106 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



The heaviest fish taken on the rod was caught by Mr. J. M. 

 Oldham in 1901. It was killed on fly in Morphie water, and 

 scaled 50 Ib. Two fish of 37 1 and 37 Ib. have since been caught, 

 but nothing over 40 Ib., so far as I am aware. In 1904 a 58 Ib. 

 fish was taken in the coast nets of the district, and a 40 Ib. 

 fish in the sweep nets of the river. 



With regard to the earlier fishing on the river above Craigo, 

 it will be understood from what has already been said that the 

 run of fish depends very much on the water-flow at the obstruc- 

 tion in question. If fish are able, owing to early floods, to 

 surmount the dyke which they mostly do at the extreme north 

 end the pools above become occupied to a greater or less 

 extent. If dry weather prevents this, the fish are sooner or 

 later netted out. 



Only one other obstruction occurs in their further passage, 

 viz. The Loups, i.e., I presume, the places where fish have to 

 loup or jump. Before reaching The Loups at The Burn, fish 

 pass the fishings of Kirktonhill, Gallery, and Pert, Balmakewan, 

 Inglesmaldie, and Kinnairdie, Stracathro, Edzell, and The 

 Burn and Arnhall. The Loups, as the writer has seen them, 

 are not very formidable, being cascades in a rocky gorge. 

 With the deep water which exists below, autumn fish will 

 easily surmount the obstructions in suitable water-flow, and 

 once past The Loups fish have a run of 15 miles to Loch 

 Lee, all of which water is fished by Lord Dalhousie. On the 

 West Water, a tributary of considerable size entering from the 

 south-west at Stracathro, loups also occur, situated from the 

 sea about the same distance as The Loups of The Burn. 



RIVER SOUTH ESK 



This river rises in the extreme north-west of Forfarshire, 

 in the high lands of Glen Doll, where the White Water issues 

 from its springs close on 3,000 feet up, and descends to beautiful 

 Glen Clova. The source of the Isla, which drains into the Tay 

 at Meikleour, is only some 3 or 4 miles to the west. 



It is a comparatively small stream which descends Glen 

 Clova, nor is it swelled by many burns in its run of about 17 

 miles to Cortachy Castle. Here, however, it is joined by an 

 important head feeder, the Prosen Water. 



