Stillwater · Peat · Stirlingshire

Carron Valley Reservoir

Carron Valley Reservoir venue image
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A big, windy, half-wild reservoir sitting in the gap between the Campsies and the Gargunnock Hills, 25 km north-east of Glasgow.

Good · Trout
Kate McLaren · 12-14
Goodlive now
Reasonable summer fishing likely at Carron Valley Reservoir
Good wave on — drift country. Drift fishing weather — three flies on a long leader.
66% confidence
What moved it
  • WindSE 11 km/hLight breeze
Today’s fly
Kate McLaren
Kate McLaren12-14
Retrieve, in the film
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Wind
Light breeze
SE 11 km/h
N
SE
from the south-east
Wave20 cm ripple
Water temp—
Air temp14°C
CloudOvercast
Pressure1020 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.

How to fish it · for trout
When
Wild browns only — no rainbow stockies. Buzzers April through June at first light; sedges and daddy long-legs through summer; small black flies into October.
Where
Drift lines on the open water; weed margins on the bays; the deeper edges of points. Carron Valley fishes more wild than the southern reservoirs.
Method
Drifted team of three on a floating line. Buzzers in spring, sedges and dabblers in summer. Slow the drift with the drogue and fish each lane properly.
Kit
10 ft #7 boat rod, floating and slow-intermediate lines, 6 to 7 lb fluoro. Drogue and a long-handled net.
The plan
Plan A

Start with Marabou Damsel (8-12) — on the point. If that does not produce, switch depth or speed before changing the pattern entirely.

Plan B

If the main plan stalls, drop to a size 14–16 midge — switch to a washing-line or suspender rig and change drift line before you change food group.

Watch for

Buzzer may strengthen through the middle of the day as conditions warm.

Either bank or boat

Good ripple suits both bank and boat. Bank: work inflows, dam walls, and points. Boat: broadside drift covering wind lanes.

Through the year
0–3 scale · July highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
1
Daphnia SwarmHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Lake OliveHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
2
Silverhorns & LonghornsHatch
1
2
2
2
1

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Trout fly box
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
85%
Cloud50%
Wind100%
Temp100%

Conditions are ideal for Carron Valley Reservoir — wind, cloud and temperature all line up.

Other water nearby · 5
Wellsfield Trout Fishery
5.0 km
Trout
Swanswater Fishery
7.0 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
Loch Coulter Reservoir
8.0 km
Brown trout
River Devon
11 km
Brown trout
River Carron (Stirlingshire)
13 km
Brown trout
Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

A big, windy, half-wild reservoir sitting in the gap between the Campsies and the Gargunnock Hills, 25 km north-east of Glasgow. Fly-only. Wild and stocked brown trout. No rainbows. Carron Valley has the reputation of being a competition angler's reservoir, and it earns it — the Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championships are fished here most years — but the truth is that it fishes best for people who don't treat it as a competition at all. The fish average around three-quarters of a pound to a pound, with enough bigger ones to keep you honest. The wind is part of the deal; on a dead calm day you might wonder what you came for, and then the ripple arrives and the fish start moving and you remember.

  • Reservoir
  • Peat
Why this score
  • Wind conditions (ripple) closely match what this water fishes best in.
  • Temperature (cool) is in the sweet spot for summer fishing.
  • Buzzer is in its seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 April → 30 September
Related guides
Scotland Playbookloch & river fishingBig Stillwater Playbookreservoir tacticsReservoir Entomologymatching the hatch
Booking & contacts