The River

The R. Carron running out at Bonar Bridge is a small highland salmon river draining the eastern flanks of several Munros.

The Fishings

The let fishings stretch from the Glencalvie Bridge downstream for 6 kms. Half of this length is double banked. There are 2 reaches. The top beat is from the Glencalvie Bridge to the Blue Bridge at Amat on the left bank and from Corner to Blue Bridge on both banks. The bottom beat runs from the Blue Bridge down to Braelangwell on the left bank and to Gruinards on the right bank.

From and including the Corner pool, Amat own both banks all the way to the end of the Dick pool. Lastly, Amat own a section of the right bank from the Bo Bahn pool to the Gruinard March at the stone wall and burn running into Charlie’s pool. The river is significantly wider here.

Historical Background

In Edwardian times Glencalvie was owned by Mr Perrin of Lea & Perrin Worcester Sauce fame. The family arrived for a stay from Ardross Castle on surely the longest private tarmac drive in Scotland.

Approaching the 20C, Amat had been owned for several hundred years by the Rosses of Pitcalnie, head of Clan Ross. The last male Pitcalnie chief and his wife are buried under a simple stone monument on the Claggan (Lady’s Grave Pool).

By Perrin’s time, Amat had passed to a giant Boer, Francis Gervers. He spent years prospecting for diamonds, found them at Kimberley, married the girl behind the next tent flap and became head of the prestigious diamond syndicate in London’s Hatton Garden.

Gervers and Perrin no doubt knew each other. Co-operation has always been good to the advantage of both estates. The Glencalvie road bridge was thrown across to the Amat bank to give Glencalvie access to Croick church and the Ardgay and Bonar Bridge areas. The Amat end of the bridge has recently been re-engineered to allow use by today's huge lorries.

The Gervers with their peke

Sporting development at Amat and Glencalvie was helped by the arrival of the railway at Ardgay, for a time the most northerly railway terminus of the iron road. Glencalvie, with substantial hill acreage, majored on stalking. Amat with more river bank, developed the fishings. The pools from the falls down to the bridge are all named after Amat personalities.

Season

Salmon arrive after snow disappears from the local hills. My late father in law, Vernon Holt (VHH) reckoned the water had to be 43°F for three successive days before spawners ran up to Amat water. Usually that occurs in the last few days of April but can be a week either side.

The river season currently closes on the last day of September although there are plenty of edible fish about at that time and indeed the day of September 30th has been known to be the most prolific week’s fishing of the whole season. A double digit catch that day included the largest fish ever caught on Amat with the last catch, over 33 lbs.

Area fishery board management slavishly adheres to season dates brought in to aid netting of stocks to help feed the army in 1916.

Despite widespread adoption of Catch & Release and the market need for weekly lets, this board management insists on a fixed closure date of September 30th, preventing weekly Lets. Run timings are acknowledged to have gone back since 1916 and no commercial quantity catch is now made before March.

The inability to respond to changing run timings or tailor season dates to market needs and community employment is frustrating. It ensures reduced income as overheads and the desirability of more sophisticated management increases.

Description of the Fishings.

General. The river is small and so are the majority of the pools. It is well worth fishing each right through. A couple of casts and then take a step forward is the rule I was taught. Favoured taking places often vary with water level.

The whole reach abutting Glencalvie can be covered from one bank with short casts.

From the Corner the river is wider. It can be covered from one bank but that’s a pity, when owning both, particularly where a false cast down one bank, in order to reach the other, easily disturbs fish which might otherwise take.

The Glencalvie Bridge pool is one of the very few high water holding pools on the river and has been known to yield a dozen fish in an hour just before dropping water levels allow fish to migrate upstream again.

It fishes well from the Amat left bank with short roll casts, right down to where the bank path fades out.

There is a pool or rather small reach called The Stables a short distance below the Bridge pool. Only really fishable by young men and mountain goats; a retired General, sent to fish here, returned slightly rattled stating, “I was an Engineer, not in the SAS”. So few attempt The Stables that fish are perhaps more interested in the fly than elsewhere.

