THE INCHARD 



269 



surprise that such numbers of sea-trout and salmon sometimes ascend 

 the Inchard, for the spawning ground is very limited in this short 

 little river. Fish do not ascend till end of May or beginning of 

 June, and they do not ascend at all, or cannot do so, unless there is 

 a fair rise of water after rain. In July great numbers of fish are 

 sometimes seen waiting at the mouth. 



The Inchard is so choked up with boulders that it is only here 

 and there that a nice little pool can be found. When a flood occurs 

 the fish are inclined to travel through the river rather fast on this 

 account, and I think it might be quite worth while to make further 

 attempts to enlarge the existing pools so as to give better holding 

 water and increased sport in the river. As things are at present, 

 salmon fishing is practically confined to Loch Garbet Beg, and if fish 

 pass up from the small to the larger loch they cease to take with 

 the same freedom, and are practically lost. So much is this the 

 case that a proposal has been made to construct some sort of dam 

 below Garbet Mor to prevent the early entrance of fish. It would 

 be much more serviceable to store the surplus water of Garbet Mor 

 there is plenty of it at times for the purpose of creating floods at 

 will in the Inchard. 



The Ehiconich Hotel has the right of salmon fishing on lease from 

 the Duke of Sutherland, and Mr. Grant does all in his power to 

 make anglers comfortable. He usually lets the fishing in Garbet 

 Beg separately at, I believe, 20 a month. June to the end of the 

 season constitutes the available fishing time, but July and August 

 are the best months. The river, when in good play, sometimes 

 yields excellent sea-trout arid grilse results to any hotel visitors, and 

 quite a variety of trouting lochs can also be fished. One might stay 

 for a month and fish a different loch every day, so great is the 

 number of those in Edderachylis district. 



Subjoined are a few notes I have as to catches at Khiconich : 



1887. 31 salmon, 17 grilse, 549 sea- 

 trout. 



1889. In Garbet Beg, 41 salmon 



and grilse (14th June-17th 

 Sept.) ; in Oct., 17 salmon. 



1890. 87 salmon and grilse. No 



salmon were killed till 17th 

 July. 



1891. 56 salmon and grilse. 



1892. 55 



1893. 65 First 



grilse on 22nd June ; first 

 salmon on 27th June. 



1894. A very dry year. Number of 



salmon insignificant. 



1 895. 24 salmon and grilse. 



1896. 54 



1900. 36 salmon. 



1901. 40 



1902. 44 



1903. 39 



1904. 48 



1905. 50 



1906. 43 



1907. 50 



1908. 46 



