2o8 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



Mr. W. H. Baring, from Altbea, has the Dundonnell angling 

 in the spring and summer months, and Mr. A. H. M. Catton's right 

 in the autumn, when the tenant of Dundonnell House has the 

 rest of the river. 



The Gruinard is now a somewhat dour stream to fish, which 

 may perhaps be accounted for by the clearness of the water. 

 While most of the pools can be covered with a trout rod, there are 

 others requiring even a longer line than can be comfortably put 

 out with a rod of sixteen feet, but when the river is in order this length 

 will be found most serviceable. 



Although there are many pretty pools, the Craig Pool is the 

 chief one, and in periods of spate it is almost alarming to see and 

 hear how the water boils and tears amongst the big rocks as it 

 rushes down the sharp descent to the sea. For many years the 

 orthodox flies were the Ewe Wasp — a nondescript sort of beast, 

 with a rough body like a Charlie, only brown instead of black, with 

 a dull mixed wing — the Black Doctor, and occasionally Jock Scot. 

 Silver bodies were pronounced useless until a few years ago, when 

 Sir John Edwards Moss had the river, on which subject he writes 

 me as follows : — 



" I must say I don't think much of local fishermen, except in 

 places where there are ' rods ' and beats, and consequently rivalry, 

 not to say jealousy. Chillies on such waters begin to think and 

 observe, otherwise they have a fly or two which has killed fish, 

 and they imagine they are the only ones. Take the Gruinard. I 

 went there for a day in 1896 with a ghillie knowing but little 

 about the water. The keeper on the river told me of the only 

 three flies that were used. Well, the river was in order, 

 the water clear and the sky bright, and as the local patterns 

 failed to produce a rise, I put up a little double - hooked 

 Silver Grey and at once got two fish, and from that day 

 on nearly ah the fish were taken with that fly. It was just 

 the same on the upper river, where I had three fish the first 

 day I tried the silver body, and that after the water had been 

 previously well fished. Near the mouth sea trout also came to 

 a silver body and teal wing, or to an Alexandra, and all this 

 was in spite of the ghillies, who vowed silver bodies were useless, 

 simply because they had never given them a trial. And this sort 

 of thing goes on more or less on all the small rivers of the West 

 Coast." 



The Little Gruinard drains Fionn Loch, some eight miles in 

 length by three-quarters in width, and not very far distant from 

 Pool Ewe. The loch and river belong to the Marquis of Zetland, 

 who preserves it strictly. It has never been so prolific as the big 

 river, although the large loch of Fionn should keep this stream in 

 order for a longer period than the smaller one of na-Shellag can 

 provide for the Meikle Gruinard. 



Here also the same flies are used, while both streams open on 

 the nth of February, with the usual close times. June, July, 



