134 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



All nets were removed from the actual river by a mutual agree- 

 ment between the Earl of Southesk and the other proprietors owning 

 netting rights, though there is still a certain amount of netting 

 done in one part of the \\'ide estuary opposite Rossie Castle, near 

 Montrose. The Earl of Dalhousie "^at the same time agreed to 

 forego his cruive right at Brechin, while as the river is now protected 

 by a strong staff of watchers, it is perhaps one of the best managed 

 in Scotland. Poaching is somewhat prevalent, chiefly by snatching, 

 which is but too common both on this and the sister river, the 

 North Esk. 



The result of the good management is shown in the steady 

 increase of the rental of the North and South Esk district from 

 £1536 in 1874 to £3149 in 1897. I think, however, this might be 

 considerably augmented if the spring anghng on both these rivers 

 were made first-rate. As it is, the spring fishing of the Kinnard 

 water on the South Esk is not to be despised, and is regularly let 

 and eagerly taken up by anglers ; but the spring fishing of the 

 North Esk is not worth paying for. Some of the anglers who five 

 on the banks take an occasional cast after a flood, and now and 

 again they get a fish, but it would not be worth while to go on 

 purpose or to draw a cheque for the privilege. 



Now, if the stock of spring fish in the South Esk were cjuad- 

 rupled and that of the North Esk multipUed several hundred times, 

 there would be at least twenty to thirt}' miles of spring anghng to 

 put on the market, for reaUy good rod-fishing is in ever-increasing 

 demand, and has become more remunerative to fishery owners 

 than the letting of their netting rights, as is amply proved by the 

 statistics of the Dee and the Tay. 



I am not advocating the entire removal of the nets from the 

 mouth of the North Esk, and probabh' an extra twenty-four hom's' 

 slap both for coast and river would amply suffice to bring about the 

 necessary improvement. 



In 1891 the nets of the coast and the rivers of this district took 

 no less than 42,000 fish, vrhile the united yield of the two rivers to 

 the rod was under 900, or 46 to i, and it must not be forgotten that 

 the bulk of the rod fish were taken after the removal of the nets on 

 the 1st of September. 



Supposing that only twenty miles of quite new or greatly im- 

 proved spring angling were forthcoming from the banks of the two 

 rivers, and that each mile yielded an average of twenty fish a month, 

 — surely not an extravagant estimate, — then the right of fishing both 

 banks of each mile from the 15th of February to the ist of Sep- 

 tember — five months — would easih^ let for ;^20o a mile. This would 

 mean a capture of 2000 fish to the rods of the two rivers before the 

 removal of the nets on the ist of September, which would probably 

 entail at first a loss of 4000 or 5000 fish to the nets ; but taking the 

 average weight at 10 lb., and the average price at a shilhng a pound, 

 there would still remain a clear profit of £2000 a j'ear derived from 

 the angling rents. 



