io5 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



there should be continuous big water and mild weather for at least 

 several weeks before the opening day on the nth of February. 



Mr. Barclay Harvey usually lets the spring fishing up to the 

 31st of May. Mr. W. Baring had it in 1893, and in April took 

 loi fish to his own rod, chiefly from the upper pools, they being just 

 suited by the low water which prevailed during that month. Mr. 

 Percy Laming followed in 1894, but that season, together with the 

 two following ones, were moderate, both on Cambus and^ Glen 

 Tana ; 1897 was, however, a better year, for Mr. Laming, fishing 

 alternate days on Cambus and Glen Tana, had from the middle of 

 April to end of May 103 fish to his rod, while the season following 

 was also nearly as good. Therefore, according to the weather and 

 the water, it may be safety said that Cambus will yield from 150 

 to 350 fish to the 31st of May. The chances of sport are fairly 

 balanced between its banks and those of Glen Tana, which has much 

 the best side in high water, but is nearty worthless when the river is 

 small. With the spring fishing Mr. Harvey sometimes lets the 

 pretty house of Dinnet, which is close to the station and the Boat 

 Pool, and altogether there are few prettier bits of angling and 

 scenery on Deeside. 



Retracing our way up stream to the top of the Cambus water, 

 we ^vill cross to the opposite bank, and on to the late Sir William 

 Cunliffe Brooks' property of Glen Tana, which has the angling on 

 the right bank of the same pools that are fished by Cambus on the 

 left, until at — or, strictly speaking, a little below — the tail of 

 Tassack and just below the Needle Rock (a big stone with a hole in 

 it, through which the water flows) the Glen Tana angling embraces 

 both banks, and extends downv/ards for between four and five 

 miles. Glen Tana is now the property of Mr. George Coats, and 

 is naturally divided by Dinnet Bridge into upper and lower beats, 

 each of which will daily keep two rods hard at work. Pol 

 Slache is the top pool, and when in order it is nearly certain to 

 give a fish or two each day. A beautiful cast is this, easily fished 

 dry-shod from the south side. In addition to this stronghold there 

 are fifteen other good casts in the upper beat, of which the Red 

 Brae, Pol Bar, the Logic, and the ^Ministers are the best. 



Below Dinnet Bridge the pools are not so numerous, but the 

 numbers are fully made up for by their greater length and holding 

 capacity. Of these the Boat Pool, the Kirk Pot, and Waterside 

 are the best, and this last-named catch disputes wdth Tassack the 

 honour of being the premier one on the river. It was prized 

 beyond all others by its kind owner, and on its bank he built the 

 prettiest and most luxurious " hut " in Scotland, and many were the 

 days when this fine piece of water yielded him from five to ten fish. 

 An odd thing happened to him here one day. The pool was full of 

 fish, but they would not la}-' hold. At lunch time Sir William called 

 to his ghillie to take the rod and wind up, and in waiting for him 

 to come, the hook sank to the bottom and hooked a fish by the back. 



To tell of all the big scores that have been made on these two 



