186 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



greatest depth is 20 feet, close to the island. There are four 

 areas of over 50 feet. The first of these is close to the north- 

 east end of the loch. It is three-quarters of a mile long, and 

 encloses an area half a mile long over 100 feet in depth. Near 

 the south-west end of this 100 feet area is the maximum depth 

 of the loch, 154 feet, and near the other end of the area there 

 is a sounding of 129 feet, with a depth of only 108 feet between 

 them." 1 The other 50 feet areas are to the south of the river 

 mouth. The level of the loch above the sea is 106 feet, and the 

 drainage area, including the Garry and all head waters, amounts 

 to 170 square miles. 



THE RIVER GARRY 



When one speaks of the Inverness-shire Garry, one means 

 the four miles of river between Loch Garry and Loch Oich ; 

 and when one speaks of the Garry one conjures up a prospect, 

 perhaps a rather hazy prospect, of ideal salmon fishing, a fine 

 sparkling river, beautiful scenery, plenty of salmon. Very 

 many people even in the Ness district have never seen the 

 Garry, but they know it as a famous salmon river. 



There are other places where one may catch just as many 

 fish, but there are circumstances in the case of the Garry 

 which make it peculiarly attractive. True it is not all 

 river fishing ; a proportion of the fish are taken by the less 

 interesting method of trolling in Loch Oich. But again, Loch 

 Oich is a specially beautiful place to troll. In the Helmsdale 

 I have no hesitation in saying there are more spring fish, but 

 the average weight is just about half the average weight of 

 the Garry fish. In the Dee the fish are the same class as the 

 Helmsdale fish small springers which have passed through 

 their grilse stage in the sea and are entering fresh water for 

 their first ascent. For the rest the Garry presents most inviting 

 pools, which can be fished from the bank ; is an exclusive 

 fishing for a couple of rods ; is a tumbling river of beautiful 

 water in a mountainous and richly wooded glen ; and holds 

 fish which have, so to speak, run their distance, and are not 

 going to pass further on till the spring fishing is over. In its 

 short run of four miles the Garry descends 151 feet, so that 



1 " Bathymetrical Survey of Fresh- Water Lochs of Scotland," Scot- 

 tish Geographical Magazine, xxiv., No. 5, p. 242. 



