THE SOUTH ESK 107 



From the junction downwards, the river becomes of some 

 size, though in summer it dwindles away to a rather serious 

 extent, and flows other 20 miles to Montrose Basin, where it 

 becomes tidal, finding outlet to the sea at Montrose itself. 

 Only one tributary of size similar to the Prosen enters the 

 main river in this its main course, viz. the Noran Water, which, 

 rising in Glen Ogil, north-west from Tannadice, enters the 

 main river on the left bank about midway between Tannadice 

 and Brechin. The entire drainage area is about 245 square 

 miles, and a great part of the river, as stated at the commence- 

 ment of this chapter, is of a very flat gradient. 



The South Esk is a river in which great improvements have 

 been made. Three elements combined to fatally retard the 

 stock of fish in previous days over-netting, eight dam dykes, 

 and pollution. The proprietors of the district have combined 

 to combat all three, and with considerable success. In 1897 

 all nets were removed from fresh waters and from the upper 

 part of the tidal estuary of Montrose Basin, and in 1906 the 

 agreement was continued for another term of years. Netting, 

 therefore, then ceased at Rossie, about 2 miles up from 

 Montrose. This netting is steadily worked all along the 

 southern shore of the estuary, and during about two months 

 in summer some sweep netting is also carried on on the 

 north shore. During the war, what appears to be a rather 

 retrograde step was taken in granting a lease for seven years 

 for netting below the Brechin dam dyke and for about a mile 

 further down. The actual limits of the estuary are a line 

 drawn " from Scurdy Ness to the outermost point of Scurdy 

 Stone ; thence a straight line extending due north 500 yards ; 

 and on the north a straight line to be drawn from the last- 

 named point to a point at high-water mark, spring tides, 800 

 yards distant from the low lighthouse, the distance to be 

 measured in a straight line." Fixed net fishing, therefore, 

 ceases at this line. When referring to fixed nets, it may be 

 mentioned as a matter of interest that the one and only stake 

 net, properly so called, which now exists on the coasts of 

 Scotland outside of the Solway, is on the South Esk shore at 

 Bodden, about 3 miles south of Montrose. 



In former days net and coble fishing in the river was carried 

 on right up to Brechin, to the foot of the weir which there 



