250 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



systematically killed. In our present way of regarding matters 

 we would not give much for the chance of fishing a river so 

 severely handled by nets, cruives, cross-lines, and leisters as 

 the Thurso used to be. 



The fame of the river is almost wholly in connection with the 

 early fishing, and for very many years the Thurso was regarded 

 as the earliest river in Scotland, and, perhaps, it may even be 

 said, as the best early river. With the decline already 

 mentioned, it was found that the summer and autumn fishing 

 became more productive. The early runs had been too severely 

 killed off, but less attention having been given to the late runs, 

 they had multiplied. September of late years had done 

 remarkably well. 



The Thurso is now divided into eight beats, number one 

 being next the sea, and there are quite a hundred named pools 

 below Loch More. During the early months of the year 

 angling tenants reside at Braal Castle, near Halkerk, about 



7 miles up the river. Accommodation is here very ample, 

 and in the spring of 1908 considerable alterations were under- 

 taken in the internal arrangements of the house, which should 

 result in increased facilities of service and in greater comfort. 

 The habit is to fish the river exclusively during the early 

 months fly alone is allowed and to fish Loch More during 

 April and May. From 1st April, for greater proximity to Loch 

 More, the angling quarters used to be at Strathmore Lodge, 

 some miles further up the river, but this house has unfortunately 

 been burned down. 



Some very notable takes have been secured on favourable 

 days on the Thurso. A single rod has secured 21 fish ; on two 

 occasions 19 fish have been taken ; 18 were got in a day in 

 1920 ; and 17 in 1919 ; and when we come down to 7 and 



8 fish in a day surely enough to satisfy most anglers 

 the records are fairly numerous and from almost every beat 

 in the river. The heaviest fish on record was killed in 1920. 

 It weighed 44 Ib. A 36 and a 35^ have also been taken, and 

 season 1919 produced a v 32, a 31, two 30 pounders and two 28 

 pounders. When we determine the best combined day, the 

 take is a great one, but we have to go back to 1863 to find 

 it. On 9th May in that year, six rods out made this 



