250 
THE FISHING GAZETTE 
[April 8, 1893 
ill the coldest time of the year, and then I have 
noticed them rise to fly when the yellow trout 
would not move. The latter are wholly out of 
condition early in the year, and will not take fly at 
all scarcely, although they take the worm greedily 
enough. The sea-trout fresh in from the sea are, 
at this time, in perfect condition, and rise with 
great avidity to the fly when conditions are 
favourable. Do the two fish feed in the fresh 
water on different sorts of food—so different the 
one’s from the other’s as to account for the 
differences of their condition and inclination to 
take baits at one and the same time of the year ?” 
L.\st week a couple of anglers had five fine 
troutoneday on Loch Tummel, aggregating 121b., 
besides pike. The early trouting on this noted 
loch for large trout appears to be looking up 
well. With a drop of rain to freshen the water 
there would, no doubt, be fine sport afterwards, 
given only genial weather. 
Tjie Kinross-shire Fishing Club held theirannual 
meeting in the Green Hotel, Kinross, last week, 
when, from the financial statement, the club was 
shown to be in a flourishing condition. Mr W. B. 
Constable, of Bennarty, was elected president for 
the year ; Mr Macdonald, Alloa, vice president, 
and Mr. Steedman, banker, Kinross, secretary 
and treasurer. 
Tke average weight of eight fish killed on two 
days on Loch Tay last week was 231b., which is 
certainly a remarkable average. 
For the fortnight just ended (taking the whole 
of the net salmon fishings in sea, estuary, and 
river over all Scotland, into account) the yield of 
salmon from Scotch waters has been greatly 
below—indeed little more than half—that of the 
previous fortnight. _ 
J. Y,, SuTUERL,A.NDsniRE, writes:—“A note on the 
high temperatureof last week, abnormally high for 
IMarch, may interest some of the Fishing Gazette 
readers. Though slight frost was experienced at 
night, the daily shaded maxima on Tuesday, 
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and 
Sunday were 60°, 64°, 63°, 64°, and 63° respect- 
tively. Trout were rising freely to the fly, and on 
successive evenings several nice sized ones were 
killed by Masters William and Charles Batters, 
and Mr E. Macpherson. Be stocking of Loch 
Beannoch with Loch Levens, it may be remarked 
that of the 2000 yearlings turned into that loch 
in May two years ago, very few have been caught 
with the fly. It is believed that a good many of 
the youngsters before they had time to take in 
their surroundings fell a prey to the divers and 
saw-bills that are frequent visitors to Beannoch.” 
Our Ross-shire correspondent writes:—“The 
salmon fishing on River Conon has been excep¬ 
tionally good this season. On Brahan waters 
the catch up to date has been much larger than 
for same period in former years, and higher waters 
are also doing well. Twenty-two fish, averaging 
71b. each, have already been landed on Brahan 
waters, Mr. Hopwood having twelve in five days, 
and five in one day. The fish appear in fine 
condition, and prospects for the season are very 
encouraging. On the Alness some good fishing is 
also being had on the lower waters, the right to 
fishing which now belongs to Major Mackenzie, of 
Dalmore, who recently purchased Dalmore 
grounds from Sir K. J. Matheson, of Ardross, 
through whose property the greater part of Alness 
river belongs.” _ 
From the Upper Spey I hear that there is still 
little doing, a couple of fish or so being the most 
to be got in a day. A good many fish, however, 
have now pushed up into the waters almost as high 
as Grantown, and it is therefore expected that 
after the next spate sport will greatly improve. 
Ay Aberdeen correspondent writes :—“ I saw a 
most handsome salmon, weighing 381b., from the 
Don nets last week. It was not the length of the 
salmon box, which was 3ft. 7in., so you can infer 
how broad and plump it was. Sea-trout are still 
very scarce, hardly one being got even by the nets. 
