THE NAIRN 149 



take of salmon is in April. Sea trout run in June, and grilse in July 

 It is said that in 1882 fully 6000 fish were got by Mr. Brodie's nets, 

 and the published returns of the whole of the nets are as follows: — 



1893, nets took about 4760; rods took 175 



1894 ,. .. 4250 ,, 250 



1895 ,, ,, 9000 ., 294 

 1S96 ,, ,, oooo ,, 175 



24,010 894 



so that in these four seasons the nets got twenty-eight fish for 

 every one that the anglers took. 



Complaints have been made by the river watchers of the de- 

 struction of fry and smolts by the protected wild birds, but nothing 

 has been done to lessen the evil. 



Salmon ascend the river as far up as Brin, which property has 

 about three miles of the river on the left bank ; the following two 

 are owned by The Mackintosh, Mr. Smithson of Faille joining 

 on below for a like distance, when The Mackintosh again comes in 

 for a further two miles, and then the Raigmore water in the same 

 ownership follows for a mile. Next comes the three miles of the 

 CuUoden water, followed by a mile of Mr. Hugh Rose's Holme Rose 

 section, below which is the five miles of Kilravock, belonging to 

 Major Rose, the last two miles down to the sea belonging to Brodie 

 of Brodie, part of it being free to the public for sea trout and 

 whitling angling. 



Returning nearly to the top of the river on the right bank, and 

 working down to the sea, Mr. C. D. Stewart's Brin property has 

 also some three miles of this side, below which comes a mile of Mr. 

 Guthrie's Flichity estate, ^ which in turn is joined by Mr. W. D. 

 Mackenzie's Farr section of two miles, in which is the Inverurie 

 Burn, the best spawning tributary of the Nairn. As Farr ends, 

 Mr. Smithson of Faille comes in for about live hundred yards, 

 and then The Mackintosh follows for the next four miles ; then the 

 Cantray water of Major Davidson extends down for five miles until 

 it meets the portion of the Holme Rose water on this bank. After 

 that the Earl of Cawdor comes in with four miles, followed by a 

 mile of the Geddes reach of Mr. S. M. Walker, and then Brodie of 

 Brodie has the remainder of this bank to the sea. 



August, September, and October arc the best anglmg months. 

 Salmon average about 10 lb., and grilse 5 lb. Sea trout run from the 

 15th of June, and average over a pound, very small Jock Scot and 

 Zulu being the best flies ; for salmon the silver-bodied flies. Brown 

 Dog and Jock Scot, are the favourites. Bait-fishing is practised 

 now and then, the worm being the most killing lure. Wading 

 stockings are useful, and trousers are seldom wanted. 



The best take by any one rod in 1899 was that of Lord George 

 Campbell, who on the Kilravock and Kildrumie water took four 

 fish one day, the heaviest being 24 lb. 



1 Now owned by Mr. William Bcardmore. 



