276 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



comparatively few salmon escape capture owing to the serious 

 obstruction caused by Dumfries Cauld and to the netting which is 

 prosecuted below it. During the close season those salmon which 

 succeed in ascending Dumfries Cauld are cut off by impassable 

 obstructions from the spawning grounds in most of the tributary 

 streams. In fact, since I visited Sands river in 1883 (Norway), I 

 have not seen a salmon river where greater difficulties have been 

 placed in the way of salmon reaching the natural spawning grounds 

 in most of the tributary streams, or where, if steps were taken for 

 the improvement of the fishings similar to those adopted on Sands 

 river, they would be more likely to lead to the same successful 

 results." 



The Duke of Buccleuch, the largest proprietor, owns fully twenty 

 miles of both banks. The best angling waters are on his Grace's 

 property, and, commencing at Nith Bridge, close to Thornhill, 

 they extend from there to the county march with Ayrshire. The 

 cream of it is between this bridge and the town of Sanquhar, 

 about a dozen miles of splendid streams, interspersed with 

 ideal pools. 



The six miles above Nith Bridge up to Enterkin Foot the Duke 

 keeps in his own hands, the best pools perhaps being Red Brow, 

 Scaur Foot, Boat Pool, and Matthew's Pool. The whole of the 

 angling lying above that point he lets to the Upper Nith Angling 

 Association at Sanquhar, who issue tickets to residents or to visitors 

 for very small sums. 



Likewise below North Bridge the Duke lets the angling to 

 the Mid Nith Association, which goes down to the Closebum march, 

 and includes the tributaries of the Scaur, Cample, and Shinnel. 



Other stretches on the Nith lying below the Closebum water, 

 of two pools only, are Blackwood, with the Forest Head and Bridge 

 Pools : no fish killed on these in 1899. Friar's Carse has only the 

 Riding Stone Pool, which did not yield a fish in 1900. Portrack 

 has one pool ; two fish killed in igoo. Cowhill with two pools, the 

 Boat and the Tooth, were both also blank. CarnsaUoch Water 

 of Denholm's Wood and another pool were in the same sorry 

 plight. 



A gentleman who knows the river well writes me : "I am 

 sorry to say the Nith is perhaps the worst river in Scotland for 

 the impatient salmon fisher." Another excellent authority says : 

 " It would be difficult to give an average of fish killed on any 

 of the Nith waters — next to none would be the best description 

 for them all. I am afraid that salmon fishing on the Nith is entirely 

 done for. It is full of pike and grayling, which ought to be destroyed 

 as far as possible, but the proprietors appear to take no interest in 

 the river, few of them being anglers. For the last seven years it 

 has been going back yearly, and 1900 was the very worst on record, 

 and not a dozen fish killed on the whole river." 



Wading trousers are wanted, and a rod of sixteen to eighteen 

 feet. The flies are much the same as those in use on the Annan, 



