66 ANGLING & ART IN SCOTLAND 



salmon annually ascending the river should greatly 

 increase. 



In the early days when I used to fish the Ken, 

 an angler was allowed to roam wherever he pleased, 

 without let or hindrance, or ever question asked 

 as to his right to angle in the water. But of late 

 this custom has been changed, the river being 

 more strictly looked after ; and now it is necessary 

 to get the permission of the various proprietors 

 before casting a line in its waters. The shooting 

 tenant of the Holme, to whom the fishing on 

 the lower part belongs, very kindly issues tickets 

 for certain days when he is applied to for leave. 

 And in fact most of the owners of the fishing 

 rights are extremely courteous in granting permis- 

 sion to legitimate anglers. 



Although I cannot recommend the Ken as 

 being by any means a firstrate trouting stream, 

 a skilful fisher can still, in May or June, obtain 

 occasionally a good basket from its waters ; and, 

 from July onwards, the man who patiently angles 

 for salmon may now and then find his reward. 

 But to the angler who is a true lover of the 

 beauties of Nature (and he who is not, deserves 

 not the name of an angler), I can most con- 



