River Girvan

[crawuk]

Anybody fished the river Girvan? I read an article about it in Trout and Salmon magazine. Looks quite inviting. Wouldn't mind a bash at it with the single hander.

[storlaks]

It's the smallest of the main Ayrshire rivers and probably the least productive. As with any spate river it can give decent fishing given water but you have to be there at the right time.

Balirquhan Estate in the upper reaches can be productive in the Autumn. It has some nice pools. I wouldn't book in advance.

[elwyman]

I've only seen it in lowish water - it is very much a small spate river.

The Doon and the Stinchar looked more inviting to me.

[stoater]

Knockdolian Estate on the Stinchar always used to be dead mans' shoes, really top salmon fly fishing mid-Aug onwards. When I used to have a throw round there, the Girvan was well below the Doon by reputation, more of a lucky local's delight in an autumn flood with a bag o'worms.

[storlaks]

Some useful info can be had here:
www.ayrshireriverstrust.org/links.htm


I fish the Doon every year. Last year was a bid one. The Stinchar has picked up over last 2 years but it's still a shadow of what it used to be.

The bottom beat on the Doon can give some good fishing from Mid-July onwards.
www.doonfootfishings.com/reviews.asp

[builnacraig]

stoater said:

more of a lucky local's delight in an autumn flood with a bag o'worms.

Thats a bit harsh! The Girvan is a lovely wee river which can be very productive with a variety of methods. It will always be a spate river but it has a small spring run, and a good grilse and autumn run. There are quite a few beats selling day tickets, other that Blairquhan, which was featured in the T&S.

A lot of people are working hard to improve the Girvan!

[ibm59]

builnacraig said:

stoater said:

more of a lucky local's delight in an autumn flood with a bag o'worms.

Thats a bit harsh! The Girvan is a lovely wee river which can be very productive with a variety of methods. It will always be a spate river but it has a small spring run, and a good grilse and autumn run. There are quite a few beats selling day tickets, other that Blairquhan, which was featured in the T&S.

A lot of people are working hard to improve the Girvan!

I used to fish Blairquhan on a regular basis and a nicer wee bit of water is hard to imagine. Yes , it's spate river but being so high up in the catchment area it comes into condition very quickly after a flood and will fish long before the lower beats clear.There are new letting agents for the water now and I'm not so sure that it's so easy to turn up on spec and get a day ticket. Could be wrong though.