THE LOCHY 347 



through which salmon pass early to their natural spawning 

 grounds. For this reason the pass erected at considerable 

 expense at Mucomer has never been a complete success. Those 

 who fish the lower Lochy grumble that it takes a proportion 

 of their summer and autumn fish away ; it certainly has not 

 recreated any sport or value in Loch Lochy, and it allows only 

 a fair number of fish to reach the best spawning grounds in all 

 the upper waters of the district the Pean and Dessary above 

 Loch Arkaig. 



If it were desired to create good angling for salmon in Loch 

 Lochy, the river Arkaig, and Loch Arkaig, the pass would 

 have to be so modified as to allow a very easy gradient for the 

 ascent of spring fish, or else an entirely new pass of very easy 

 gradient would have to be constructed. I would consider a 

 pass 400 feet in length, thus giving a gradient of 1 in 25, as 

 suitable to meet the conditions. I have several times examined 

 Mucomer, and I consider it is quite practicable to create a pass 

 of the gradient suggested. With such a pass I would not 

 hesitate to state that spring salmon fishing in Loch Lochy 

 and the lower Arkaig would result, and this would undoubtedly 

 be a new and valuable asset to the fisheries of the district. 

 How soon the fish would find their way into Loch Arkaig would 

 depend upon the spring temperatures. The rise from the one 

 loch to the other is 47 feet, and the distance is barely a mile. 

 The one abrupt descent occurs just above Achnacarry House, 

 where a view from the south or right bank shows a fall of 

 considerable magnitude, and certainly of great beauty. Two 

 wooded islands separate the waters at this point, the island 

 nearest the north or left bank being of some length. When 

 the river is viewed from the north side, it is seen that a natural 

 channel or pass is formed by the stream beyond the larger 

 island, so that a comparatively easy passage is already secured 

 to the fish. 



I am quite well aware that those who habitually fish Mucomer 

 Pool and the river just below will regard any proposal to open 

 up Mucomer Fall with disfavour. In their view the fish are 

 more valuable in Mucomer Pool than in Loch Lochy or the 

 river Arkaig. To put the matter shortly, the project would 

 in their view ruin the best pool in the Lochy and very largely 

 spoil the Spean above. I admit a certain amount of the 