From the beautiful Belle McKay pool to the Garvault March burn, fishing is best from the Amat side, as the bank is so much lower.

This area is the prettiest fishing with a chance to see otter and pine marten close to the tree lined banks.

I particularly like The Meetings. Probably the Glencalvie crofters came across the river here en route to the Croick Church graveyard in the 1850s clearances.

Simon's Flash - a new pool

A good example of “thinking fish” and wiping the eye of long-casting stereotyped ghillies. Simon, aged 15, was told to lose himself by fishing down from Shimmy’s to Corner. After 300 yards of hard wading he sat on a rock before calm water 100 yards above Corner, idly casting. He hooked one fish but lost it and then caught another. That evening his father lost three fish in the pool but lost and landed fish two days later.

From Shimmy’s, walk down the left bank to where you see the flattish water. Enter the pool down a small shute. Fish lie at the very head of the pool possibly while contemplating the rough water ahead, so cover this well. The wading is bad, as there are many large round stones and deep holes, so take care but fish the pool right through.

At the tail when the stream is mostly on the right bank there is a stone, just under the water by which grilse lie on the right side. A cast under the tree often creates interest as it passes over the stone. Fish have also been caught just in the rough water towards the right bank.

A good reason for taking time in this pool is you can observe the run above the Corner Pool where, if a fish is seen, it is worth fishing.

Casting

Short casts offer the best chance usually close to the white water near the head of the pools. In medium water, the tail sills are productive but, as with the whole Amat beat, fish can be taken anywhere.

Best angling technique is a short line cast between right angles and 45 degrees across the stream, allowing the fly to work its way down and across the fast moving current. Always be prepared to use a slightly larger or more heavily dressed fly in the white water.

The Double Bank Fishings Corner to Dick inclusive

The river widens where Amat own both banks from the Corner Pool. One can park a car on the road and walk down or a 4x4 can drive one to this and the Rock, Lady’s Grave, and Vernons pools.

Long casting is still unnecessary and it is particularly important to avoid a false cast down the bankside as I have seen fish take on the strip on many occasions when the angler eschews this technique.

I often think that Vernon Holt was influenced to leave the Spey in 1945 and buy Amat precisely because less macho effort was required. Avoid being in too much of a hurry to start the next cast.

The Icelandic technique of stripping with very small, inch or two draws at a time, can yield results. In any event, draw the fly slowly up your bank side as a fish will often be following it and strike “on the dangle”. In high water, fish right to the rim of the run-out for several fish are taken almost on the crest of the outflows.

The right bank comes into the picture near the end of Vernons. Kates, Elizabeths, Jonny’s Pot, The Curve, and Garden Run can all be productive from the right bank with fish able to be beached in many instances to allow Release without need of a net.

These pools, with exception of Park (where fish are seldom caught from the Right bank), can be fished from both banks.

Adam Shaw caught his first fish from the left bank at the Garden Run on a very short line and his mother caught her last fish on the same pool from the other bank with an equally short line.

The big casting men hardly ever bother with either possibility, it’s such a small pool and needs really to be stalked with light tackle.

When we have two angling teams operating, the teams revolve at the Blue Bridge daily.

There is a conical stone just above the Garden bridge, almost at the garden end of the bridge. This is The Dukes Head. Ideal fishing water is when the Head is almost or just nicely covered.

The first pools below the Garden Bridge, Joanna and Kitchen Run, are usually fished from the right bank.

The next pool, the Temple, is a major pool and can be fished from both sides. I believe Temple gets its name from the original house privy, built at the head, just downstream from where water for the house was pumped out.

Things have moved on but there is still no mains water or sewage anywhere on Amat and the estate has a mixture of private springs and wells.

There is a tiny unnamed Pot just below Temple where my late father caught a fish. It fishes in low water and one needs to stalk in behind the obvious rock at its head and lob a wee cast over the top. I’ve watched a fish follow my fly halfway round the pool in the clockwise swirling water stream.