1 noted one very peculiar specimen weighing 
2iBb. which came in from the netsmen ; it had 
been sent in as a grilse, but it would not answer 
for he first one of the season, which it appears has 
not yet turned up. The head was that of a sea- 
trout and spots indicative of the trout were 
prominent on it, although its tail and other parts 
were quite up to the salmon. The fishing mean¬ 
time both here and in the Moray and Dornoch 
Firths is rather poor at present, and far below 
that of last year up to this date it also is. The 
Don fishing is, however, quite up to last year’s 
for the same length of time. 
The first salmon of the season on Lord 
Abinger’s fine river, the Spean, was got on 
Friday week past. Sport, it is expected, will 
come on very well soon in consequence of the 
remarkably fine weather which is being ex¬ 
perienced. Mr. Hollins and friend arrived for 
the fishing last week. _ 
Our North Esk correspondent writes :—“ Very 
few fish were got in the river this week, largely 
owing to the water having become so low and 
clear. Mr. Johnston’s netters are not averaging 
more than eight a day. There is also an 
unwonted scarcity of fish all round the coast. A 
few sea-trout are getting, and they in good 
strength promise to be forward exceptionally 
early, 'out, in marked contrast, there is still no 
appearance of any grilse. The rods have done 
positively nothing for some time. Kelts still 
remain in the river without showing any signs of 
wanting to descend. From feeding well they are 
now getting very clear and well-mended, hence 
by some anglers they are mistaken for clean fish. 
It will require a great deal of rain before the 
fishing can be up to much again.” 
G. M. M,, Deeside, writes: — “Sir Wm. 
Brooks, during the past few weeks, presented the 
engine-drivers, stokers, and guards on the 
Deeside railway, to the number of over a score, 
with a salmon apiece, Mr. Davidson, Wellwood, 
has sub-let the first fortnight of his Glen Tana 
beat for the sum of £60. This is at the rate of 
£5 per day. The Dee and Don fishery proprietors 
are to oppose the proposals of the Government 
to grant licences to fishermen to fish for salmon 
on the coast. The past week has been the 
poorest since the season opened, considering that 
anglers are not being kept off the water by storm 
or frost. The returns from the Aberdeen Harbour 
Board’s stations show only about half last year’s 
yield. In the face of these considerations the 
spring has evidently passed its best. With a 
rain flood the fish would be again drawn on to the 
coast, and, moreover, a good head of early grilse 
might accompany them. Duncan, fishery in¬ 
spector, has been feeding his young Loch Levens, 
and with marked success. His first deposits of 
salmon eggs have all hatched out most beauti¬ 
fully, and the latest laid down are all fully eyed. 
The new water supply is now working well.” 
Mr. Archibald Harper writes from Thurso 
and Loch More :—“ The weather has kept excep¬ 
tionally fine for the past fortnight. Angling and 
farming interests are often at cross purposes ; so 
it is here at present. The fields are getting into 
fine condition for sowing, while the river is 
getting too low for angling. Last week was pro¬ 
ductive of sport in a middling degree, the best 
days being Thursday and Friday, when eight and 
ten fish were killed. A gale of wind on Sunday 
made the loch quite muddy. The worst of it is 
there are no fish to be seen or caught on the 
coast. The nets on the west side of Thurso Bay 
were doing next to nothing ; lately they had only 
one fish for the whole week. No doubt a good 
many fish are ready to come up the river as soon 
as a spate comes to draw them in from deep 
water, where they are now taking up their 
quarters. Immense quantities of halibut have 
been landed lately at Scrabster by the fishermen, 
some boats having from £30 to £40 worth of 
these fish at one haul. Cod, on the other hand, 
have almost disappeared ; both are unprecedented 
occurrences. I caugh a fresh run sea-trout at 
Halkirk Bridge the other day. This is the 
earliest I have ever heard of.” 
