22 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



the right. There are some twenty pools and streams in about three 

 miles of this famous stretch. Sprouston Dub is the pick, and 

 perhaps may be fairly regarded as the most productive pool in 

 Tweed. It is smooth still water, as its name seems to imply, has 

 a bottom of flat shelving rock, and an average depth of about nine 

 feet, which is maintained by the weir at the foot of the pool. Owing 

 to the raising of water-level in two lower pools, the Dub weir is no 

 obstruction to fish entering the pool. In fishing the Dub, each pro- 

 prietor fishes his own side, the understood rule being that with his 

 back to his own bank each may cast across the middle line as he 

 chooses. All fishing is from boats. The upper and lower sections 

 of the Sprouston water are fished alternately by each side, the Dub 

 only, which is in the centre, being fished by both. The Dub requires 

 a breeze to fish really well, and fairly light tackle is often advisable. 

 The record is, I believe, 33 fish, on November 21st, 1873, and on 

 two other days of November that year the Hendersyde score was 23. 

 Days of 13 or 14, with sometimes an average weight of about 18 Ib. 

 are not uncommon ; the fame of the Dub being largely because of 

 the large number of fish almost always present, and given suitable 

 weather conditions, the steadiness of the good results obtained. This 

 may be better understood when it is said that of the fish taken 

 from the whole of this water, the Dub yields more than half. 



From Hendersyde the fishing is perhaps not so heavy as in other 

 waters, or as is usual with so much good water. Only two rods 

 are as a rule fishing at a time, and frequently the angling is inter- 

 mittent. If the weather conditions are not good the water is rested. 

 For instance, in 1888 the river was constantly low in the early part 

 of the season, and flooded at the end. It was almost the poorest 

 year in result, for only 64 fish were killed in all ; but it has to be 

 noted that fishing was practised on only nineteen days, and that of 

 the 64 fish, 44 were taken in one week. It is contended that by the 

 policy of resting the water in this way, the high average of Hender- 

 syde has been maintained in recent years. 



Sir Richard has kindly allowed me to give the results of his 

 autumn fishing which date from 1873, i.e. the angling from the com- 

 mencement of the close time for nets to the end of the rod-fishing 

 season 14th September to 30th November. In this period, be it 

 noted, there are sixty-four fishing days, and I find that on an 

 average Sir Richard appears to fish about thirty-eight days : 



[Year. 



