Mary was a friend of Godfrey and Dawn's and worked on a huge farm with her two elder brothers.
It was harvest time, the busiest period in the year for farmers and, unlike the anglers, they were happy for the lack of rain. Shin rented out Mary's cottage every year when he came fishing.

Mary called it a cottage but it had two bedrooms, a sitting room and a kitchen and was fully equipped with television, washing machine and fireplace so even a month's stay was a comfortable experience. There was just one thing missing - a telephone. This was Mary's ploy to allow her guests to enjoy their holiday to the full with as little interference from the outside world as possible.

Godfrey unlocked the front door with the key Mary had given him. On entering the cottage Shin saw all his fishing gear lying in a neat row on the floor; fishing wear, hat, rain gear, knee boots, waders, rod and reel. He had asked Godfrey to look after his gear until the next time he came. Apparently Godfrey had laid it all out before he arrived.

This place was no longer just a cottage but had become Shin's home away from home and it had been waiting patiently for his return. Godfrey carried Shin's luggage into the bedroom on the right. Shin went into the sitting room on the left and sat on the sofa. It was always the first thing he did; the same every year. He took a sip of the Portuguese "Dry Fly" sherry that he been set on the table for him. A green bottle with a brown label. On the label was a picture of a "Dry Fly", one of the flies used in fly fishing.
The taste itself was not dry, but Shin was fond of the name.

Five years before, when Shin visited Scotland for the first time, the landlord of the inn he was staying at just happened to offer him a glass of "Dry Fly" and since then Shin had made it a habit to drink a little of the sherry before he went out fishing.

Godfrey usually lit the fire the moment they set foot in the cottage but this year the weather was so hot that Shin wondered whether he even needed his sweater. Godfrey took of his jumper, revealing a thin T-shirt, and sat opposite Shin.

"Godfrey, so what are the chances of catching something tomorrow?"
"Well, it's up to you Shin. If you want to go, I'll take you. You never know, you might catch a few sea trout"
"I've had enough of sea trout. I really want to land a salmon this year"
"I know how you feel Shin. But with this weather, I really don't know. It's perfect for the tourists though."

They stared reproachfully into the brilliant sunshine that shone through the window. Any angler will tell you that good weather means a cloudy sky.
And not just clouds, a little rain is also required, but not too much of course, that won't do. When they can't catch anything, blaming the weather with "It was good last week." or "Next week may be better." is an anglers' speciality but, no rain at all, that is quite out of the question.

"Shin, I'm just going home to finish off some work. I'll come back to collect you this evening. Come to our place tonight for supper. I've invited Mary as well.", said Godfrey and left.

Shin unpacked leisurely, and then lay, sprawled on the bed. The light reflecting from Mary's uncut wheat field streamed in through the net curtain of the window and was so bright that Shin couldn't look at it directly.Shin repeated to himself what he'd just said to Godfrey,

"I've had enough of sea trout. I really want to land a salmon this year"

It was the truth. He had already spent too much time on the salmon. He could catch brown trout and even sea trout, but so far, he had yet to land a salmon."I've had enough of night fishing." muttered Shin to himself. He had been sea trout fishing twice before and both occasions had been at night.

Salmon run up river in the spring and autumn whereas sea trout run up in the summer between the two salmon runs. However, as there is little rain in summer the river becomes very shallow so the trout rest in the river-mouth or in pools waiting for nightfall. And when it gets dark they finally begin to move. That is why you have to fish sea trout at night.

Although it is called "night fishing" it isn't done in total darkness. As Scotland is situated at a high latitude it doesn't get dark until around ten p.m. in summer. Under the light of the lazy moon the angler becomes a silhouette against the star sprinkled dark blue sky. And he is invariably unsteady on his feet thanks to a glass or too many of gin. Then, when the splashing of the fish, a sound beyond imagination, comes into earshot, it is the signal to start fishing.

Sea trout form a run and then wait for nightfall to make their move. After the run has passed, the river is still and quiet, as if nothing has happened. The angler lies down on the cobble stones at the riverside and swigs his gin.
Even in summer it can get chilly down by the river. In the meantime, the next run comes along. The angler continues his vigil until five in the morning and then heads home to bed, waking in the early afternoon only to wait for nightfall when he will fish again until sunrise of the next day. Shin recalled his first ever fishing trip with Godfrey where he hooked his first sea trout.