Cairnton Beat
As the 'Home' of greased-line fishing under A H E Wood, the pools are perfect for fly fishing at any height. With well maintained banks and no obstructions this is 'carpet slipper' fishing at normal spring levels. As the water drops, wading is necessary. The rocks are round and slippery and a wading stick is useful. A bankside track extends to all but the last 200m at each end. There is a resident ghillie who also services the opposite bank of Middle Blackhall.
Being on the sunny side of the river, amid lovely scenery, out of sight and sound of any road and with tailored banks, the fishing is both secluded and most attractive. The considerable gradient from top to bottom gives a wide variety of pools, of great character, in both high and very low waters.
There are four shelter huts and two lunch huts along the beat. As Cairnton also owns the opposite bank of Middle Blackhall there should be no conflict with other fishers.
Middle Blackhall Beat
Is outstandingly attractive, secluded yet easily accessible, being only half an hour's drive from Aberdeen Airport. The beat, which accommodates three rods, extends to approximately 1.6 miles of single bank fishing and is 2 miles upstream from the delightful town of Banchory. A variety of pools, runs and glides provide excellent holding pools and lies in varying depths of water. This beat is directly opposite the famous Cairnton Water, on which Mr Arthur Wood pioneered the use of the greased line in the 1930s.
The beat extends from a concrete marker on the south bank above Douglas Pool, downstream to the Mill Rush Pool below Invercannie Pool. Although many of the pools can be fished from the bank, fishermen are advised to equip themselves with chest waders. There is a full- time ghillie, who is responsible for the beat who also runs the opposite bank of Cairnton but his services are limited to advice only from mid-July to end-August. There is a substantial timber fishing hut well sited above the Canary Pool. The hut is comfortably equipped and has a wood burning stove.