A Cumbrian friend, told me of stalking into a tiny pool on the Dionard. He induced a take but just as he thought he was in control the small grilse pulled like a tractor and then went off on land through the grass. Paying out and following, Timmy Rowley persuaded an Otter to give way, unhooked the grilse and got it safely back in to the river.

The Island, Boat and Manse Pools

These can be fished from either bank but from there to Barn (McNicol to Andy’s Bend) is best from the left bank.

Barn

Barn is a major pool and was a favourite of Vernon Holt. It is deep in places and the fish nowadays tend to run in following the right bank. This means it is well worth fishing from the right bank and recovering the fly slowly.

I don’t often fish specifically for sea trout but have caught them most often in Andy’s Bend, Barn and Long. The Junction with the Blackwater I find difficult to fish from either side but the Frenchman is productive from both banks.

Long

Next comes a tiny lie we call the Head of Long. It’s just opposite the carpark. A very short cast is thrown straight across to just past a rock in mid stream and drawn across the lie (best with a dibble fly skating on the surface) Then let the stream take the fly down and draw it slowly back.

I’ve had a lot of fun over these very few yards including two fish on at once, but that’s a yarn for a dram. Further down, where fish splash or, across under the rock on the right bank, never seems to yield anything.

Now the Long Pool proper, from just below the large rock in the middle. This maybe the best pool on the whole river and gets a pictorial mention in A. H. Chaytor’s wonderful 1910 book “Letters to a Salmon Fisher’s Sons”.

This pool really must be fished from both sides and I can give you an example of why. I have had the experience of raising a fish on several occasions near the head which simply would not take. I went round the other side and caught with my first cast over the spot, the slightly different angle made the difference.

When the level allows wading one can change the angle all the way down the pool. In good water with fish about, I defy anyone to get bored with this pool.

If it’s windy from the east go to the right bank for sure. If the wind is blowing straight upstream it’s worth starting at the tail and fishing up the pool.

50 yards up from the tail a few rocks create a squirl in the current. Like the first 50 yards down the pool, the area around the squirl is often deadly. But Long is all special and, I have seen 6 fisherman, 3 either side, having a ball. Below Long, there used to be wasted water all the way to the Church pool just above the road bridge but now a whole morning can be spent fishing this stretch.

Below is a copy of the Amat Fishings Map showing all the pools last revised in 2022.

Click here  for a large map in a new window (best viewed on a large screen).

Amat Fishings Map (2022)

Sandy’s, Dolly’s and The Craigs

Several years ago I made 3 new pools whilst engaged on deflecting the erosive effect of the spate slightly away from the Crofter’s land. The Pools are Sandy’s, best from the Left bank, Dolly’s and The Craigs equally good from either side.

The Church is easier to fish from the left side but can yield from the right too. The road bridge used to be a few yards higher upstream and the water between Church and bridge, still known as Upper and Lower Bridge pools, will yield fish from the left bank. Below the bridge, nothing is fishable until The Steps.

The Steps

The Steps is an important pool for spawners who wait until conditions allow them to ascend the not inconsiderable fall. In low water they can be spooked by the angler descending the steep access stairway.

One needs to start fishing half way down with a short cast across the main stream allowing the fly to come into the stream and then drawing it right up to the neck.

Eventually, from the bottom of The Steps, the whole pool can be covered to beyond the large rock in the middle left of the pool. Next, get onto that rock from where the pool can be covered with a different angle.

Campbell's Run yields fish at any point from the left side but care should be taken wading, the rock base is very uneven.

Dick

Dick, named after Gervers’ brother, is an exceptional high water pool which fishes well from both banks and can support multiple rods.

It was a favourite pool of Admiral Robson and is a continuing favourite of James Holt (JHH), who fishing here since 1946 ought to know – and he does.

Don’t bother to do much wading. The bottom is rocky, the fishing best in fast high water, salmon lie close to the left bank and there is a good taking point on the right bank just off the scree of loose boulders thrown off the field above.

