368 
THE FISHING GAZETTE 
[May 20, 1893 
FISHINGS AND SCENERY OF THE 
HIGHLANDS. 
By W. Murdoch. 
DALWHINNIE. 
Loch Ericht is one of the most beautiful, as it 
is one of the most grand and wild mountain-girt 
lochs in the whole of the midland Highlands of 
Scotland; and its romantic traditions, coupled 
with its fine trouting, and its reputation as the 
haunt of the Salmo ferox —to many, and especi¬ 
ally the angler—add still more to its attractions. 
It lies in the counties of Perth and Inverness, 
and is best approached from Dalwhinnie station 
on the Highland line, from which its nearest 
point is about one mile distant. From here the 
loch extends in a south-westerly direction for 
many miles, and is hemmed in by stupendous 
mountains, which at many points rise in perpen¬ 
dicular precipices right from the water’s edge. 
Chief of the towering peaks to command a grand 
outlook over this vast and wild mountainous 
tract are Ben Alder, Ben Udlamon, and the 
Boar of Badenoch. The loch’s eastern side is 
the more rugged, and it is studded with huge 
rocks, which gives the traveller a very eerie and 
solitary feeling. The 
golden eagle—a bird 
now getting rare in 
Scotland—in her taste 
for a solitary reign, 
frequents the lonely 
crags and cliffs of 
these mountains, and 
occasionally, by those 
angling on the loch, 
may be seen hover¬ 
ing high above, and on 
airy pinion “screwing 
the heavens till lost 
in the blue.” On the 
w'est side, the scenery 
has been greatly im¬ 
proved of late by 
the growing up of 
extensive woods, the 
property of Sir John 
Ramsden. The plan¬ 
tations commence 
near the north end of 
the loch, and extend 
along the slopes of the 
mountains for about 
six miles, and in time 
they will still further 
improve the general 
appearance of this 
favourite summer re¬ 
sort. Since 1875, 
over three millions 
of young trees have 
been planted—mostly 
Scotch fir and larch, 
but there is a sprink¬ 
ling of other trees, 
which greatly enhance the aspect, and furnish 
such scenes as are “rare stuff” for the artist, 
and might well inspire the poet lover of nature. 
The whole country round about revives 
memories of the times when the Highland 
chiefs, with their followers, swept down upon 
the Low country, and, putting to rout the Low¬ 
land carles, usually returned to their native glens 
with goodly herds of cattle and other spoils of 
the foray. 
After the battle of Culloden, Prince Charlie is 
said to have spent a considerable time among the 
caves in the neighbourhood. Robert the Bruce is 
also reported to have lurked in this vicinity after 
some of his rebuffs before fortune fully smiled on 
his patriotism. 
The principal kinds of fish in the loch are Salmo 
ferox, common trout, char, and minnows. The 
two former are indigenous, while the two latter 
have been introduced. The char were imported | 
by bir John Mackenzie over sixty years ago, and | 
are now numerous, averaging from nine to I 
eleven inches in length; but from a local point of 
view they are not much esteemed, doubtless most 
largely for the reason that they seldom are on the 
hop at timous hours. The minnows got planted 
a few years ago by a gentleman who then rented ' 
Brumochter shootings. 
I An undoubted attraction to anglers on Loch 
I Ericht is trolling for Salmo ferox, which here take 
* as readily, and run to as good a size, as they do 
anywhere else in Scotland. Many fine specimens 
j ha\ e been caugbt of weights ranging from 201b. 
I down to 101b. The average weight, however, is 
I less than that, but the season would prove a most 
j unusual one if it passed by wuthout one or two 
i “ whoppers ” being taken to top the lot of smaller 
I ones that ((uit the loch for ever, 
j In trolling for ferox the best bait is a small 
i trout; parr is not nearly so good. It is customary 
I to have out two rods, when with the two chances 
it sometimes happens (it ma.y be rarely, but still 
it does happen) that two fisli are got on simul¬ 
taneously. In such a case the first thing to be 
noticed is which rod has the heavier fish, then 
the larger one must be temporised with until the 
other is secured, when the boatman, at liberty to 
I devote his whole attention, can assist the angler 
I to advantage, especially if the fish goes off with a 
big rush. 
The best basket of trout ever made on Loch 
Ericht, so far as known, was secured by Mr. 
Harvie-Brown, the well-known naturalist, and 
most genial of anglers, and weighed 1091b. The 
next best was 751b. for two rods, while the one 
of 451b., made some years ago, is even yet regarded 
as particularly special. Anglers of long expe¬ 
rience on the loch agree pretty much that the 
average basket of trout caught by one angler in 
a day with the fly runs about 12lb. or 131b. 
