THE LUCE 273 



to make up the hundred, I went to a fast Httle run by a rock just 

 above the pool, which was quite still water, and at once got into 

 something heavy. This turned out to be the boss of the bag, 

 weighing 6 lb., and by the time it was landed the rays of the rising 

 sun were beginning to show over Balkail Fell. Of the hundred, 

 there were thirty which were over 2| lb., and the whole lot must 

 have averaged i| lb. ; but they were distributed quite early in the 

 morning and were never weighed as a whole, and only the big ones 

 were weighed separately." 



In 1899, Mr. J. G. Walker, fishing from Balkail one night, caught 

 over sixty sea trout of about the same heavyweights ; while on the 

 i6th of September 1899 he also took from the Puddle Hole eight 

 salmon and grilse, averaging 7 lb. From this pool also large takes 

 of sea trout have been made by Lord Eglinton, Captain William 

 Cuninghame of Belmont, and Mr. Archibald Walker. 



The Luce is a late river for salmon, clean fish rarely putting in an 

 appearance before quite the end of July. Sea trout, however, 

 commence to run in June. Both salmon and trout are large for 

 the size of the river, which is fairly dealt with in the matter of its 

 estuary, as on one side of the mouth there are no bag-nets closer 

 then six hundred and fifty yards and none nearer than one thousand 

 three hundred yards on the other. There are likewise neither 

 pollutions nor obstructions, and the Luce when in order is as pretty 

 a little river to fish as any in Scotland. With regard to the Dun- 

 ragit angling, it should be mentioned that Mr. Cuninghame keeps it 

 in his own hands and preserves it strictly. 



Considering that clean fish do not put in an appearance until 

 the end of July, it is a puzzle to understand why the Luce should be 

 declared open for netting and angling on the 25th of February. The 

 nets fish to the loth of September, and the rods continue to the 31st 

 of October. 



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