Steps Pool to the March with Braelangwell at the end of Dick (LB) is a beautiful stretch where the water enjoys a degree of shade.

Bo Bahn

Bo Bahn is the first of those pools where Amat have solely the right bank. Braelangwell estate catch close to our bank, opposite our footpath down the bank. An Amat tree has come down above that spot and it is now well worth trying to catch from the same lie. There is a lie for us close to their bank two thirds of the way down by a patch of muddy bank.

Millers is a high water pool from which I have had little success except below the SEPA measurement hut. Anybody who can catch above I shall be keen to learn from. The tail where the burn runs in on the right bank is a prolific spawning area. Standing on these gravels in highish water, casting toward the substantial burn coming in on the left bank, always affords exciting sport when grilse are about and the river level up.

Shepherds pool in highish to high water fishes right down to the overhead electric cables, the fish lying just off the current two thirds of the way across. The last pool Elizabeth Holt did not appreciate she owned until I found a substantial boundary stone in the burn by the stone wall. It can yield sport in low and medium water states.

Summary

There are about 50 named pools on the Amat beat. In terms of catch numbers the Glencalvie Bridge, Long, Dick, Barn, Park, Corner and Vernons tend to yield most. But in recent years they have received the majority of attention from predominantly car bound fishermen taxied to their opening cast. The first is really a special situation pool. Go there when spate water has washed fish down from above and fish over them (maybe for a second time) just before they go upstream again. It’s always worth learning to monitor whether water levels are rising or dropping.

The Long is the great pool because it can yield fish in all water states as many as a 100 per season and the “takes” can really be anywhere . It is not a good idea to thrash the pool from one side only.

The Dick is such a good high water pool perhaps because it holds fish that maybe drop back from The Steps or are waiting to attack that obstacle. There are several rocky outcrops on the river bed and I’ve witnessed 3 anglers, two on the right and one on the left, presenting lures invitingly by use of the angles created by the different stream patterns.

Barn pool was a favourite with Vernon Holt. Fish again can be caught from either side. Swimming here confirms there are deep spots that will hold spawners so it is never a barren pool.

Park also holds fish in the deep water on the lee side of the big rock. Lying full length on that rock, l’ve eased my nose over the edge to watch fish holding effortlessly on the downside. Dangling my car keys into the water they were attracted to the moving silvery gleam but when they became aware of me they just gave off bubbles and, like U-boats, sank further into the depths.

Swimming in this pool is reserved at anytime to Amat guests. I made a track to allow vehicles down to Park but we do ask that they stay out of sight of the principal view we enjoy from our picture window.

Corner gets massive exploitation pressure from the car born brigade. There is a substantial upstream current on the far bank which means it fishes poorly from that side. Because of this back current, fish may be lying head toward the sea. Certainly, many takes are from casts where the line lands in the fast stream at ones feet bowing the line immediately and causing the lure to start by coming across and maybe moving a hair upstream. Vernons was made by Vernon Holt to make use of an otherwise barren reach. The biggest fish ever caught at Amat was taken in this pool several years ago with the last cast of the season.

I hope these general comments are useful. I find that each long term Amat angler has his own favourite pool, technique and story to tell. My overall impression is that the Carron at Amat and Glencalvie rewards those who think fish, use the lightest tackle and shortest cast that does the business. Being basically a shallow river it is important to be prepared to change the line and leader to find the best height for the fly to fish. In warm water, the fly that scoots across the top of the water, or bounces on it, often induces a rise.

Ghillies

When my mother in law, laird here for the thick end of 50 years, entered a nursing home it rapidly became clear that she was not going to visit her beloved Amat again. Her Scottish property was put in to the hands of the court in Edinburgh. The court appointed a Curator Bonis, the redoubtable Bill Galleway. The court wanted the property sold which Bill estimated was costing the old lady £50k pa in 1980s money. So, I became involved in the management faced with the options to sell or remove those overheads. The resident ghillie was close to retirement and with no more than a 20 week angling season or any recognised stalking, no new appointment has been made since. I like now to approve any sub-contract ghillie and have a little list.

