-: Fin and Feather :- 1

08/11/2026

Season 2026

The 2026 season following on from the 2025 season which had been a pretty disastrous one probably the worst i have ever seen. This season 2026 which has just finished i feel is a bit more worrying we did have low water and for quite long periods but not to the same extent as the previous season, so the distinct lack of fish this season when the river was in a condition that the fish could run the river was very concerning.
Very early on back in January February March once again there was a real absence of kelts but this is not a new phenomena this lack of kelts has been on going for very many years but has been a very noticeable feature for the last 10 years or so.

The season for Cornhill got underway on March 5th when Howard MacIver landed a 10lb Sea liced Salmon in the Little falls pool. After that it was pretty hard going at no point during the rest of the season did their appear to be a good head of fish in the beat and running fish certainly were not showing themselves and this was proved to be the case as the beats upstream were in general reporting the same situation when i spoke to a couple of the Ghillies upstream.

Cornhill beat ended up with 56 Salmon & Grilse in the book for the season which is in my opinion is a surprisingly good catch for a two rod beat, certainly under the circumstances and conditions that prevailed in the 2026 season. Rods per beat tends to level and average out things a bit more and is a very important way to gauge what going on up and down a river system or on other fisheries.

CORNHILL BEAT 2026

SALMON GRILSE

47 9

********************

January 0 February 0 March 14 April 12 May 10 June 4 July 3 August 5 September 8

***

HEAVIEST SALMON
1 = 14lbs Clump pool
1 = 13lbs McKenzie Pool
3 = 12lbs Raven pool
1 = 12lbs Lairds cast
1 = 12lbs Clump pool
1 = 12lbs McKenzie pool

***

Man made global climate change BULLSHIT !

18/08/2026

Another week of practically unending propaganda in the main stream media about Global warming, Man made global climate change which is causing heatwaves. On the mainstream media a constant stream of propaganda. 1 MENTION A WILDFIRE follow up immediately mention the current heat wave and mention that every day seems to be the warmest day ever! show images & videos of the fire, interview local people interview fire fighters.

But very little follow up if any is ever done.

These are all follow up reports from the recent fires in August in the U K that mostly never get mentioned in the news as it does not fit their narrative.
Campfire remains have been discovered at the site of a large heathland fire that burned for five days on the Isle of Wight. About (22.2 acres) of land, was burnt during the blaze, which the National Trust said damaged “a significant area of precious heathland” firefighters found the remains of a campfire while tackling the incident.
A 29-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of arson after a massive fire destroyed homes in south Wales 32 properties were evacuated near Hazelwood Road, Newbridge, in Caerphilly county.
Four 14-year-old boys have been arrested on suspicion of arson after a “deliberate fire” was set on a mountain in South Wales. South Wales Police is investigating the fire that was set on the mountain near Pleasant Heights in Porth.
“A man’s been arrested on suspicion of arson after a fire in Kings Norton. “The fire broke out on Hillmeads Road shortly after 3pm yesterday, and a number of properties were evacuated because of it. “Thankfully we don’t believe anyone was injured but damage has been caused to some houses. “A man aged 55 was arrested on suspicion of arson endangering life and remains in police custody this afternoon.
Firefighters have tackled a wildfire they believe was sparked by a firework. Three crews were called to the blaze near Glebe Place, Tendring, Essex, at about 22:10 BST.
A 23yr old man and a 24 yr old woman were arrested for Arson for Goldenhill Stoke on Trent fire.

*****

The countryside does not just spontaneously combust, a natural event causing it would be a lightning strike or a volcano ( not much chance of that in UK)

What caused fires in Greece?

Cause. According to a senior climate crisis official, 667 fires were caused by a “human hand”, blaming either negligence or arson. 79 arrests were made as of August.

The severe Greek wildfires three years ago (in summer 2023) were predominantly started by human activity

Driven vastly by criminal negligence (such as burning agricultural waste or unsafe outdoor work) and deliberate arson. Greek authorities made over 140 fire-related arrests
Official Stance: The Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection stressed that more than 60 fires broke out daily at their peak, stating almost all were ignited by human hands through intent or carelessness.

An Overview by American national park authority .

Approximately 85% to 90% of all wildfires and forest fires are caused by human activity rather than natural events. Natural phenomena like lightning account for only about 10% to 15% of these incidents.
The countryside does not just spontaneously combust natural causes leading to fires are Volcanoes and lightening strikes.
We even had a wildfire warning alert put out over the phone, and god knows what that cost, just to hype up the global warming scam and keep it in peoples minds.
We had the constant BULLSHIT propaganda about the COVID SCAMDEMIC Now Climate crisis, man made global warming, net zero etc.

*****

Around 140 vehicles have been destroyed in a “complex” fire at a car park used by Gatwick Airport holidaymakers in West Sussex. Flames tore through Caldyne Business Park on Saturday August 22nd, burning cars and leaving thousands without power.

A 67-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of arson.

*****

May 18th Here we go again ?

18/05/2026

Try this before you get your Hanta virus vaccine.

