THE BRORA 223 



400 fish have in the past been taken by the end of April in the 

 lower river alone. 



Although Loch Brora acts to a certain extent as a reservoir, I 

 should say the chief drawback of this excellent river is the frequent 

 lack of water. There is no impounding of head waters and con- 

 sequent regulating of floods as is now possible in the Helmsdale, and 

 with the approach of summer the river is frequently unduly small. 

 It is not at all uncommon now to hear that when the Helmsdale 

 rods are still working away with success, the Brora river is deserted. 



The following is the Brora rod-fishing score since 1900 : 



Year. Fish. 



1900 - - 434 



1901 - - 331 



1902 - - 348 



Year. Fish. 



1903 -w - 449 



1904 - - 348 



1905 - - 382 



Year. Fish. 



1906 - - 330 



1907 - - 359 



A quaintly interesting reference to the Brora is made by friend 

 Franck ("Philanthropus ") 1 when he visited the locality some 250 

 years ago : " I mention this Broroh, for no other purpose, than to 

 reflect on her plenty of salmon, where they barrel up for France and 

 other parts annually (as reported), so much salmon as amounts to 

 three hundred pounds sterling a year ; and the price of a salmon 

 (among themselves) seldom exceeds one single denare. Where note 

 the profits of this contemptible Broroh, are farmed by the inhabitants 

 inhabiting thereabouts, but the propriety belongs to the Earl of 

 Sutherland." 



The mouth of the Brora is netted by means of net and coble after 

 1st May. Two cobles are employed, and a watch tower is erected 

 on the beach at the river mouth, so that a sentry may better notice 

 the approach of salmon from the sea. This netting, while it 

 frequently takes a heavy toll of grilse in summer, allows the valuable 

 spring fish to remain untouched. In this connection it is interesting 

 to observe that both in the Helmsdale and Brora fish are on the 

 spawning beds by the middle of October. Eeports go to show that 

 the greatest number of fish spawn in some seasons as early as 

 between 20th and 30th October, and seldom later than 20th November. 

 Compare this with the dates of spawning in rivers where all early 

 fish are netted, and it is seen that the spawning period runs well 

 into January. 



I have a complete list of the numbers of fish netted each summer 

 at Brora mouth. It seems unnecessary to burden the reader with 

 these, but I may mention that on several occasions fully 2000 grilse 



Richard Franck, Northern Memoirs, new edition, 1821, p. 212. 