For a number of years, when I came to The Manse for family holidays, we used to get a local to ghillie on the Monday to show guests the water. But, most commonly, established fishermen and those who have been coming over the years, prefer to do things for themselves. To-day, we look for a local highlander if the Tenant wants to take on a ghillie. Steven Mackenzie now head ghillie on the Oykel started his ghillie experience as a young pair of hands at Amat.

A special favourite Amat ghillie for me was dear old Jack McNicol. Jack never said a rude word about guests or family. On the Long pool, one of the few pools where the macho mighty casters can show their skills, Jack avoided huge long casts involving a false cast close to the bank.

Jack knew fish were likely to lie close to the bank and easily disturbed. When there is ice on the edges of the river one can see the current on Long goes down the middle. Jack would have us just cast toward the centre, let the fly swim naturally round to the bank and then recover it slowly. We would frequently hook a fish that had been following the lure for some time. I can remember standing in shallow water and a fish coming right to my feet, still following the flee. And, in a big river, I can remember 3 rods either side of Long catching 13 fish before lunch with no-one interfering with anyone else and everyone catching. Short lines catch fish at Amat was Jack’s creed. When one owns both banks why try to catch something on the other side? My late father in law would agree with that.

He came from Spey to buy Amat and appreciated the easier, safer wading and indeed the ability to cover to midstream without rubbers up to the nose. His favourite technique was to use a long rod, stay out of the water and stalk a fish like a trout fisherman, making sure his shadow did not fall over the lie. If you don’t employ a ghillie, and even if you do, as the ghillie cannot be expected to swim across to chums on the opposite bank, it is a good idea to fish in pairs and keep a check on each other. Sara and I do that. In addition I keep the old dog with me and she has the whistle. When I see Petra prick up her ears and then shamble off I know it’s time to reel in and go help.

First ever salmon

For a first ever salmon we present a bottle of champagne. Mine was caught in the Park pool. I’d gone out before breakfast with a, none too wonderful rod, belonging to the daughter of the house. I had a single hook Blue Charm fly and no Net. Tempt fate and what happens? I got into the fish just when it was time to go in and knew not what to do.

I particularly didn’t know how much strain I could afford to exert to control events. As a consequence, the inconvenient critter went behind the large rock at the head of the pool and without waders or a net I got into the water and went after it.

Some time later and wet everywhere I put my fingers into its gills and lifted it onto the bank. (I didn’t know about tailing). All I knew was the essential necessity to come home with evidence justifying failure to respond to the breakfast Gong.

As I came across the lawn Elizabeth Holt appeared on the flat roof outside her bedroom window and performed a jig in her nightie. The Colonel organised the fizz and sent me off with the ghillie after a change of clothes.

I caught my second fish at midday at the Corner pool. In those days ghillies wore smart suits and hobnailed heavy duty shoes. Not for them waders or getting wet, nothing like that. They were armed with a Gaff and all fish caught were despatched and belonged to the house. If you were lucky or deserving you were given one to take away in a Bass. I left for Yorkshire early that afternoon in my TR4, hood down. It began to drizzle and got gradually worse. But being on cloud 9 myself, I just drove faster to prevent it coming in. Happy days.

Flees, Casts and Lines.

40 years ago a Blue Charm on a single hook tied on with the Amat knot, with reduced fly dressing in summer water levels, was the fashion. Then Major Waddington and Janet took some of the water for several years. The triple hook Waddington tube came in.

Later the Willie Gunn pattern tube was popular, then Shrimps and Cascade patterns plus Colly Dogs, the latter stripped across the current.

All these flies still work, though Triples are now banned. I rapidly gave up on the Amat knot because of the need to pass the leader twice through the eye. I never fancied the double Turtle because, when changed, there is often a piece of cast still wrapped around the head of the fly when you come to use it again.

