Blackwood

BLACKWOOD ESTATE RIVER NITH FISHINGS

RULES AND REGULATIONS Blackwood Estate is proud of the quality fishing that it is able to provide and these rules and conditions set out below are not meant to be exhaustive but should be taken in conjunction with all normal and usual fishing manners and behaviour. The rules and conditions are for your benefit and should not be seen as restrictions.

• Permits must be carried at all times and exhibited on demand to any water bailiff, police officer, keeper in charge of the water, the owner of the water or the factors. It should be also noted that only the person named on the permit may use the permit to fish the Blackwood water. This permit is strictly non-transferrable.
• Please note it is illegal to take, destroy or injure smoult, parr or fry of salmon including sea trout.
• Accurate returns must be made immediately after the 1st December by season permit holders or at the end of the let week or weeks showing the individual weights of all grilse, salmon and sea trout per month with the information being sent to the factors at 28 Castle Street, Dumfries, DG1 1DG.
• The water extends from Craigs Pool on the right bank only down to Lintmill Pool and from then on both banks down to the new Auldgirth Bridge.
• The estate owns the salmon rights on the left bank from the new Auldgirth Bridge down to the pump house but as this water is generally best fished from the right bank no attempt should be made to fish from the left bank.
• If any other individuals are fishing for salmon or sea trout on the left bank they should be challenged. Thus the Blackwood water is only fishable below the new Auldgirth Bridge on the right bank and extends down to the Rhoneside Bridge where the water goes across and runs down the left bank.
• THE USE OF PRAWNS AND SHRIMPS, EITHER REAL OR ARTIFICIAL, ARE STRICTLY PROHIBTED.
• The Main indentifying water height marker is immediately below the Old Bridge at Auldgirth and in some cases there are markers on individual pools. If the water is below the dividing line then only fly fishing is to be employed with the exception of Craigs Pool at the very top of the water where the height of the bank precludes fly fishing. In this pool spinning and worming is allowed at any time but again prawns and shrimps are not allowed. However, normal fishing manners should be employed so as not to affect individuals fishing on the other bank.. It is to be stressed that only when the water is above the dividing line that worm fishing and spinning is allowed on the other pools. PLEASE NOTE THAT WORMING IS NOT ALLOWED IN ANY POOL DURING NOVEMBER TO TRY AND REDUCE THE NUMBER OF COLOURED FISH BEING DAMAGED AND NOT BEING RETURNED TO THE WATER.
• Fishermen can fish the Forest Head and the Craigs Pool using any legal method at any time of the year.
• Vehicles may be taken along any of the roads or tracks on the Estate near to the river bank and particularly up to the small car park enclosure at the far end of the field above the Partridge Pool on the west bank where they should be parked neatly. Vehicles requiring access to the water above Blackwood House should only use the back drive to Blackwood House and not the front drive.
• AFTER CASTING, ALL FISHERMEN SHOULD TAKE A STEP DOWNSTREAM SO THAT THEY CONTINUE MOVING ON DOWN THROUGH THE POOL: IF JOINING THE WATER ALL FISHERMEN SHOULD ALWAYS COME IN WELL BEHIND SOMEONE FISHING THE POOL ALREADY.
• If fishing all day, the fishermen should spend only half the day on the water from and including the Bridge Pool South with the remainder of the day being spent above the stretch of the water. This is to stop individuals simply staying in one or two pools.
• The estate will be making improvements to increase the number of lies.
• Fishermen should familiarise themselves with the current conservation status category of the Nith and the ensuing rules around catch and release.