CHAPTER XXVII 

 AWE DISTRICT 



RIVER AWE, LOCH AWE, RIVER ORCHY, RIVER ETIVE, 

 RIVER ADD. 



ANGLING SEASON: llth February to 15th October. 

 NETTING SEASON: llth February to 26th August. 



(The River Orchy, by private arrangement of Lord Breadalbane, who 

 owns the whole river, closes on 10th October.) 



The District Fishery Board sits in Oban. 



This large Argyllshire district is one of the most important 

 salmon fishing localities on the west coast of Scotland, and is, 

 perhaps, of more interest than many people suppose. The 

 large loch vies with Loch Lomond and Loch Ness in area and 

 capacity of water ; the Orchy, which is the chief feeder, is a 

 river of some size ; the whole catchment basin amounts to 

 about 271 square miles. Inasmuch, however, as the river 

 Awe does not flow out at the far end of the loch from the Orchy, 

 but within a few miles of the Orchy mouth, a very restricted 

 amount of the loch is in the direct line of the salmon's chief 

 path. From a salmon fishing point of view the benefit of this 

 large and very beautiful loch is chiefly that of a reservoir. 

 The district being extremely mountainous, and the rainfall 

 heavy, the rise and fall of the many hill streams which enter 

 the loch, as well as those independent of the loch, is very rapid. 

 The benefit to the Awe of a great reservoir is therefore very 

 great, since the flow is thus steadier than would otherwise be 

 the case. 



The district is peculiar in this, that within its limits are two 

 smaller but independent districts. One of these has now 

 amalgamated with the Awe, viz., the Nell. The limits of the 



351 