Being a lazy man I use an adapted blood knot. (Pass the leader thru the eye, twiddle the fly 5 times, pass the leader between eye and first twizzle and pull tight.)

'Jonny's Clinch'

My Fisherman’s Knots and Wrinkles” book tells me I should also push the leader thru the last twizzle too, but that’s extra work. The purists say the finished thing allows the leader to work around the eye so that the fly has a changing angle and I say “So what, the movement may help” The important thing is to see that, in pulling tight, one twiddle/twizzle doesn’t ride over another and that the knot has clinched the leader end.

To check that, I insert the hook into a convenient ring on my Barbour or the wood of the bench on which I am sitting and test it. The knot has never let me down so I ain’t changing. My advice is, choose a knot that suits you and practice while waiting for the soup to come so that you don’t fill up with the bread.

'Carrots' fishing

Carron is basically a shallow river so the lighter dressing on the fly in summer water levels is I am sure still very good advice. So, don’t throw away a dog eared thing, pulled several times out of the bushes; reserve it for low water work. Or, Partridge of Redditch make hooks in heavier and lighter wire material. Use flies tied on the latter for low water levels.

Nylon

Buy a new spool every year if there is any chance that sunlight has got to last year’s buy. Use a Biro to mark the year on the spool. Use 15lb breaking strain in heavy water, 8 or 10 in low conditions and 12 if you only want to buy one spool.

Lines

I avoid the full sinker. In many ways the false cast is used to get the line on the surface and the danger of disturbing fish ensues. The intermediate or sinking tip line is fine. Or, I have in a pocket a piece of sinking material and I add it to the end of a floating line. Or, I add a heavier fly and, if using a tube, I have a brass tube or one made with tungsten which is heavier still but does hit the water with a “PLOP”.

Banks

What makes Carron such a delightful angling river is the current. Falling close to 1000 feet in 20 miles the stream naturally works the fly. But when in spate and, particularly when the headwater Hydro operation works against us, bank wear can be very severe in places.

Elsewhere, in Canada for example, the manicuring that punters have come to expect on top Scottish rivers like Spey, does not exist. Anglers push through the natural scrub, get into the river put up rods and get organised on a convenient sandbank. They then catch fish hard by the bank edges where the vegetation naturally ensures lower current speeds and greater degrees of shade and security. Here, many pools can all be productive close to the bank. In recent years, when the preference has been to concentrate angling effort from the left bank near the car, I have done little path clearance work, particularly on the right bank. Now, I’m encouraging more use of the right bank by removing gorse and fitting better gates and stiles, to safeguard rubber waders.

'Ella' the terrier takes part in an inspection of the top of the Glencalvie falls after a heavy spate to check if any debris is blocking upstream spawner migration pathways.

Rod Numbers, Children and Families

At Amat the river can be un-fishable in a spate. When high pressure settles over Scotland, river levels drop so low that 4 rods can cover all the fishing. In high water, a dozen rods are unable to make the most of all possibilities. In considering the appropriate number of rods for 2010 I have taken into account that the fishery board have introduced 100% Catch & Release until mid June, 90% thereafter, with nothing killed over 7lbs so pressure on spawning stocks has been considerably reduced, providing C & R is carried out with skill. Board charges have risen inexorably and now reach £80 for a Returned fish.

In recent seasons a ghillie has caught approaching a quarter of the annual bag, upsetting my neighbours on occasion and significantly increasing overheads passed to tenants. I see a trend toward family hols. I like to respond to tenants private comments.

Considering all this, I no longer allow a ghillie to fish outside the presence of the tenant. I am allowing more rods but have a preference for encouraging children and family holidays. For those that can swim please be my guest in the Park Pool.

Although I naturally want to catch, I like too, the taking part, enjoying the picnics, the Amat forest, the garden, the bridge sessions, the golf courses, the beach and the chat.

I welcome your feedback and comments.

Jonny Shaw, Amat 2022

email:  info@amatsalmon.com

Carrots Fishing
(or never take the wife fishing)