THE TWEED 33 



have been more in evidence, and 1911 was the best in the 

 memory of any one living. 



Spring fish are the earliest spawners, and both for commercial 

 purposes and for sport are the most highly prized of any. It 

 has repeatedly been noticed in our country that when a river 

 is over-netted the first result is shown in the decline of the 

 spring runs. There can be no manner of doubt that the spring 

 runs in Tweed have had no sort of chance for many a long 

 day. As I have already stated, statistics show that the river 

 is steadily becoming later and later. Netting goes on till 14th 

 September, and rod fishing to the end of November. I have 

 been informed from a most credible source that of late years, 

 at the opening of the netting season, a number of unspawned 

 fish are taken. One is always told that the Tweed is naturally 

 a late river. I firmly believe that as a matter of fact it has 

 been made a late river by the action of man. Under present 

 conditions one would scarcely be surprised to hear that a 

 movement was on foot to make the commencement of the 

 Annual Close Time later, so that netting profits may be main- 

 tained. This process of following up the already unduly late 

 season has only to be continued, and in course of time, the 

 best period for fishing in Tweed will be at the natural spawning 

 time of the fish, when all other Scottish rivers are closed. Bod 

 fishing already continues till after fish have begun to spawn, not 

 only in many of the tributaries, but in the main river. The 

 spawning season really commences in Tweed in the middle of 

 October, as it does in other rivers, and salmon have been 

 noticed spawning as early as 7th October. 



The statement that the Tweed is naturally a late river, that 

 is to say, is a river in which spring runs of fish are not naturally 

 to be expected, is, I consider, perfect nonsense. No salmon 

 river in Scotland, especially on the East Coast, having a water- 

 flow such as the Tweed, or, for that matter, a water-flow equal 

 to half that of Tweed, is naturally a late river. Is there any 

 characteristic of the Tweed which peculiarly marks it out as 

 distinct from the Dee in Aberdeenshire, for instance, or the 

 North or South Esks ? In 1872 the Dee had so declined that 

 the rental was only about 9,000. The Dee was then netted 

 for 16 miles, as the Tweed now is. An Association began 

 taking off the nets from above downwards. Now only about a 



