is good angling in the Tiviot, at Kelso, in the spring; it runs into the Tweed on the opposite side. The trout are numerous in it. There are several capital stations below the town, where the fish take the fly most freely, which is not the case in most of the rivers of the same magnitude. The fifteen painted salmon flies will be found excellent killers in this noble river, and the six large spring flies.
I have killed Grilse, Sea-Trout, and River-Trout with the Winged Larva at the "Throughs" in August. Easterly winds were prevailing at the time, and the fish would not stir at any other sort of fly. When the river runs very low small flies are best.
THE RIVER SHANNON.
This is the largest and finest Salmon river in Britain. There is not a river in Norway that can be compared to it for fishing, were it properly used. The angler must proceed to its banks before he can say, conscientiously, that he has ever seen a salmon river. In its course it expands into three large and beautiful lakes, Lough Allen, Lough Ree, and Lough Derg. There are numerous islands in the latter one, with ruins of religious edifices, &c. This noble river receives many tributaries, in which there is capital fly fishing, with rapids and falls of water till it reaches Limerick. It runs a hundred and twenty miles to this place, and sixty more to the sea. It is on leaving the lakes that it abounds with many delightful streams—the haunts of large Salmon and fine Trout. Six miles above Limerick, at Castle Connel, there is a splendid place for the fly, and Trout fishing is good. The angler will here behold a scene that will greatly amuse him.
There are other capital casts for Salmon up to Killaloe, where the Pike and Eels are of an extraordinary size and quality. Lough Derg is close to this place, in which are caught the "Gillaroe" Trout; they have gizzards like turkeys, are short and round in the body, very red in the flesh when cooked, and they have a most delicious flavour.
The best flies for the Shannon are the fifteen painted ones, and the six large flies for spring. You cannot fail with these beautiful flies.