THE NESS 167 



which so largely exists. While, therefore, it was evident that all 

 Garry fish had of necessity to pass through the Ness, the belief 

 arose that they did not take in the Ness, and hence they were not 

 fished for. 



With the removal of the nets and the belief that more fish are in 

 the river, together, no doubt, with the increased desire for salmon 

 fishing at any season, people are realising that spring fish are to be 

 caught in the Ness, and that under certain conditions this spring 

 fishing is really quite good. Dochfour water is certainly the best, 

 and always will be the best ; but, in my opinion, the spring fishing 

 and the autumn fishing also, in the waters below, viz. Ness Castle, 

 Ness Side, Holm, The Four Cobles, and Bught, and the town water 

 of Inverness, could be considerably improved by some attention to 

 the formation of croys or low jetties, in properly selected spots, so 

 that suitable lies for fish might be created. There are one or two 

 very serviceable croys in the Garry, which have been there for many 

 years, and were no doubt erected by someone who knew his business. 

 In many parts of the Tay, and especially in the upper waters where 

 fish are apt to run rapidly into Loch Tay, fishing has been vastly 

 improved by well-placed croys. Indeed, without the croys of the 

 upper Tay the spring fishing would be as poor as the Ness spring 

 fishing has been in years past. 



Dochfour at present is good for 30 to 45 fish in the spring, and 

 50 to 70 in the autumn. The lower Dochfour water, however, like 

 the Laggan Pool of Ness Castle Water and several other pools lower 

 down, is a broad, even, unbroken flow passing along a uniform river 

 bed. It is in such pools that croys of considerable size should be 

 placed as a sure means of drawing ascending fish into quiet lies for 

 a time. Breaks in the uniformity of the stream concentrate the fish 

 into selected spots and greatly increase the interest of the angling. 



The results of Ness Castle Water may, I think, be taken as indi- 

 cative of the general results of the river within recent years. Here 

 are the five last quinquennial averages till the lowest ebb was 

 passed : 



Season 1883-1887 160 fish 

 1887-1892 - 122 , 



Season 1898-1902 - 65 fish 

 1903-1907 - 31 



1893-1897 - 87 



In this period the maximum is 217, occurring in 1885, and the 

 minimum is 26, occurring twice in 1889 and in 1893. The lowest in 

 the last ten years has been 32. 



It is reported that the results for 1908 have been the best 



