Fishing at Cairnton

Cairnton Local Procedures

Dee Code Please click here for this year's version of the Dee Conservation Code.
Bounds The sign at the Colonel Pool, and the Cannie burn mark the limits of the beat. The Area around Cairnton House is private to the tennants. Please respect their privacy, using the paths to the top and bottom of the Cottage Pool and Run. For their part, House tenants have been asked to avoid the river's edge, so as not to interfere with the fishing. Please report transgressions to the ghillie.
Beats 2 and 4 rod weeks:
2 rods Colonel to Potters
2 rods Spout to the Mill

3 rod weeks:
1 rod Colonel to Hollybush
1 rod Cottage to Old Garden
1 rod Garden Run, Old Garden once then to the Mill
Change-over All move at 2 pm and 6 pm. During evening fishing, fish the beat on which you will start next morning.
Rod density By agreement with the other bank, we will both limit ourselves to:
1 rod on the upper Ferrch and mid Ferroch at any time
1 rod on Russel, Garden run and Old Garden
Canoes Cairnton has the dubious honour of possessing some of the best white water in the whole of the Dee's 80 miles. We can't stop canoeists, but we have given them license to Wednesday afternoons and Sundays in return for which we are left alone during the rest of the week. Generally they are most considerate, but there are exceptions; in the event of unreasonable behaviour, please avoid a 'slanging' match - do try and establish the club involved and report to the ghillie.
Tagged fish Some Parr have been micro-tagged, identified by a fin-clipped adipose; some salmon have been radio-tagged in the estuary, identified by a 'floy' tag. Please take careful note of the fin-clipped, and floy-tagged, fish condition before releasing. Give the details to the ghillie and there may be a reward from the research!
Bankside tracks We would be most grateful if, in making routine journeys to the Ferroch hut, you use the water-intake road.
Ferroch Hut We aim to give you a place for lunch by the river, equipped with heating, fridge, cooking, and basic hot drink ingredients. Paper plates, and cups, glasses and cutlery will also be provided. Please avoid wearing 'tackety' boots inside the hut.
Dogs Dogs of any sort are welcome, as long as they behave; sheep, rabbits, red squirrels, and roe deer abound at any time of year.
Water Safety The Dee at Cairnton is not especially deep (save at very high water), but the current can be heavy and the stones can seem like boulders; the red rocks can be especially slippy.
We do not offer life-jackets, but encourage fishers to use a wading stick, and commend those who choose to use a life-jacket.
Gyrodactylus The rapid, and international spread of the salmon parasite Gyrodactylus continues to be a concern. To help prevent its spread to the Dee, we ask all guests that have fished outside the British Isles and Ireland in the last three months to pledge that they have disinfected all fishing tackle according to the current guidelines.