‘The Salmon 51 
do even although possessed of the necessary energy, for the spawning 
season would be on them long before they had arrived at the upper 
reaches, and if the river Dochart had to depend on autumn fish alone 
none would ever be got in it. I have always held the opinion that a 
certain proportion of each run of fish should be allowed to pass, so that 
all the different parts of the river would be equally well stocked. Until 
recently there was a large portion of the Tay and a part of the Lyon and 
the Tummel with very few spawning fish on the beds during winter. 
It is a peculiar fact that as long as the temperature of the water 
is low and snow is in the river, fish have a great disinclination to 
surmount broken waterfalls or weirs. Few of these fish are seen 
trying to ascend them before the middle of April. In the river 
Helmsdale few fish are seen above the falls before April. The only 
exception to) thiss that) 1 haverseen’ is on the North Esk One the 
Morphie weir in February, before the nets go on, sometimes a dozen 
clean fish can be seen trying to ascend at one time, generally about 
mid-day, but unsuccessfully, as each one falls back again into the pool 
below. It is little wonder, however, that these fish try to get up, 
as there are thousands of them huddled together in one pool. They 
collect here during the whole of the winter, and are all scooped out 
when the nets are put on. It is difficult to imagine how this is 
allowed to go on year after year. There is surely something wrong 
when 2 miles of this river below the weir are rented at about £5000, 
and 30 miles above the weir scarcely bring 4500! 
The amount of running the fish do depends much on wind and 
weather. In cold, frosty weather or when the river is full of snow they 
run very little. Ideal conditions are when the river is free from snow 
and a good fresh wind is blowing. I have known a strong west wind 
take all the fish from the east end of Loch Tay. Strange as it may 
appear, spring fish are unable to withstand a high flood, and are some- 
times carried a few miles down stream. Occasionally big hauls of 
them are got with the nets in quiet places to which they have been 
borne down. This accounts for the fact that the rod-fishing is poor after 
big floods in spring. Kelts seem to be able to withstand floods better 
