280 



THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



a capital fish gaffed on to the beach on the opposite side. A 

 strong current runs out here with the ebb. 



At the commencement of this chapter it was shown that the 

 sea-netting is fairly well maintained. I am afraid it has to be 

 confessed that the rod-fishing does not now yield what it did. 

 In evidence before Lord Elgin's Commission, the late Mr. 

 Donald M'Lean instanced the case of the Laxford when 

 referring in 1900 to decline of rod-fishing. " The Laxford," 

 he said, " from 1853 to 1856 yielded an average of 154 salmon 

 to the rods, from 1866 to 1873, inclusive, 95, and since that and 

 up to the present time the average has barely reached 55. The 

 records show that the falling off began with the re-establish- 

 ment of the coast nets, and continued, notwithstanding the 

 fact that the bag nets were removed from the mouth of Loch 

 Laxford in 1891, since which time there have been no nets 

 within four miles of each side of the loch. The same has to 

 be said of the other west coast rivers Kirkaig, Inver, and 

 Inchard." 



This statement hardly agrees with that of the late Mr. M'lver 

 already quoted, and I strongly suspect that the question of the 

 great capture of grilse in the sea in those regions will have to 

 be most carefully examined. The date of the re-establishment 

 of coast nets was 1873. Mr. M'Lean's statement agrees with 

 local accounts as to the reduced number of salmon seen spawn- 

 ing in the river. 



I am able to give the following list (all fish being taken on 



fly): 



Year 

 1900 

 1901 

 1902 

 1903 

 1904 

 1905 



Salmon and Heaviest 



Grilse. 

 66 

 43 

 11 

 21 

 25 

 40 



Fish. 



18J Ib. 



The average for these years is 40, but the year 1901 is 

 clearly exceptional, possibly through little fishing having 

 been carried on. The average for the five years ending with 

 1908 is 56. 



