THE TWEED 21 



right. There are some twenty pools and streams in about 

 three miles of this famous stretch. Sprouston Dub is the pick, 

 and perhaps may be fairly regarded as the most productive 

 pool in Tweed. It is smooth still water, as its name seems to 

 imply, has a bottom of flat shelving rock, and an average depth 

 of about nine feet, which is maintained by the weir at the foot 

 of the pool. Owing to the raising of water-level in two lower 

 pools, the Dub weir is no obstruction to fish entering the pool. 

 In fishing the Dub, each proprietor fishes his own side, the 

 understood rule being that with his back to his own bank each 

 may cast across the middle line as he chooses. All fishing is from 

 boats. The upper and lower sections of the Sprouston water 

 are fished alternately by each side, the Dub only, which is in 

 the centre, being fished by both. The Dub requires a breeze 

 to fish really well, and fairly light tackle is often advisable. 

 The record is, I believe, 33 fish, on November 21st, 

 1873, and on two other days of November that year the 

 Hendersyde score was 23. Days of 13 or 14, with some- 

 times an average weight of about 18 lb., are not uncommon; 

 the fame of the Dub being largely because of the large 

 number of fish almost always present, and given suitable 

 weather conditions, the steadiness of the good results obtained. 

 This may be better understood when it is said that of the fish 

 taken from the whole of this water, the Dub yields more than 

 half. 



From Hendersyde the fishing is perhaps not so heavy as in 

 other waters, or as is usual with so much good water. Only 

 two rods are as a rule fishing at a time, and frequently the 

 angling is intermittent. If the weather conditions are not 

 good the water is rested. For instance, in 1888 the river was 

 constantly low in the early part of the season, and flooded at 

 the end. It was almost the poorest year in result, for only 

 64 fish were killed in all ; but it has to be noted that 

 fishing was practised on only nineteen days, and that of the 

 64 fish, 44 were taken in one week. It is contended that by 

 the policy of resting the water in this way, the high average 

 of Hendersyde has been maintained in recent years. 



Sir Richard has kindly allowed me to give the results of his 

 autumn fishing which date from 1873, i.e. the angling from the 

 commencement of the close time for nets to the end of the 



