CHAPTER XL 



THE UGIE 



A PRETTY little stream which " meanders " through an agricultural 

 country, although not exactly on " a level with its fount," as did 

 that impossible river once written of by Mr. Robert ^lontgomery. 

 After a course of some twenty-two miles, in which it drains one 

 hundred and thirty-two square miles, the Ugie falls into the sea a 

 little to the north of Peterhead. The main stream is formed at 

 Rora Bridge by the junction of the water of Deer on the south and 

 the water of Strichen on the north, from whence the Ugie flows slow 

 and deep for a further four miles through a pretty but somewhat 

 flat country, and the angler on its banks in October will probably 

 see more ducks and snipe than salmon. 



There are not a great number of pools, and before the nets 

 come off it is but poor angling. The best part of the river for salmon 

 is from Rora to the sea, which belongs to Colonel Ferguson of 

 Pitfour, on which reach in October 1891 I fished for several days 

 without so much as seeing a salmon or sea trout, though there was 

 plenty of water. It must be stated in justice to the Ugie that in the 

 previous season the river yielded fairly well in October, a friend of 

 the author's getting five fish in a few days. The fly I was told to 

 use as a certain kfller by the head keeper at Pitfour was a verj' 

 simple afi'air with an uncanny look about it, for it consisted of a 

 silver body, no tail, a white hackle all the way up, with several 

 turns at the shoulder, and a mallard wing, dressed on a trout hook 

 of No. 7 Limerick size. 



Salmon and sea trout both run heavy in the coast ; and though 

 the angling of the Ugie is not ver}? grand, the netting is quite the 

 reverse. In 1891 a sea trout of 27 lb. and a salmon of 60 1 lb. were 

 taken in the nets. 



and from 1892 to 1897 the average season's take by the nets was 

 4150 salmon and grilse, and about 1000 sea trout. In the early 

 part of the season, before the nets come off, thej' get quite fifty fish 

 for every one that the rods catch, which is an unfair proportion, 

 and should be remedied either by mo\-ing the nets farther away 



