Fordhead Farm: The Fordhead Private Fishing Beat

The Fishing Map for Fordhead

Shown as brown lines on the map, the area of waterways that make up the Private Fishing at Fordhead can be seen. All of this land is owned by Fordhead and offers exclusive fishing in the small Boquhan Burn to the south or the larger River Forth.

Boquhan Burn

The Fordhead stretch or the Boquhan Burn starts at the small bridge under the A811. From there it meanders through the field until it passes between the buttresses of the railway bridge near Kip pen Station (now removed). On the other side, it makes its way to an old stone bridge, a beautiful structure that is unfortunately subsiding (due to eroded foundations). The section on the other side of this bridge finally enters the River Forth to the east of the B822 road bridge.

The River Forth

From the west, the fishing on the River Forth begins on either bank from the corner at Wester Frew Farm. From here it follows the river east, under the road bridge on the B822, past the site of the old road bridge and the inflowing Boquhan Burn to the Fords of Frew - the shallow stretch that passes Fordhead on the southern bank. From the bend at the end of the Ford section, the fishing is from the bank nearest the road and runs all the way to the corner at the Frew Toll.

In the summer months in dry periods with low water levels, access to either bank of the Boquhan Burn is easy - just wade across the shallows between the pools. On the Forth, it will be possible to wade across on various places throughout the length of the Ford Section. Elsewhere is not recommended and safe crossing should be made from the road bridge.

Out with the summer months, the river levels are normally much higher and consequently flow much faster and deeper. We would advise using the various bridges to cross the rivers safely during this time.

Views of Boquhan Burn

This photograph shows the Boquhan burn as it emerges from under the road bridge on the A811. The water is crystal clear, with a reddish brown tint from the peat-rich upper reaches high in the Gargunnock Hills.

This colouration is a boon for the Brown Trout that inhabit the burn, making them all the harder to spot as they dart around from pool to pool.

Sun glasses with polarised lenses can make trout watching more productive as the reflections of the sky and surrounding vegetation can be eliminated from your view.

A perfect pool for Brown Trout, its only a matter of time before a rising fish is spotted.

The tell-tale rings can be seen just above and to the right of the partially submerged wood. Feeding Trout pluck fallen insects from the surface of the water and create the ring ripples .

Further downstream, and yet another ideal pool for Brown Trout.

The vegetation on both banks provide excellent cover as well as a potential source of food in the form of insects that fall from the plants. The overhanging bushes cast welcome shadows that disguise the presence of the fish.

If you are lucky, you might spot a Heron standing completely motionless amid the vegetation, patiently waiting for the Trout to show themselves. The accuracy and speed of the striking Heron is amazing to see and usually results in a fresh Trout meal.

This gravel foreground would be an easy place to cross the burn without causing too much alarm to the fish who are extremely sensitive to noise and vibration.

Here is a shot from under the old bridge showing the hanging metal railings, designed to prevent cattle from using the burn as a means of passage between the fields on either side of the bridge.

Fallen stones from the bridge can be seen in the burn.

This section of the burn is particularly fast-flowing and feeds into a large deep pool some 30m ahead.

Views of the River Forth

The River Forth beat begins at the bend below Wester Frew Farm on the right hand bank, and a little further upstream on the opposite bank.

The river here is slow-moving and fairly deep. The bankings are lush with vegetation and care must be taken when approaching the edge of the river. Livestock will mow the banks down if they are present, failing that, they will be left to grow naturally. Current Government Legislation encourages areas (like river banks) to be left to grow unchecked. This is hoped to encourage wild life to flourish and help re-establish threatened species. The abundance of wild flowers is the first obvious sign that the scheme may be working.

This photograph was shot from the road bridge over the B822.

This is the view from the other side of the bridge, facing east.

The turbulent area in the foreground marks the site of the original single-span stone bridge. The approach roads to either side are still evident further up the banks. At low water levels (lower than in the photograph) a gravel bed is exposed on the right side and large stones from the old bridge protrude through the surface to the left creating fast flowing rapids.

The rapid area feeds into a deep pool which gets progressively shallower as it nears the corner. This is where the Boquhan Burn joins the Forth and from this point on, the character of the riverbed changes from mud and sand to an expanse of smooth stones and gravels - the famous Fords of Frew.

This photograph is further down stream, looking back at the corner where the burn joins the river.

The river is extremely shallow here and it is easy to cross during the low water levels of the summer months.

A mixture of sand, gravel and stones, the river bed is ideal for Brown Trout, Sea Trout and Salmon and this is the most productive stretch of the river for fishing with the fly.

Bait fishing and the use of lures produce better results in the pools and slower moving regions.

The same position as the photograph above, but looking downstream again.

Ahead is the actual Ford as cited in many historical documents and marked by a milestone on the southern bank. The crossing is just as easy on most of this section, but there is a possibility that in earlier times, the riverbed was slightly different from that of today and the original crossing point was superior to any other spot.

Just below the original Ford and further up the banking, the shallow region continues down stream to the far-away corner.

A sandy bank on the inside of the corner marks the beginning of the end of the shallow Ford region and the river reverts back to the slower moving deep nature that is seen on the west side of the Fords.

The fishing continues along this inside bank all the way to the corner at the small cottage known as the Frew Toll.

Some Ground Rules

Fishing at Fordhead is available exclusively for those who have rented accommodation from us.

During the appropriate seasons, Trout, Sea Trout and Salmon may be caught in the Fordhead waters using fly, lure (spoon or spinner) or by bait - using worms or maggots only. Undersized fish should be handled with care and returned to the water.

Course fish such as Pike, Perch and Eels may be caught using bait (worm or maggot) and lure (spoon, wobbler or spinner). The use of live fish as bait is strictly prohibited.

It has to be remembered that Fordhead is a working farm and the following points should be remembered at all times.

1. Always make sure any gates are properly closed behind you.

2. Don't leave fishing line lying around, especially nylon monofilament. This can cause a horrible death by strangulation to wildlife, particularly birds. Farm animals may also suffer from careless disposal of fishing line. The same care should be taken with hooks and other items of tackle.

3. Please do not climb over fences as this tends to weaken them, use the gates instead.

4. Be wary of hidden obstacles in the overgrown areas, and be very careful when approaching the edge of the bank.

5. Don't risk crossing open water when the levels are too high, always use the bridges*.

6. Please don't litter the banks, apart from the fact that it spoils the beauty of the area, livestock will often eat polythene bags and the like and may die as a result.

7. Pay special attention to the safety of younger children - don't allow them to wander off on their own.

8. Be aware of where others are when casting, especially when fly fishing.

9. Avoid casting near overhead power lines.

* Use of the old stone bridge is entirely at your own risk.