Cruives - River Don

I had a few hours to spare on Monday as my car was going into the garage at lunch time. Snuffies and Benzies, two pools on the Cruives beat of the Lower Don were 2 minutes from the garage. I arrived at the pool around 10am and was shocked to see it was empty!!! This is a very busy few hundred yards of river here.

I tackled up and worked my way through the pool with a Sunray Shadow. The wing was about 6" long. Never had a touch. The water was in perfect condition, nice and low to hold the fish back from the big weirs situated at the top of the pool.

 The famous Crombie Mill used to divert the water to power it's machines so it could create it's world famous Crombie Coats during the 1900s. The mill also used to supply the woolen coats for the Russian Army. The mill soon out grew it's location and relocated to London where the Crombie brand is still making woolen clothing. Bit expensive for me though!

I carried on downstream to fish the pool called Benzies. Never had a touch here either. The pools fish best in a low water. If the water is cold that will also act as a temperature barrier for the salmon as you will see from my pictures, but you need to be there to get fish off the tide. I was too early and didn't even see a fin flicker. Lovely fly water but a little too busy to enjoy a days fishing, unless you like waiting in line for a cast. When I left around 12 noon there was about 8 rods sitting on the bench waiting for a cast. Here are some pictures of the pools.

Coming down the hill from the car park. Looking upstream towards one of the weirs that the fish have to get over on their migration upstream. In low, cold water like this, this will hold the fish back long enough to have a chance of catching them. Many will still get through but some will hold up in the pool below.

The fast streamy water flowing into Snuffie's. A cracking wee pool which produces lot of salmon every season given the right water conditions. It is not much cope in high water as the fish bomb straight through.

Another big weir at the tail of Snuffie's Pool.

Looking upstream from the top of the weir pictured above. You can see why this pool will hold a lot of fish when they have to jump the weir and a hundred or so yard round the corner they have an even bigger obstical to contend with! Salmo Salar is a remarkable creature!

Benzies's Pool. This is the pool below the weir. The deeper water runs just off the far bank so I would suspect the fish to be lying in that sort of areas. I don't fish here very often so not sure. Another lovely looking fly pool though.

One of many features scattered along the banks here. This area is steeped in history and is interesting to read about. All the information I got on the Crombie Mill was taken from posters and pictures on the wall of my dentist! My dentist is housed in one of the old stores on the site of the old Mill. My Grandfather, just like many Aberdonians, actually worked in the Mill for 30 years until it was closed down in the 80's.

A kelt. Not the Springer I was after, but it would have been a beauty last year! Out of proportion head, thin as a pencil and gills full of maggots. This was showing all the tell tale signs of a kelt. Hopefully better luck next time out at Middle Drum on the 24th March.