14 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



Tag. Silver twist — yellow floss. 



Tail. Topping and gold pheasant ruff. 



But. Black ostrich. 



Body. Lower half silver twist, with yeUow hackle where silver 

 ends. Upper half dark yellow mohair, silver tinsel, and yellow 

 hackle at shoulder. 



Wing. Bronze turkey, strands of yellow and red, swan and teal, 

 jungle-cock cheek, and ostrich head. 



XVading trousers are necessary for high water, though when the 

 river is at a medium height, all the pools can be reached \vith 

 stockings. 



The river is fished by the respective occupiers of Gordonbush, 

 Balnakoil, and Sciberscross shootings. Mr. F. C. Gunnis has had 

 the first-named pretty lodge, just six miles out of Brora, for twenty- 

 five years, and to him I am indebted for my first cast on the river, 

 together with the bulk of the information given herewith. Balnakoil 

 Lodge, three miles higher up than Gordonbush and just opposite 

 Pol Feddar and a little below the Fall Pool of the Blackwater, divides 

 the fishing right with Sciberscross, each taking three days a week. 

 For several seasons Major Howey had Balnakoil, and Mr, Hall, 

 Sciberscross ; but the former gave up his tenancj', and now Mr. Hall 

 is tenant of both places. The stretch from the loch to the sea is 

 fished by the two rods bank and bank about, and between them 

 by the end of April they have often got four hundred fish in the 

 eleven weeks. In the autumn, from the ist of August, the tenant of 

 Uppat Forest has the angling from the loch to the sea for three or 

 four days a week, the Duke of Sutherland keeping for himself the 

 remaining days as may be arranged. 



The first August floods bring sea trout into Loch Brora, but 

 not in any great numbers. Whilst fishing for these with very 

 small flies and a light, single-handed trout rod, Mrs. Gunnis hooked 

 and landed a nice salmon of lo lb., and Mr. Gunnis, on similar 

 tackle, another of i8 lb. ; and on this fine tackle, and with the 

 smallest double hooks, Mr. Gunnis lands a good few fish every 

 summer. 



From the commencement of the season the fish make at once 

 for the loch, and there they hang about until the first week in March, 

 when they continue their upward course until they reach the Fall 

 Pool of the Blackwater. The Brora does not hold many trout, 

 and though there are a fair quantity in the loch, they are so 

 gorged with elvers that a fly has but httle attraction for them. 

 The loch is divided into three distinct sections, united by narrows 

 of sixty or seventy yards across. Ten years ago it was very rare 

 for salmon to be got with the rod, but by dint of patient observa- 

 tion, Mr. Gunnis has gained a knowledge of the places they frequent, 

 and every year he now kills some fish in the loch. 



There are neither poUutions nor obstructions, and though 

 disease has made its appearance at intervals, it has never wrought 

 very great havoc. Spawning begins as early as the loth of October 