Dull weather, wuth an occasional blink of sun¬ 
shine, is the best for fly-fishing here, as it is in 
most other localities. More than by breezes 
from any other quarter is the sport helped when 
light steady winds either up or down the loch 
]irevail. The best times of the day are from day¬ 
break till about eleven in the forenoon, and from 
two in the afternoon till late in the evening, but 
I this rule does not so well apply either early or 
late in the season, when, as a rule, the trout take 
best at only one time of the day—usually from 
eleven to three or four. At no season do they 
often take well when the sun about midday is 
very strong and the sky almost cloudless, and it 
would be well to refrain from fishing at that time, 
and instead to ply the rod earlier and later during 
the long days of summer. For trolling a dull 
day with a light breeze is best. At times it is 
impossible for boats to go out on the loch, owing 
to rough weather. In spring and summer spates 
are not unusual, and it is a truly grand sight to 
see the water tearing down the face of the rocks, 
and sending the spray flying in every direction. 
In addition to Loch Ericht, Loch Coulter and 
Loch Cuaich can be fished from Dalwhinnie 
‘ Hotel. Loch Coulter is the larger of the two, 
I being one and a half miles long by three-quarters 
of a mile broad. It can be reached by driving 
from the hotel three miles along the Fort William- 
road, and then walking a mile through picturesque 
glens. This is a very early loch for the district, 
its trout usually getting into good condition about 
the end of May. 
Loch Cuaich is situated in the midst of capital 
mountain scenery, not far from the falls of Truim. 
It is well stocked with trout, whose average 
weight is about five to the pound, and of which 
with the fly good baskets are obtained. The 
heaviest fish that was ever known to be got on it 
was secured by Colonel Macpherson, of Glen 
Truim, and weighed 9F-b. 
The River Truim rises at the House of Hills, 
Drumuachar, and flows into the Spey, passing 
close to Dalwhinnie Hotel. There is good trout 
fishing to be got throughout its entire course. 
The Truim is a late river from the fish having to 
push so many miles inland—up through the 
numerous long reaches of Spey—to get to it. 
Salmon are never forward before May, and for 
them, as for grilse, the fishing is best during June, 
July, and August. There are several good casts 
I in the Truim. It is rather as a trouting than 
a salmon river, how¬ 
ever, that the Truim 
has become famous. 
Its largest trout reach 
about 41b., and a good 
basket in the best of 
the season is reckoned 
from 121b. to 151b. 
A brightish day with 
clouds and a strong 
breeze from the south 
is perhaps the most 
favourable of fishing 
days. From its source 
until it falls into the 
Spey at Invernahaven 
the Truim has a run 
ot about seventeen 
miles—in some parts 
amid most romantic 
scenery. 
If the weather is 
not suitable for fish¬ 
ing, a visit to some of 
the picturesque spots 
in the neighbourhood 
could be arranged, 
and would prove very 
interesting and en¬ 
joyable. Dalwhinnie 
is about fifteen hours’ 
ride from London. 
The hotel has lately 
been extended and 
improved; and the 
district, noted for its 
bracing air, might 
with as much pleasure 
and profit be sought 
by the worn-out city man for health as by the 
angler on its waters for sport. 
For the use of hotel visitors there are six 
boats on Loch Ericht, and the boatmen are remu¬ 
nerated at the rate of 3s. fid. per day, with lunch 
and flask. A drop of the “ craiter ” goes high at 
all times. On a cold day it warms, and on a 
warm day it cools. Truly its virtues are mani¬ 
fold—whether to throw off the chill or tone down 
the heat; whether to mollify the angler if he has 
I lost a good fish, or to rouse him to greater energy 
and })erseverance in seeking to make a basket. 
Mr. A. A. Chancellor, of Richmond, had sixty 
whiting pout on Friday, off Brighton, in two 
hours. 
Nile Salmon. —At the Australian cricket 
match recently contested at Lord Sheffield’s 
beautiful park in Sussex, one of the leading 
features in his Lordship’s pavilion was a fine 
specimen of the Nile salmon, brought home by 
his Lordship on his recent return from Egypt, 
and considered the largest seen in England. Its 
weight was 1201b. It has been admirably set up 
by Mr. Rigby, the well-known taxidermist of 
Nottingham, and was greatly admired by all who 
had the pleasure of an inspection. 
'if.. V - 
. -4. 
Jit. 
IS ® 
LOCH ERICHT. 
