Upper Blackhall

A prime salmon fishing beat on the River Dee in Scotland. The beat fishes 3 rods and has 15 named pools and it fishes equally well in low and high water.

Upper Blackhall is a prime salmon fishing beat situated 3 miles west of Banchory on the south bank of the Scottish Dee. The beat is productive and attractive, it has a beauty and tranquility. Surrounded by trees and forestry, it has a prolific abundance of wildlife and yet an absence of public roads make it perfect for peace and quiet. For further information please contact Simon or Venetia on [email protected].

05/08/2026

Another fine fish from Tuesday! 🥃🥃

Well done to Monty for catching this lovely 6lb fish out of our famous Corner Pool. 🎣🎣

We have rods available this week, so come and try now the fish are about.

Tight lines 🎣🥃

04/08/2026

Another lovely 5 lbs fish today from our Corner Pool 🎉🎣
Congratulations to Ben Richardson 🎣👏

Thank you to Jordie Sinclair for keeping us posted 💚

FishPal The River Dee

03/08/2026

Lovely 5 lbs salmon caught today in our Green Spout pool by Will! Congratulations Will! Will Shropshire 🎣👏

FishPal

23/07/2026

A few Grilse are now starting to show up here at Upper Blackhall.

Here is young Jack Skelton holding his father (James Skelton) fish from the Sandy Hole! Great angling James and great netting Jack.

We have also been told that there was a 5lb fresh grilse caught in Corner Pool, so why not come and give it a shot here at Upper Blackhall!

Tight lines 🎣🥃

28/06/2026

Congratulations to local angler Craig Murdoch, who landed our only fish of the week and our first Grilse of the season – a beautiful, fresh silver grilse from the Corner Pool. A fantastic reward in challenging conditions.

Craig’s success is proof that even in bright sunshine and low water, there’s always a chance. You simply have to be there when that moment comes.

This week also saw anglers travel from as far as Milan, with Andrea Annibali joining us for a guided day on the river with Salmo Salar River & Estate Services . While we couldn’t quite get one to the net, Andrea experienced his first two encounters with Atlantic salmon – enough to leave him hooked. His verdict? “I’ll be back.”

With the season moving quickly, we now have limited availability through to the end of summer. If you’d like to experience the river for yourself, check FishPal, email us, or send us a message to reserve your date before they’re gone.

Until then…

Tight lines! 🎣

03/05/2026

This past week brought an unusually varied mix of conditions, with what felt like four seasons in the space of a few days. Air temperatures exceeded 20°C earlier in the week before dropping to around 8°C towards the latter half. We also experienced a contrast in weather patterns, from clear blue skies on Tuesday and Wednesday to much heavier cloud cover as the week progressed. These rapidly changing conditions made angling somewhat challenging, both in terms of fishing performance and general time spent on the river.

Despite this, we were pleased to record our first fish since the beginning of April. Hans Edman landed a fine 9lb springer from Upper Ferroch at approximately 8pm on Friday evening. This serves as a timely reminder that it can be well worth extending efforts beyond the traditional 9–5 window. Many congratulations to Hans—an excellent fish—and best of luck for the remainder of the season.

Looking ahead, conditions for the coming week appear promising, albeit with cooler temperatures forecast. With stable water levels and improving clarity, there should be worthwhile opportunities for those keen to get out on the river.

Please do get in touch if you would like to arrange a cast.

Tight lines,
Angus

23/03/2026

Apologies for the recent gap in reports. It has been an especially busy and demanding spell, though it’s reassuring to feel things beginning to ease and return to a more familiar rhythm. 🪴

The week commencing 16th March saw very little fishing effort, and the river felt unusually quiet for the time of year. That said, Saturday brought a moment to savour, with an angler who prefers to remain anonymous landing a beautiful 8lb salmon from the Big Girnal Pool—a welcome reminder of what lies beneath the surface, even in quieter times. 🎣

The stillness carried through much of the following week until Saturday, when Kevin Fleming—known to many as the former Ghillie at Altries and Lower Drum—landed a superb 12lb fish from the Green Spout. Sadly, a camera mishap means there’s no photograph to share, but it was a fish well worthy of one and a catch to be proud of. My congratulations to Kevin. 👏

The lull in activity has at least allowed time to tend to the river itself. Much of the week has been spent clearing fallen trees and branches in the wake of the recent high winds—steady, satisfying work, and with a fair stack of firewood as a bonus.

