CHAPTER LVII 



THE LOCHY, WITH ITS TRIBUTARIES THE ROY AND THE SPEAN 



These three famous rivers are kept entirely for the rod ; and 

 as an instance of the sport they used to jdeld, the Fisherj' Board 

 Report of 18S3 states that their average season's take was then 

 1200 salmon and grilse, and 1600 sea trout. A splendid result, 

 which has, however, not been maintained of late years. In a letter 

 from the late Lord Abinger to the Inspector of Fisheries, he almost 

 appears to foresee and prophesy this decrease, and certainly his 

 long experience in the management of his salmon rivers ought to 

 have ensured greater attention being given to his words by the 

 authorities then in power. 



The Lochy flows from Loch Lochy — one of the Caledonian 

 Canal lochs — some ten miles long by one in breadth, but which 

 does not drain any country east of the Canal locks of Laggan, at 

 its head ; therefore, it is only by means of the Canal, and by passing 

 through these and other lock gates, that there is any possibility of 

 fish travelling from the West to the East Coasts, or vice versa.''' 



The right of salmon fishing in the loch was, and I think still is, 

 claimed by both ^hs. Ellice of Glenquoich and by Lord Abinger ; 

 but salmon are now rarely, if ever, caught in it, although it is open 

 to the public, and hard fished for trout bj' trolling. At one time the 

 loch held plenty of fi.sh, but that was before the making of the Canal 

 necessitated the forming of an artificial outlet, which was so con- 

 structed as to be almost inaccessible to salmon. Thus Loch Lochy, 

 and the river Arkaig flowing into it from Loch Arkaig, both formerly 

 holding many fish, and providing fine sport with excellent spawning 

 grounds, are now nearly fishless, which is a regrettable state of 

 affairs. On leaving Loch Lochy the river has a run of between 

 eight and nine miles before it falls into the salt water of Loch Eil, 

 a branch of the lengthy Loch Linnhe. 



The late Lord Abinger was, I beUeve, the first river owner 

 to make the experiment of taking the nets off a large productive 

 netting river at the risk of not being able to let the angling for 

 as much (or more, if possible) as the netting rental brought to 

 the estate. He removed ah the cruives from the river, all the 

 nets from the mouth, and leasing the sea nets on both shores of 

 Loch Linnhe for several miles, he also caused them not to be worked. 

 The Fishery Board Report of 1883 states this seacoast extended 



1 See chapter on rivers " Garry and Oich," p. 202. 