I learn that the Thurso hatchery has turned out 
a signal success, and for this l\Ir. Archibald Harper 
undoubtedly deserves a lot of credit. The heavy 
stock of last autumn’s ova has now hatched out with 
a loss of a trifle under 4 per cent. This comes up 
to about the best success ever attained in Scotland 
in the hatch-out of a large quantity of salmon 
ova. The fry in the rearing ponds of the Thurso 
hatchery are doing splendidly, and will soon be 
turned out to make room for this year’s hatch. 
Our Spey correspondent writes :—“ When it 
became known that Mr. Edward, of Craigellachie, 
was the prosecutor in the Spey fishing case, 
reported last week, many were taken by surprise, 
as it was known that Mr. Edward was in favour 
of fishing rights. It is but right to state that the 
action was not sought by him, but that, under the 
terms of the present lease, held by Major Grant, 
of Glengrant, who leased the water from the then 
proprietor (the Duke of Fife), Mr. Edward had 
no other alternative but to prosecute. It is also 
but fair to state that Major Grant would in all 
probability never have forced the prosecution had 
the defenders not made themselves, as is reported, 
aggressive. It is no use at present for anglers to 
bring themselves into conflict with proprietors or 
lessees. The case has been decided against the 
public, and until it is otherwise, it is most politic 
for anglers to be at least courteous, and we are 
safe to say no one will order them off the water 
for fishing for trout. Had the defenders acted in 
this spirit when asked to desist, then the defender’s 
appeal case would have been doubly strenthened 
in the estimation of the public. At the same 
time, what the public have really to bear in mind 
at present regarding the Spey are the main issues 
in the Arndilly case, and to see that their atten¬ 
tion is not diverted, even temporarily, by any 
side issue. Baillie Macdougall, Rothes, president 
of the Speyside Trout Fishers’ Association, has 
received a cheijue for £3, voted to the association 
by the AV^verley Angling Club, Edinburgh.” 
On the earliest of the lochs of the central 
Highland districts of Scotland, the trouting has 
been going on for some time, and, so far, with 
fair promise, but as yet very few of the trout 
approach prime condition, except, perhaps, in 
Loch Leven and Loch Tummel, on which, as on 
Loch Awe and the lochs of the Trossachs district, 
a good many anglers from the south have been out. 
Up to now few have visited, and little has been 
done in trouting on the lochs of Inverness-shire, 
Ross-shire, Cromarty, Sutherland, and Caithness. 
Even with the phenominal abundance of sun¬ 
shine which has been experienced for the past 
three weeks, nothing to approach a real rise of 
fly has yet been brought up on Tay, North Esk, 
Dean, Isla, Don, Deveron, Ythan, Findhorn, and 
other prime early trouting streams, but a week 
hence the rise should be well on in the event of 
more moisture, accompanied by warmth, taking 
the place of the hard, bare, sunshiny days, with 
frost overnight, which have ruled for almost a 
month. For the lower and middle reaches of all 
the streams named, the best time of all, as a rule, 
is between the middle of April and the middle of 
May. On a number of the more southerly rivers 
and streams of Scotland, a fair show of fly, bring¬ 
ing up the trout, has been on, and anglers in 
consequence have had fair sport. 
During the past month and the first week of the 
present month, the salmon angling on the Inver- 
cauld Hotel water, Ballater, and the Cambus 
O’May sections of the Aberdeenshire Dee, proved 
by far the best obtained in Scotland. On the 
former reach alone, close upon three hundred fish 
have already been caught this season. 
The Brora, Sutherlandshire, is completely 
eclipsing its renowned rival, the Helmsdale, this 
spring. Early this week Mr. Gunnis, Gordon- 
bush, who has fished little more than a month, 
landed his hundredth salmon. In seven days’ 
angling he totalled forty-one. The Balnacoil rod 
had thirteen and fourteen fish respectively on two 
successive days last week. Friday last old 
“ Eddam ” Robertson netted Loch Brora, and at 
one haul brought ashore between two and three 
hundred fine fish. On the tideway and lower 
lengths that nonpareil angler, the genial Pro¬ 
fessor, was out along with others, and got fine 
takes of trout. 