There are, too, those small but unmistakable signs that the season is beginning to turn. Toads have been on the move—I was pleased to help one safely across the road—and the first daffodils are now pushing through, bringing a touch of colour and a sense of renewal along the banks.

We still have availability for spring fishing, and with the season slowly awakening, there is every reason for quiet optimism. Please contact the estate or visit FishPal to arrange your days.

Tight lines,
Angus 🥃🎣

01/03/2026

This week we had the genuine pleasure of welcoming members of the Aberdeen and District Angling Association (ADAA) to Aberdeen and District Angling Association here at Upper Blackhall.🎣🎣

The ADAA exists for a simple but powerful reason: to make quality fishing accessible. At a fair and reasonable cost, they open doors that might otherwise remain closed — giving local anglers, who may never have the opportunity to fish private salmon beats, the chance to test themselves against the river in a truly special setting. Their members fish hard, fish well, and above all, fish with heart.

And this week, that commitment was rewarded.

Congratulations to ADAA member Matthew Reilly on landing a magnificent 8lb bar of silver from our Scobboch Pool. A fish all the more meaningful given the pool’s history. Since the devastating floods of Storm Frank reshaped so much of the river in 2015, Scobboch has never quite been the same — often overlooked, rarely spoken of in recent years. To see a fish come from that water again is more than just a catch; it feels like a quiet promise. Perhaps this is the start of the pool coming back into its own once more.

We thought we were building momentum with a fish on Monday, but the river had other ideas. Unseasonably warm conditions brought heavy snow melt, pushing levels to over four feet and changing everything overnight. It largely stalled our progress, though there were whispers midweek of plucks and pulls — those electrifying moments that keep hope alive and lines in the water.

Looking ahead, conditions are shaping up beautifully for next week, and we still have some prime spring availability remaining. The fish are here. The river is settling. Opportunity is waiting.

If you’ve been thinking about it — this is your moment. Come and join us at Upper Blackhall.

Tight lines,
Angus 🎣🥃

22/02/2026

Week Commencing 16th February

The week began in proper winter fashion — cold mornings, frost on the banks, and a river that felt quiet and unhurried. ❄️ By the time I sit down to write this, however, we’re enjoying a comparatively mild 12°C. With snowmelt pushing through, water levels have risen and conditions have shifted noticeably over the course of just a few days. 🌤️🌊

It was another fairly quiet week overall, with the river keeping its counsel for much of it. Then, on Friday, things changed.

John Fraser landed a fine fresh 12lb salmon from the Big Girnal pool, followed shortly after by another of 8lb — a brace of quality fish and a rewarding end to the week. 🎣✨

Big Girnal is a classic “running fish” pool. Salmon seldom linger there for long, instead pausing briefly as they continue their upstream journey. 🐟 When fish are moving through like that, a take can often signal more than one opportunity. John’s success was a timely reminder that when you connect with a fish in such conditions, it pays to stay focused in and around that water — there’s every chance another may follow.

The river now sits higher than last week due to the ongoing snowmelt, bringing a touch more pace and colour as we head into the coming days. 🌊

This week we welcome anglers from The Aberdeen and District Angling Association who have secured rods here at Upper Blackhall. We wish them the very best — with the recent lift in water, conditions may well prove favourable. 🤝🎣

There are still opportunities to fish with us this spring, with availability remaining in March and April. If you’re considering a visit, now is a good time to plan — you never know what the river might produce. 🌿

Until then, tight lines. 🎣
Angus

16/02/2026

A quieter week on the river at Upper Blackhall — though not for lack of effort or optimism. 🎣

A handful of last season’s fish were brought to hand, each one delivering that fleeting, heart-racing moment that reminds us why we return to the water time and time again. Even a brief connection with a salmon carries the promise of what’s to come. ✨

After what feels like an unbroken stretch of grey, last week also brought a welcome return of sunlight — perhaps the first true glimpse of it in 2026. ☀️ The lift in both river and spirit was unmistakable, and it was a pleasure simply to be outside, casting under brighter skies. 🌿

With full rods this week and next, anticipation is building, and we look forward to seeing more fish moving through the beat in the days ahead. 📈

There remains limited spring availability at attractive rates, and we would be delighted to welcome you to Upper Blackhall for a day or two on the water.

Tight lines,
Angus 🎣

Address

The Stables, Blackhall
Banchory
AB316PS

Telephone

07919920508

Website

http://www.upperblackhall.co.uk/

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