SALMON 261 



stock of breeding fish, more would be netted in the five days 

 than are now meshed in the six. 



Such legislation would, moreover, not only largely increase 

 the existing angling rentals, but would also greatly augment 

 the extent of the angling waters, for rivers like the Findhorn, 

 the Deveron, the Spey, the Ugie, the Ythan, the Don, the 

 two Esks, the Teith, the Forth and the Tweed would each 

 and all once again become good spring rivers for the angler. 

 Also the upper proprietors of these streams would be more 

 inclined to follow the example set by those on Deeside, who 

 by their united exertions have made that river yield the finest 

 angling in the kingdom. 



In the season of 1891 no less than seven thousand salmon 

 and grilse were captured by the rods, while rather more than 

 one half of this magnificent take were spring fish. In that 

 year a friend of mine rented the Lower Dees water on the 

 Dee at Kincardine O'Neil ; it was but half a mile in length 

 and consisted of three pools only. Starting on the 1 1 th of 

 February, on the 20th of April he landed his hundredth clean 

 fish. That very same year I was fishing on the Spey, and 

 up to the same date on twenty-five miles of the cream of both 

 banks, which were well and hard fished, there were not as 

 many salmon taken as my friend got on his half mile of 

 the Dee ! Yet if the Spey had but the same treatment given 

 to it, I am absolutely convinced in a few years it would excel 

 the Dee and take the rank it should do, and shine forth both 

 for net or rod as the premier river of Scotland. 



