38 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



all time, and although the cry is ever for more she has done her 

 duty in building most substantial salmon passes where these were 

 required. 



In the old days, Loch Vennacher must have been the spring 

 fishing loch of this district, the Loch Tay or Loch Ness of the Forth. 

 I have been informed by one who has had long experience of fishing 

 in this neighbourhood that he has known a rod take nine salmon in 

 a day in Loch Vennacher. This main source of the Teith is much 

 reduced in an absolutely permanent and irrevocable manner, and the 

 potential value of the salmon fisheries impaired in proportion. The 

 Leny water on the north and the Forth on the south are as yet 

 untouched, although I believe the former is not absolutely free from 

 danger. In the meantime, however, "the Second City in the Empire" 

 is laying hands upon Loch Arklet, a high loch beyond Loch Chon, 

 which naturally drains into Loch Lomond at Inversnaid, but will 

 in future add a sixth to Glasgow's water through Loch Katrine. 



The united river as one sees it at Stirling or at Craigforth is still 

 in appearance a stream of important size, and pleasure steamers and 

 small craft find their way up to Stirling, but the attraction to 

 ascending fish must be sensibly less than it used to be. The 

 influence of the tide extends above Stirling to Craigforth where the 

 Craigforth Cruive Dyke, which is a natural barrier of rock with 

 stone building superadded, practically marks the limit, although in 

 high spring tides the flow of water is affected above this point. 



From Craigforth to Alloa the tidal water is regularly fished by 

 sweep net. At the height of the season there are 37 shots fished, 

 although considerable variation seems to exist as to the particular 

 hailing grounds used, there being some 63 of these available in the 

 whole stretch of water. Above Craigforth also, three stations are 

 fished at the junction of Teith and Forth, and a few shots are 

 annually taken in the upper Teith, in the Campbell Pool at Callander. 

 The number of fish netted annually appears to vary from about 500 

 in a dry year to about 1100 in a year when better water-flow allows 

 freer ascent and clears the river of pollution. Until not very long 

 ago even more netting than this was practised. The banks of the 

 tidal area of the river are very muddy, and therefore from Stirling 

 downwards the water is constantly much discoloured. This alluvial 

 matter in suspension is not, however, injurious to the fish, although 

 it naturally allows nets to work with more effect than in clear water. 

 Much pollution is, however, allowed to enter from the town of 

 Stirling, where, I believe, nothing is done by way of purification, 



