Attending a recent fishy seminar, I listened to the Tweed biologist, Ronald Campbell, always entertaining. "If you want to improve a fishery", he said, "walk round and remove all the man-made obstacles (at the height of the Industrial Revolution, man had barred migration to 40% of the Tweed) then protect the banks and allow vegetation levels to increase".

I spoke to a man from the Dee who said that if he fished in January he doubted he'd catch anything. But in early October, in warm weather, and with a beautiful landscape, trial fishing beyond normal closing date of September 30th, had produced catches of which 30% were fresh run. If we translate what we know to the Carron, then:

• Nothing or nothing much to catch in January as runs appear to have moved back.
• The children of fish Returned in the Spring are likely to be seen in the Deanich area.
• Up to 20% of Spawners up at Deanich may stray.
• Strays will re-colonise the remembered redds above Glen Beag if allowed to do so.
• Fish caught in October will probably spawn in the lower river and a percentage be fresh.
• Maximum fish numbers in a highland river are likely to depend on amounts of feed rather than spawning gravels.