136 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



a most liberal share of this water is made available to the 

 public, though his Lordship's tenants have the benefit of a 

 cheaper rate. Eleven miles are thrown open in this way, and 

 a ticket for the whole season may be secured for 20s., while 

 single-day tickets are also issued at 2s. Qd. 1 The lowest 3 

 miles forms the reserved water, part going with Haddo House 

 and part being let to a sporting tenant. 



The take of salmon in the Ythan varies very much, a list of 

 the approximate rod totals from 1893 to the present time 

 (which I have before me) showing a range of from about 90 to 

 about 300. The river sometimes fishes very well in spring, 

 the average for a recent period of twenty-two years being 

 about 70 salmon. In 1891 the spring catch reached the 

 respectable total of 140, the majority being taken on Lord 

 Aberdeen's water. Owing to the gentle nature of the river, 

 spring fish make a fairly rapid ascent. 



The autumn fishing, on the other hand, is usually most 

 successful on the lower reaches, and some of those fish are of 

 heavy weight for a river of this size. In 1905 the best fish was 

 27 Ib. taken in Upper Haddo House water ; in 1900 a 28 Ib. 

 fish was got. On the coast, fish of 40 to 50 Ib. are not un- 

 common, and evidently these big fellows sometimes ascend 

 the river, for in the Haddo House Museum there is a fish of 

 51| Ib., which, I believe, was found dead in the river. 



There are several good burns, tributaries to the Ythan, and 

 up these sea-trout run in great numbers as the season advances. 

 In the past I have heard that certain Aberdeen worthies have 

 thought it worth while to visit those burns when they thought 

 they would not be seen. The method of fishing under such 

 circumstances has for its primary object the securing of a 

 maximum number of fish in a minimum length of time. Now- 

 adays, however,, the burns on the Haddo House estate are 

 closed for fishing of any kind on 14th October. 



1 Apply C. G. Smith, Estate Office, Haddo House, Aberdeen. 



