THE TWEED 33 



which form the breeding stock are the late-running fish. Rod 

 fishing in Tweed is an autumn sport. Spring fish are removed by 

 the nets; and spring fish, be it recollected, have been removed in 

 this way for a very very long time. 



Spring fish are the earliest spawners, and both for commercial 

 purposes and for sport are the most highly prized of any. It has 

 repeatedly been noticed in our country that when a river is over- 

 netted the first result is shown in the decline of the spring runs. 

 There can be no manner of doubt that the spring runs in Tweed 

 have had no sort of chance for many a long day. As I have 

 already stated, statistics show that the river is steadily becoming later 

 and later. Netting goes on till 13th September, and rod fishing to 

 the end of November. I have been informed from a most credible 

 source that of late years, at the opening of the netting season, 

 a number of unspawned fish are taken. One is always told that the 

 Tweed is naturally a late river. I firmly believe that as a matter 

 of fact it has been made a late river by the action of man. Under 

 present conditions one would scarcely be surprised to hear that 

 a movement was on foot to make the commencement of the Annual 

 Close Time later, so that netting profits may be maintained. This 

 process of following up the already unduly late season has only to 

 be continued, and in course of time, the best period for fishing in 

 Tweed will be at the natural spawning time of the fish, when all 

 other Scottish rivers are closed. Eod fishing already continues till 

 after fish have begun to spawn, not only in many of the tributaries, 

 but in the main river. The spawning season really commences in 

 Tweed in the middle of October, as it does in other rivers, and 

 salmon have been noticed spawning as early as 7th October. 



The statement that the Tweed is naturally a late river, that is to 

 say, is a river in which spring runs of fish are not naturally to be 

 expected, is, I consider, perfect nonsense. No salmon river in 

 Scotland, especially on the East Coast, having a water-flow such as 

 the Tweed, or, for that matter, a water-flow equal to half that of 

 Tweed, is naturally a late river. Is there any characteristic of the 

 Tweed which peculiarly marks it out as distinct from the Dee in 

 Aberdeenshire, for instance, on the North or South Esks ? In 1872 

 the Dee had so declined that the rental was only about 9000. The 

 Dee was then netted for 16 miles, as the Tweed now is. An Asso- 

 ciation began taking off the nets from above downwards. Now only 

 2 miles of the river mouth are netted, and the rental is over 20,000. 

 No doubt this sum has been attained to a considerable extent 



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