of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 
61 
It is proposed to lengthen this pass to 115 feet, the ponds to be about 10 
feet square and 2 feet deep^ 
A larger pond for fish resting in is to be half way up. 
The spaces between each pond to be a run or incline thus, 
6 feet broad, and rising 2 feet in the 6 feet. It is not a jump. 
NOTE V. 
STATEMENT WITH REGARD TO THE RIVER ANNAN, BY 
MR J. BELL-IRVING, MOUNT-ANNAN. 
Annan Caul, Fish-Pass^ <^c. — In the licences granted by Mr Beattie 
to rod-fishers in Mr Mackenzie's section of the water, it is stipulated that 
no fishing is permitted within 50 yards of the pass, in the Caul below 
Annan Bridge. This stipulation, however, is ignored by many, and the 
salmon, which collect in a small pool just below the pass waiting for the 
tide, are systematically snatched and hauled out. The usual way in which 
this is done is by the use of a triangle of hooks, with lead sinkers and on 
strong tackle. These are thrown across the pool, and dragged through it 
in a succession of jerks tiU the hooks strike a fish, when it is drawn down 
stream and run ashore on the gravel. 
Recently two cases of poaching or dragging below the Caul were tried 
before the Sheriff in Dumfries, but, from some flaw in the wording of Mr 
Beattie's lease, in the one case, and from insufiicient evidence in the 
other, the parties got off ; and I have noticed in the past the great diffi- 
culty there is in obtaining a conviction in such cases. 
I have personally seen four salmon taken with the fly this autumn, all 
of which were scored and torn as if by foul hooking, and I have been 
told of other similar cases higher up the river. 
As the rod-fishing in Mr Mackenzie's water will probably be in the 
hands of the river proprietors next season, I would suggest that the 
licences granted read as follows : — ' From the Black Pool to Annan 
' Bridge, and from the lower end of Annan Caul to Annan Waterfoot.' 
Also, let stakes be driven into the banks of the river so to clearly define 
the limit, and let a notice board be put up warning fishers that if the 
terms of the licence be broken it will at once be cancelled. 
Hanks or stakes should also be placed in each of the pools in Mr Mac- 
kenzie's water, as is done in pools higher up, to prevent illegal netting. 
Newhie Mill Caul, Fish-Pass, ^c. — The Caul for this mill is situated 
between Warmanbie and Northfield, and its peculiarities are that it is 
built very obliquely across the river, and ends in a long tail ; also, that it 
is furnished with a very badly-placed fish-pass, in which arc half-a- 
dozen upright iron stakes, which, I understand, have been utilised for the 
purpose of boarding up the pass when the river was low, in order to in- 
8 F. h 
