THE NESS 165 



of the river, it is in the Dochfour property belonging to J. E. B. 

 Baillie, Esq. 



At ordinary levels the water from the loch flows over only a 

 section of the weir, where also a deep gap, which acts as the fish- 

 pass, exists. When the loch is high, or when strong winds from 

 the south and south-west blow the surface water in this direction, 

 the rest of the weir comes into operation, so that the storm water 

 passes into the river over a wide extent of sill and sweeps round 

 through the first pool of this, the Dochfour water, and through the 

 Horse Shoe Pool which immediately succeeds and which is perhaps 

 the best pool of the river in great style. It is the sight which at 

 once fixes the gaze of the many tourists which pass in and out of 

 the Canal by steamer in the summer time; and if in addition a 

 happy angler is at work in a boat in the swirling water, he becomes 

 the focus of all eyes till the lock gates open and the red-funnelled 

 steamer paddles on behind a screen of gorse and briars. 



This water used to be netted in the spring, and a very profitable 

 fishing it was to the tacksman in cold frosty years when the loch, 

 and therefore the river, had fallen to a low level. At such times 

 fish have some difficulty or reluctance in ascending the weir into the 

 loch, and consequently accumulate in great numbers. A catch 

 which occurred on the opening day some dozen years ago is likely 

 to remain in the memory of the netsmen till they cross the floods of 

 Jordan. It was almost phenomenal, and therefore was much 

 reported. The following year was also an excellent one for the 

 tacksman, but the goodness was the death of his fishing from that 

 time forward. There is an old Scots proverb, " When you're pooin' 

 runts, you're no' plantin' kail." The tacksman was pulling out the 

 fish at Dochfour, so none could possibly be swimming in the Garry 

 where the netted fish would otherwise have gone. The absence of 

 spring fish was most marked. The Duke of Portland, who fishes 

 Loch Oich and the Garry in spring, has shown me his records. 



The matter was serious for the future stock of the river. Either 

 open winters and full running waters had to be arranged with the 

 clerk of the weather, or the netting had to cease, if the Garry was. 

 to retain its prestige. In Scotland the clerk of the weather is an 

 " ill man to bind," so His Grace selected the alternative and leased 

 the net for its removal. 



Other netting stations existed near the mouth of the river the 

 Friars Shot, the Cherry Shot, and the Longman's Grave. These 

 nets have since followed the course of the Dochfour net through the 



