'Salmon Nets on the Solway. The haaf net, age old methods and some not unsporting contests. Glencaple, River Nith, 1958.
The haaf is a portable 'pock' or 'poke' which is set against the running tide by the haafer leaning on it while keeping it at arms length. He holds six meshes in his left hand, and when a pull is felt takes his weight off the net and presses down on the 'midrunner' so that the haaf floats to the surface.
Haafers standing in the running tide.
Fighting a salmon in the ebb tide.
Preparing to kill with the 'mell'
Passing the finger into the gill.
Bagging the fish head first'
Dr Kissling's note, 1978
The man in the top left photograph is James Henderson of Glencaple. He would have been about fifteen at the time the photograph was taken.
Research note, 2019