256 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



Some of the pools are perhaps a trifle uniform in character, 

 but always fine water for the fly. The gravel from a spawning 

 point of view is ideal. A good deal of the spawning is also carried 

 on above Loch Naver in the Mudale and its head streams. In 

 1903 the best days at Syre for one rod were 8 fish, 7 fish, 6 fish, 

 and two days with 5 fish. Since that date I believe the yield has 

 not been so good. 



It is below Ehifail that the sand begins to make its appearance. 

 Here the banks of the river have in many places been supported or 

 protected by barricades, and the river winds about a good deal in 

 its more level course. Skelpick Lodge, which is also on the right 

 bank and about equidistant between Ehifail and the mouth, has in 

 its vicinity some good boulder-strewn pools, but just below that 

 lodge the character of the pools becomes again most uniform and at 

 the same time somewhat flat and shallow. This part of the river 

 almost reminds one of the lower Thurso, but the surrounding 

 country is much more pleasing to the eye. From 120 to 160 salmon 

 are expected at Skelpick. Before a couple of miles is past, how- 

 ever, the gradient of the river increases slightly, and some beautiful 

 running streams and pools occur before the tidal water is reached. 

 Many parts of Strath Naver are very beautiful owing to the birch 

 and fir with which the lower slopes are clothed. The surrounding 

 hills are not high or bold in outline, but the prospect is ever varied 

 and charming as seen along the course of the river. 



The estuary of the Naver is a joint estuary with the Borgie, and 

 includes the sea bay Torrisdale Bay into which both rivers flow. 

 " A straight line drawn from Aird-in-iaskich on east to Claishaidhe 

 on west (Bumet and Scott's County Map)." I may say that the 

 names in question are not to be found in ordinary maps, but the 

 widest possible limits of Torrisdale Bay are referred to. Two sweep 

 nets are fished at the mouth of the Naver, and one at the mouth 

 of the Borgie. These nets, however, are not put on till the 

 spring fishing is over, and are not continued in the autumn. The 

 netting period is from 15th May to the end of July. 



With regard to bag nets, the Naver may be said to be almost 

 without those engines. It is 34 miles from the eastern limit of the 

 Naver district to Cape Wrath, and only some five bag nets are 

 fished towards the eastern limit. In other words, no fixed nets are 

 set between Cape Wrath and the Naver, the direction along which 

 in all probability the majority of fish travel ; while the few fixed 

 nets that do exist are some miles to the eastward. 



