408 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



what amused me. I had kept my trap waiting, and drove back to 

 Dumfries, some six or seven miles. After lunch I went into a 

 fishing-tackle shop to ask a question or two, and presently found 

 myself listening to the woes of the local anglers, and to a complaint 

 against the paedle nets and haaf nets in particular. 



" But," said the shopman in conclusion, " we're going to have this 

 all altered now." 



" How's that ? " I asked in some inward surprise. 



"The Government Inspector's down here just now, and he's an 

 expert photographer. He's been down playing click here and there 

 amongst the nets," and he slapped his hands to emphasise the sound 

 of the click. " Ah," he added, " the camera doesn't lie." 



I felt then that outside of the shop was the best place for me, but 

 I managed to keep my face straight for one more question. 



" Where does this Inspector come from ? " 



" Oh," with conviction, " the Woods and Forests." 



I left then. I suppose the honour was too great for me. 



Time after time the paedle net fishers have been taken to court > 

 and time after time they have paid their fines and presently rigged 

 up their nets again. As I write, another and, if possible, a final, 

 effort is in preparation to suppress this form of fishing. In 1883 as 

 many as 109 paedle nets were counted. 



The netting now practised is net and coble fishing in the tidal 

 part of the river. The tide flows up as far as the weir or " caul " 

 of Dumfries, and it follows, since this weir is, in most conditions of 

 water, a distinct check to ascending fish, that fish congregate below 

 the weir. According to the law south of the Border it would not 

 be lawful to net close up to the foot of the Caul, but in Scotland, 

 unfortunately, as I believe, we have no clause prohibiting this 

 practice. It follows, therefore, that the foot of the Dumfries Caul 

 is the principal netting place. When the stock of fish has run very 

 low, as in the Nith, netting below an obstruction at the mouth of 

 the river is likely to be more than the river can stand. In addition 

 to the tidal netting below the weir, an occasional shot is taken above 

 the weir arid at the mouth of, and a short distance up, the tributary 

 of the Cluden. In all, nine shots may be said to be regularly 

 worked and five shots occasionally fished. 



At the mouth of the river a certain number of haaf nets are also 

 worked. The haaf net is peculiar to the Solway, as the yair nets 

 and shoulder net of the Dee are, and is fished in the Annan as well 

 as the Nith. It is a net made somewhat in fashion of a shrimp 