************************************************

They will try it again because they were not hanged the last time.

********

A WEEK LATER WE HAVE NOW MOVED ON FORGET Hantavirus. ITS NOW EBOLA !

*********************

Week beginning March 30th. Graeme McPherson & party.

09/04/2026

Mon 30th. We had a big River today with the water level at 2ft 8 inch. Ernie Mackay had a good day landing three salmon at 10lb & 7lb from the Gledfield and a 9 pounder in Raven pool.Raven pool.

Tues 31st. River level today 1ft 10 inch Ernie Mackay landed a 10 lb Salmon in the March pool. Stewart Howie had a nice 12lb springer which turned out to be the heaviest of the week. Mike Skene got in on the act and Mike was delighted to land a 9lb Salmon in the McKenzie stream Mike also lost a big springer in the March pool.

Wed 1st River level 1ft 5 inch very quiet today heavy sleet and rain and bitterly cold at times.

Thur 4th. Thur 2nd The river level running at 1ft 6 inch. Ernie Mcackay landed an 8lb salmon in the McKenzie pool.

Fri 5th. Water level back up to 2ft.
Sat 6th. Water level 1ft4 inch.

Weeks total 7

********************

Graham & Ernie a salmon each

29/03/2026

A couple of pals were fishing on the Dounie beat week beginning March 16th. Graham McPherson landed a 9 lb Salmon in the Mrs Ross pool and Ernie Mackay landed a 7lb salmon in the Doune pool boyh fish were landed on the Monday.

Cornhill beats first Salmon of the Season

09/03/2026

Thursday March 5th,Friday 6th, Saturday7th. Ryan Bunyan & Howard

Thurs 5th. The water level was approx 5.5 inch in the afternoon the water level crept up a little. Howard McIver caught a sea liced 10 lb Salmon in the Little falls pool this got us off the mark as it was Cornhill beats first fish of the season.

Well done to Howard who had came accross from Stornoway to meet up with Ryan, Its Howards earliest ever Salmon Howard Ghillies up on Grimersta and they don’t usually get going till May.

My first cast of the season

17/02/2026

Just into another week of the fishing season and the conditions are still not great. We have not had any big water since way back just as the season started due to snow melt.

last week i fished for the first time this season on the Monday the 9th, the river level was running at 1ft 2 inch i fished for around 3 hours and nothing at all doing, I gave it a go again for a couple of hours on the Thursday the 12th and again absolutely nothing doing.

I was down cutting back bushes today and the water level was running at 6 inch.

Oppening day of the 2026 Salmon fishing season

18/01/2026

This season the oppening day 11th January fell on the Sunday so Monday 12th was the first day. With the thaw well under way the river was very big and unfishable, as usual i went over to he river but did not attempt a cast even one as the riverbanks were rock hard and absolutely lethal with ice so it was to dangerous with the big river. I did have my dram though.

A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE ALL BEST WISHES AND TIGHT LINES FOR 2026

12/01/2026

We had snow on Hogmanay and after that we had three further main falls of snow up to Wednesday 7th January giving us approx 1 foot of snow when it then froze hard, A thaw started on Saturday 10th and the snow is now disappearing fast.

***************************

END OF THE DISASTROUS 2025 SEASON

14/12/2025

UPDATE OF SEASON CATCHES ON CORNHILL BEAT 2025

last season 2025 at Cornhill we had a pretty disastrous season we ended up with a total of 23. = Salmon 11 and Grilse 12. I hope this this is not downward trend the fishing over the last 3 seasons has been very erratic with very poor periods changing quickly and fishing well in short bursts, and the runs are getting noticably more condensed into shorter periods.
Last season was very very dry so this did have a very big detrimental effect on the fishing throughout the entire season, but in the brief periods we did have water over the season it was very noticable to me that their were definitely fewer fish.
The biggest salmon caught were estimated at 13lbs McGregor pool, 12lb Little falls pool, & 12lbs Clump pool. So no big fish were seen or caught on the beat, i personally consider a big fish to be approx 18lbs and above.
The Cornhill total per rod ( 2 Rod Beat ) although it was disastrous it was by no means poorest as i am now hearing from other beats on the Carron. i believe i am correct at time of writing, Dounie Beat 13, Gruinards Glencalvie combined 25, further a field there are some pretty worrying dismal reports coming out form all over Scotland.
A couple of weeks ago I was out for a walk a few times to see if their was much spawning activity i saw some at various places up and down the river.

MY OWN PERSONAL SEASON

On a personal theme last season just finnished 2025 i had my own poorest catch for about 43 years, and this was also the least i have fished in over 40 years i landed just 11 Salmon / Grilse, and i suppose i cant complain of my average as unbelievably i only fished seven and a half days in the whole 2025 season!
The previous season 2024 i caught 61 salmon to my own rod and it was a pretty good season it was difficult at times but compared to this season just finnished it was very good.
And in 2023 season i managed to land 21 Salmon / Grilse in a week i hope these two recent seasons are not going to become the good old days.