What a glorious day for the time of year. I was wakened earlier than I would have liked by the bright sunshine and not being able to lie and not think about what I could be doing with a fishing rod to hand, I ended up getting up and packing my river gear in the car. I still wasn’t sure where to go, but as time moved on I decided to have a proper explore up the top reaches of the River Carron.
First surprise of the day
The first surprise of the day happened just as I was completing getting tackled up by the car in a layby. I heard an odd noise coming along the road, that I soon realised was the sound of horses hooves on the road, and as I looked across a Horse ( or maybe a pony- I don’t know the distinguishing characteristics!) came full on, galloping down the main road heading into Fankerton. White, it had a saddle on its back and was trailing various straps along the road behind it. I wasn’t sure if it had thrown a rider ( no one was visible back up the road whence it came) or had it been pulling something and somehow got loose…. judging by the long reins it appeared to be towing. One thing was for sure, it wasn’t for stopping.
A cyclist then a car coming the other way heading up the Carron Valley stopped, evidently as they saw me looking down where the horse had gone. I confirmed with the cyclist that I definitely wasn’t seeing ( or hearing) things, and on confirming my sanity we decided the best bet would be to call the Police and warn them of the horse on the road. While I sorted this out, a Range Rover came by and the driver waved something to the cyclist, suggesting he was on the lookout for a horse. No idea if they got it or where, but hopefully there were no accidents.
Onto the water
The next surprise was deciding actually it was warm enough and settled enough not to need a jacket with me and spending most of my day fishing in shortsleeve order under waders. In April!
I did actually venture up here ( Carron Glen) last week and had a short time but the water ( initially gin clear) suddenly turned muddy brown and I never fished for that long. On arriving at the first pool on the chosen section in Carron Glen, it was evident the water was still carrying a brown cloudiness but was better than last time and never got any worse. I had explored up here pre season and felt the best chance to get access to this water before the trees get all their leaves rendering it unfishable, would be now.
Fishing through the first pool, I was about half way up fishing some pretty deep slow water with a French Leader on, very carefully and slowly tracking the flies down the run when I hit my first fish. My small double beaded nymph was too heavy for the flow, even though it was tiny, so I had just swapped to a small beaded caddis pattern on the point and an unweighted caseless caddis on the dropper. I had expected a fish maybe at the tail of the pool or near the head ( with the water being a little low maybe for the time of year and the recent warm spell) but nope, this was bang in the middle. A fish of about 9″ and quite chubby, no picture I am afraid as I couldn’t get the zipper undone on my waders pocket while holding the fish, having dropped my net and having to unhook the fish in the water.
I didn’t get any more interest here and was about to pick up my gear and wander up the glen, but noticing some nice pocket water that I felt was fishable under the trees, I decided to explore. I really wasn’t expecting to find fish in this habitat just yet.
Wrong Again!
The water was washing through the rocks faster than my caddis patterns could sink so I changed the point fly back to the double beaded jig to get down a bit faster and first cast had a good solid thump and a fish of about 8″ was the result. A youngster had seen me playing it and came over to watch so again no photo I am afraid! The excitement was clearly too much for him and as he headed back to his group playing with some dogs in the pool I had just vacated, I cast in again and right way another fish on the same fly a little further up in the same run of rocky water. A little smaller fish for the third one as you can see.
The Bow and Arrow cast was serving me well in this overhung and heavily treelined water. I fished through a number of pools and pots between the rocks but never encountered any more fish though had one or two offers that were quicker than could easily detect.
Eventually reaching as far as I could here I took a walk up further and though it was something of a Commando Assault course at times ( I was surprised at myself managing to get to some of the places I fished today) I fished a very fishy looking spot fringed with the high steep walls of the glen.
Prior losses
While I doubt many anglers try here, its a little challenging to access and the wading was tough to get across the river, I saw evidence of others prior attempts, as I managed to snag on someone elses bi-colour indicator hanging from a tree! Of fish though there was little evidence, I did see one rise tight in under the overhanging rock face but it never moved for my flies when I was finally able to cover the spot. Some of the water here was fast and bouldery, some slow and deep and would be better fished with an airloc indicator but I had left all non essentials with my bag to make wading easier, I will know next time!
With nothing encountered in this area ( which was kind of unexpected) and then seeing a proper Danica Mayfly lift off the water and fly right by me (I don’t think I have ever seen one on the Carron), it was just the one though, I decided that it was time to move on upstream.
The next section was a fair hike and I was feeling the heat I cannot deny by the time I reached the next accessible pool. While I was slow here the water I really wanted to try was downstream but would require me to cross the river again, and try get down the far bank. This was easier said than done despite it being narrow, as there is still a fair bit water coming down the river even after a dry spell like we have had.
I did manage to get across, then had the further challenge of getting up a high bank strewn with trees and bushes. Somehow I managed though wasn’t so confident I could get back!
I made my way down the relatively gently rolling field on the far side and after stopping to look at an apparently abandoned Quad bike, lying in the middle of the field with no one around, I headed to the furtherest pool I could get to. Right away I had a nice silvery coloured trout on a CDC Greenwell’s Spider. I had a few offers, insome of the holes and crannies in between the rocks, I saw the gold of a few fish as they came to the bugs but they were off before I had them on, they were so fast in the heavy current.
I did manage one more though I have to admit to foul hooking it! I cast into the water right above me, water that was barely six inches deep ( if that even) and was amazed as a fish came at the fly. I lifted and when I got the fish in it was hooked in the side not the mouth. It seemed none the worse for this and went back fine.
Hot and Knackered
By now both the heat and the exertions of the day were taking their toll and I decided it was time to head back. As I made myway up the long slow pool to the crossing point, I was pondering the fact that I had not seen any significant fish activity all day on the surface. No sooner had the thought entered my mind than unexpectedly a fish rose in the tail of the pool ahead of me. I could see no flies coming off and after a few minutes there was another rise near by, probably a smaller fish. I decided to re-rig for dry fly and give these a go. I tried a Snowshoe emerger but tied a very small nymph off the bend of the hook.
By the time I entered the water below the fish, keeping a big boulder between them and me so I didn’t disturb the pool, the rises seemed to have abated, and I waited a bit to see if any more would come, they didn’t.
I decided to have an few casts anyway but nothing stirred from the borwn murky looking depths and so I finally made my way back across the river and back down the glen to the car. Tired, hot and thirsty but having had a very interesting day of the unexpected.
