192 MARVELLOUS FISHING 



the outlet from the lowest lake was checked by a sub- 

 stantial earthwork dam, which, after bringing the 

 water in it to about 1 foot above its former level, was 

 suddenly destroyed, and an artificial spate was created, 

 which went tumbling down the short lower length of 

 the river and into the salt water in which the salmon 

 had been so long waiting, producing an immediate 

 run of shoals of salmon to the lake above, where they 

 remained for some weeks. 



It was permissible to fish only one rod per day on 

 the first beat, which included the first loch in which 

 the fish had collected. The total take for the six days 

 at the end of August following this artificial spate were 

 338 salmon and 71 sea trout, the average weight of 

 the fish being 6 pounds. 



On the 23rd of August Mr. Naylor killed thirty-one 

 salmon, on the 27th the rod which fished the loch got 

 thirty-six salmon. On the 28th Mr. Naylor had the 

 record catch, taking fifty-four salmon in nine hours, 

 and Mr. Hansard caught forty-six fish the succeeding 

 day, and the next day again, the 30th, Mr. Naylor 

 killed forty-five salmon, all these wonderful records 

 being made with the fly. 



No record was made of the salmon lost or which 

 came " at " the fly during these busy days, and but 

 little wonder can be felt at this, for when a man has 

 an average kill of one salmon to every ten minutes 

 throughout nine hours' fishing he has little time for 

 other matters. The record is in itself a wonderful 

 instance of endurance. 



