CHAPTER^ V 



THE CASSELEY 



The Casseley — which is Gaehc for " the swift flood " — is another 

 of the Kyle of Sutherland rivers, which, rising in the north-east 

 slopes of Ben More, has a course of upwards of twenty miles, during 

 which it drains seventy-five square miles of moor country before it 

 falls into brackish water at the pretty little viUage of Rosehall, 

 just below the mouth of the Oykel and some eight miles above that 

 of the Shin. About a mile up the river there is a steep fall, which 

 blasting operations have rendered passable for fish, and again 

 higher up there are similar obstructions recently dealt with in a like 

 manner. Although, however, the lower falls are readily ascended, 

 fish rarely pass up before the end of May or the first week in June. 

 In the mile or so of river lying below the fall, fish are occasionally 

 got as early as the middle of March, but April is the best month, 

 although with moist weather May is equally good ; at all times, 

 however, rain is necessary, as the river runs down very quickly. 

 From the falls to the Kyle the angling of the right bank belongs to 

 Sir Charles Ross of Balnagowan, who lets it to Mr. W. E. Gilmour, 

 the owner of the Rosehall propertj' and the opposite bank. The 

 combining of the two sides has made a pretty bit of anghng of an 

 improving sort, while it has put an end to the unpleasant " racing " 

 that formerly took place between the occupants of the opposite 

 banks. Since I fished the Casseley with Mr. Gilmour in 1896, the 

 upper falls have also been blasted, and a great extent of fresh 

 spawning-ground opened up ; and this, combined with the fact of 

 the Casseley being a Kyle of Sutherland river, leads me to prophesy 

 with some confidence a great improvement in sport. 



The nets at the Kyle mouth and in the Dornoch Firth are 

 now leased by a syndicate of gentlemen (Captain G. W. Hunt was 

 the originator of the scheme, and managed matters until ill-health 

 compelled him to retire, and he is now worthily succeeded by the 

 well-known Mr. H. H. Almond), whose avowed object is (after 

 they have recouped themselves their expenses) to increase the 

 supply of salmon and to improve sport ; in this they will doubtlessly 

 be backed up by the new proprietor of the lower Shin, Mr. Andrew 

 Carnegie of Skibo Castle. Therefore, I think I am right in advising 

 anglers to secure fishing on any of these Kyle of Sutherland rivers. 



The rod season is from the nth of February to the 15th of 

 October — the 30th of September would be better ; the nets cease 

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