First Grue Of Winter

There has been very little in the way of grue (small ice floes) in recent years but today the River Dee had the first grue of winter coming down. The River Dee usually gets grue most winters due to its shallow nature and well oxygenated water, however, grue has been all but absent in the past few years so it's good to see a "normal" winter occurrence for a change. Hopefully this cold water will continue and give the lower beats some much need fishing this spring.

Looking downstream over the River Dee in Aberdeen this morning.

Looking upstream from the same spot.

The last significant hard winter we endured was back in 2010 and it might just be a coincidence, but the fishing that year was the best it has been for a long time.Fingers crossed we get a real cold snap this winter and the fishing is back to something like it was a few years ago.

Looking downstream from the ADAA Bothy.

Looking upstream from the Bothy.

Thick ice along the banks of the river this morning.

Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year

I'd just like to wish everyone who takes the time to look in on my Blog a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Hope you all enjoy my blog and I will look forward to keeping it updated next year.

Tight Lines for 2015.

Even Santa Claus can't resist having a cast!

Winter on Royal Deeside.

Images From Royal Deeside Today

I had a few spare hours today so I spent them out and about on Royal Deeside taking photographs of the River Dee around the Potarch area. The river was in excellent shape sitting at around 2 feet on the gauge. It had a lovely colour to it, slightly peaty but clear enough to see the bottom in the shallower runs. Hopefully it will be the same next weekend and we see plenty fish caught on opening day.

I thought I would share a few of the photographs I took today just to whet the appetite of any fisherman sitting at home counting down the days until the start of the Salmon fishing season one week from today. It certainly made me want to get out there and have a cast or two!

The Deeside Way is a path which follows the river along the old Deeside Railway line.

The Potarch Bridge. Built by Contractors William Minto and completed in 1814 at a cost of �4067.

Walking over the historic bridge from the Potarch Hotel.

Looking down stream from the bridge into the famous Bridge Pool. The lower Ballogie fishing hut is to the right of the picture.

Looking upstream from Potarch Bridge.

A few hundred yards upstream of the bridge. Not sure of the pool name. Possibly Slips?

Looking downstream at a pool I think is called Flats.

Upstream a little further now to beautiful looking pool for fly fishing.

Looking downstream from the Borrowstone hut. Another cracking bit of river for the fly. Think this is called Sands?

Looking upstream from the hut. Really "fishy" pool I think is called Bend. I suppose that's why the hut is here. Has to be one of my favourite huts on the river. Full of character and the smell of layer upon layer creosote really adds to it's charm.

The stretch of river upstream of the hut looking towards Kincardine O' Neil. Again, looks a great bit of water at this height and I think this could be called Gannets.

A pheasant struts his stuff in a field adjacent to the Deeside Way.

A photo of the Potarch Hotel taken just before it closed for re-development in late 2013.