The River Carron
This is the smaller of the two Stonehaven rivers, rising on the Hill of Bogjurgan at MR 756848 and then flowing south-east and east via Newmill, Carmont, Tewel Farm and Fetteresso Castle before entering the town and flowing to sea at the shore known as the 'Backies' at MR 876856. For many decades this burn was fished without any form of legal right, but in 1995, having researched the ownership of fishings throughout its length, we secured a Crown Estate lease on its salmon fishings on both banks from source to sea.
The Carron has far superior spawning gravels and juvenile habitat than the larger Cowie, although the latter certainly beats it hands down for good pools. Nonetheless, the Carron does attract a decent run each year of seatrout and one or two grilse. Its main problem has lain in the historic existence of several severe obstacles to upstream migration and the club is actively addressing these. For example, a steep concrete weir at the Green Bridge footbridge in the town was replaced in 2002 by the Council at the club's request, with a series of low stepped plunge pool waterfalls and these have already allowed effortless fish passage.
This wee river supports remarkable numbers of immature parr, and most certainly has considerable angling potential for mature fish, which the SDAA intends to continue enhancing. In 2002, following several years of club negotiation with the Scottish Executive and other agencies, Bear (Scotland) Limited inserted a baffled fishpass at the culvert which carries the Carron under the A90 dual carriageway, once an almost insurmountable barrier to migratory fish passage.
Further upstream at Tewel Ford, a concrete ramp crossing which was built there several years ago without angler input, resulted in a serious obstruction to fish ascent. However, it is to be improved in the near future, with a proper form of bridge to replace the debris-prone piped concrete ramp there to allow fish to pass unhindered underneath. Although it is regarded as something of a learning ground for young anglers, the Carron can produce a few nice migratory fish each year, especially if visited in spates towards the season's end.