274 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



July and August are the best months for the Inver, as fish do 

 not generally enter till pretty late in June, but like other rivers of 

 the neighbourhood it is much dependent upon plenty of rain to 

 enable fish to run. Seasons have occurred when fish entered freely 

 as early as May, but this is quite exceptional. The Fishery Board 

 Eeport for 1884 mentions that in a previous May 2 rods took 

 39 fish. I fear 2 rods would have to work hard to make the same 

 number now in a better month of the year. 



The river is let with the shootings of two lodges, Loch Assynt 

 which fishes the upper beats, and Glencanisp which fishes the lower 

 beats ; but in accordance with an arrangement rather common in 

 Sutherland, this fishing only commences each year on 1st August, 

 i.e. when shooting tenants begin to arrive in the north. Previous to 

 this date the upper beats may be fished by visitors staying at 

 Inchnadamph Hotel, and the lower beats, not unfrequently, by 

 visitors at the Gulag Hotel, Loch Inver. July and August may be 

 regarded as the two best months for the Inver, so they are fairly 

 divided, but a good wet season is best for success with the rod, as 

 the river is not large, and unless running fairly high does not readily 

 draw fish from the sea. 



In the " fifties " one rod could get from 3 to 6 fish in a day under 

 favourable conditions. A fisher has to be satisfied with more 

 modest rewards now and be thankful if he is not blank when he 

 finally reels up. Most of the salmon run small, about 8 to 10 lb., 

 but fish over 30 lb. have been killed. At times there is a good run 

 of grilse, but sea-trout are not numerous. 



The totals since 1900 are as follow, the two hotels accounting for 

 the greatest number each year. I am indebted to the estate for 

 these figures : 



1900 - 34 



1901 - 69 



1902 - 105 1905 - 50 1907 - 96 



1903 - 92 1906 - 97 1908 - 31 



Glencanisp Lodge stands in a fine position, overlooking Loch 

 Swordalain, a small loch which is situated about a couple of miles 

 south-east of Loch Inver, and which has a separate stream of very 

 fair size draining Loch Ganive some 5 miles inland. After passing 

 through Loch Swordalain which is fished by Glencanisp Lodge and 

 contains sea-trout and a few grilse the stream enters the Gulag 

 Loch, a smaller sheet of water fished by Loch Inver Lodge. From 

 this the run into the sea is short. 



