13° THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



years past this practice has been on the decUne, for the anglings 

 have been let to good sportsmen, while the river watchers by their 

 \agilance have to a great extent overcome this method of poaching 

 by farm-servants and others. 



The seacoasts of the North and South Esks, which fall into the 

 sea but five miles apart, are very severely netted, as will be seen when 

 it can be stated that in 1882 there were in this five miles no less 

 than 120 bag- and stake-nets, or 24 in every mile ; in 1894 these had 

 been still further increased to 180, or 36 nets in every mile, or one 

 in each fifty yards ; but in 1899 these nets had decreased to no 

 bag- and fly -nets, and 16 were shot nets in the river, which latter are 

 steadily worked in times of flood. The decrease in fixed nets has 

 been caused solely by scarcity of fish, and at the smallest sign of a 

 good year coming they would aU be put on again. Of course, they 

 are not put dowTi exactly at every fifty yards, as these nets are 

 frequently " outrigged," which means that three or four or more 

 nets are run out to sea one beyond the other. 



The following are the fishings of the North Esk from its source : 

 Lord Dalhousie has twentj'-one and a half miles on the right bank 

 and some seventeen mUes on the left one, which is divided between 

 the shootings of Invermark, Ferneybank, Gannochy, MiUden, The 

 Retreat, and Edzell, each of which wiQ yield in favourable seasons 

 a few autumn fish, the best chances on the whole reach being at 

 Big and Little Gannochy Pools below the bridge, and at the Coble 

 Pool above EdzeU dam. Below this long length of water there comes 

 on the left bank the Burn and ArnhaU reach. This is followed by 

 DaUadies, and then Stracathro joins on for a mile of both banks. 



Below this on the left bank comes the Inglismaldie section, 

 belonging to Lord Kintore and let to Lord Digby, a mile and a 

 half of good water in which is the Dyke Stream, the Boat and 

 Bridge Pools ; following this comes about half a mile of Balmakewan, 

 then Gallery and Pert has half a mile of this bank ; Hatton and 

 KirktonhiU following, each \\-ith three-quarters of a mile. On 

 the opposite or right bank is Mr. LyaU's Gallery and Pert water, 

 sublet to Lord Kintore, and relet \\'ith Inghsmaldie, which stretch 

 extends for about three and a half miles. At the end of Gallery, 

 Craigo joins on and goes down for a mile and a half with Lord 

 Kintore's Canterland opposite for a mile, the tenant of Canterland 

 usually renting the opposite angling of Craigo — the Kinnairdy 

 Pool, Peter's Stream and Pot, the Pantry and Logic being the 

 best casts ; next comes IMorphie \dth two miles of each bank, 

 the Grange, Dyke, and Ponnage Pools, with the streams of BaiUie 

 Middleton and Whinney Brae, being the best catches. Kinnaber 

 follows with three-quarters of a mile on both banks, the Laddie's 

 Hole, the Flat, and the Concrete Pool being good ones. 



Lord Kintore's rod fishings are the best on the river, and in 

 some seasons very good sport is to be had. In 1899, the worst 

 season on record, iMorphie gave but fourteen salmon and sixty-three 

 grilse ; Craigo and Canterland. nineteen salmon and sixteen grilse ; 



