xx DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING 



attractions. There is a note on this in the Appendix. 

 When the nets are on, of course, Tweed anglers can 

 employ the spinning bait, prawn, shrimp and worm, 

 if they want to, just as do anglers on other rivers, so 

 the many inventions displayed in modern catalogues 

 have their interest for them. 



As regards the catch of fish by the rods it is 

 probable that the angling has not greatly deteriorated 

 since Scrope's day. In 1920 the river had what was 

 considered to be the best spring season in its annals, 

 though the autumn fishing was not at all good. 

 But the total catch of fish is very much less than it 

 was early in the last century. In 1816, the record 

 year, the netting return was 54,041 salmon, 120,596 

 grilse, and 62,074 sea trout. The average return from 

 1845 to 1849 was 89 9 salmon, 39,409 grilse, 35,641 

 sea trout. From 1895 to 1899 the average return was 

 7366 salmon, 8458 grilse, 23,746 sea trout. This 

 indicates a serious decrease in the total, though the 

 salmon have not fallen off so much as the others. 

 Pollution, the increased land-drainage (of which 

 Scrope complained even in 1842), and the operation 

 of the nets all, no doubt, have played a part in 

 the decline. Mr. W. L. Calderwood, who makes an 

 interesting study of the Tweed in his Salmon Rivers 

 and Lochs of Scotland (1909), is evidently inclined 

 to think that the netting is the direct cause of it, 

 though he speaks gravely of the pollution too. 

 He is quite convinced that if the netting could be 

 restricted the stock of fish would greatly increase, 

 and that the Tweed, from being chiefly an autumn 

 river, so far as the angler is concerned, would afford 



