THE NORTH ESK 105 



but no doubt it would not be difficult to suggest a pass of a 

 much better type than the one indicated by Schedule G of the 

 Act referred to. As a matter of fact, a plan of a quite good 

 pass is in existence, drawn specially for Craigo. The difficulty 

 is the consent to its erection. I have no hesitation in saying 

 that the dyke in its present form is much against the best 

 interests of the river, and that if the North Esk was owned 

 entirely by one individual, or owned by a number of proprietors 

 who unitedly strove for the best interests of the salmon fisheries, 

 this dyke and Morphie Dyke would long ere this have been 

 rendered easily surmountable to salmon. 



The line which separates upper and lower proprietors is 

 " drawn across the ford above Fluke Hole, from the east end 

 of the land embankment on the right side of the river, to the 

 pigeon house under Kirkside plantation, on the left side of the 

 river." This defines six fisheries as lower proprietors' fisheries, 

 and twice that number as upper proprietors' fisheries, and as 

 the average value of a lower fishery is fully twice that of an 

 upper fishery, the greatest monetary interest remains with the 

 proprietors of the coast and estuary Brotherton and Lauris- 

 ton, Woodstone, Kirkside, Kinnaber and Charleton, Rockhall, 

 and Comieston, but a part of Kinnaber is in the upper waters. 



It will be gathered that owing to the netting of the lower 

 reaches, rod fishing in spring and summer is here not thought 

 of. I have no doubt, however, that if the netting was stopped, 

 a most valuable spring rod fishing would grow into being, and 

 the experience of, say, the Dee, and of other rivers I could 

 name, goes to show that from the point of view of mere profit 

 to the proprietor, rod fishing pays better than netting. As a 

 large proprietor on the Dee once said to me when discussing 

 this subject : "No one but a fool would now think of putting 

 in a net here." The course would also have the very great 

 advantage of benefiting all proprietary neighbours above, and 

 perhaps even of bringing harmony into the fishery councils of 

 the district. 



A very considerable success attends the autumn angling in 

 those lower reaches, during the two months after the nets 

 come off till the rod fishing ends, 31st August to 31st October. 

 The number of fish taken in this period is generally between 

 200 and 300. 



