Stillwater · Peat · Stirlingshire, GB-SCT

Carron Valley Reservoir

Carron Valley Reservoir venue image

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

Fair · Trout
Minkie · 6-10
Fairlive now
Reasonable autumn fishing likely at Carron Valley Reservoir
Useful ripple, fishable wave. Worth a session if the wind holds.
64% confidence

Carron Valley Reservoir is often best in spring through autumn.

What moved it
  • WindE 26 km/hModerate breeze
Today's fly
Minkie
Minkie6-10
Retrieve, sub-surface
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Wind
Moderate breeze
E 26 km/h
N
E
from the east
Wave60 cm wave
Water temp16.0°C
Air temp16°C
CloudBroken
Pressure1010 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

No gauge on this water — readings are regional estimates from weather, not a live gauge.

Head to
Wind driftE wind
Eastern end

An easterly has held for most of a day, running colder than the water (10°C air against 16°C water). The end it blows into is taking that chilled surface water, so try the sheltered eastern end instead — off the back of the wind, where the undertow returns food along the bottom. That chill sits in the top of the water, though, and the bed is slower to feel it — on a bottom bait it is the undertow, not the temperature, that puts you at this end. Treat it as a tiebreaker between good swims rather than an override — features and angling pressure usually count for more.

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

Watch for Sedge towards evening — this could be the best window of the day.

Bank, sheltered shores

In wind, bank fish the lee shore — boats can anchor in productive areas if conditions allow.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 2 guilds as a supporter.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 5 as a supporter.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Through the year
0–3 scale · September highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
1
Reservoir BuzzerHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
2
Daphnia SwarmHatch
2
3
3
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
60%
Cloud100%
Wind30%
Temp60%

A reasonable day here, though wind isn't quite in the sweet spot.

Fishing better nearby · 5
River Carron (Stirlingshire)
13 km
83
Brown trout
Wellsfield Trout Fishery
5.0 km
Brown trout
Swanswater Fishery
7.0 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
Loch Coulter Reservoir
8.0 km
Brown trout
River Devon
11 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 (windy) are not ideal for this water.
  • Cloud cover (cloud) suits the fishery well.
  • Buzzer is in its seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
  • Reservoirs of this kind fish well at this time of year.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 1 April → 30 September
Related guides
Scotland Playbookloch & river fishingBig Stillwater Playbookreservoir tacticsReservoir Entomologymatching the hatch
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts