Blue Banks

For the Salmon, Sea Trout and Brown Trout angler – Season and day rods available through the week Monday – Saturday. A Season rod allows you to fish Monday – Saturday throughout the season and it also provides you two day permits each season which you can give to friends and family. A gorgeous beat with fish in it and visible. Sea Trout fishing here is great fun, and there are plenty of Trout sipping away on the thick hatches the Teith occasionally gets. Located near Angling Active, the River Teith's Blue Banks beat is a must try for the Salmon and Sea Trout angler. The Blue Banks is an incredible beat, it has a lot of good water and it's the lowest beat on the river except for the Stirling Council water below on the Forth meaning that fish off the tide slow up here in the many deeper pools.

The Blue Banks beat is the lowest beat on the River Teith. The Teith meets the River Forth at Craigforth near Angling Active and Dobbies Garden Centre on the A84. To access the beat you are required to park at the old ruin called 'Heathershot' (see map) on the North bank which is accessible via the Carse of Lecropt Road which comes off at a junction near the church on the Bridge of Allan/Keir road (A9).

The Upper march, boundary, of the Blue Banks beat is marked with signage which extends from Ochtertyre down. The lower march is the confluence with the River Forth.

The fishing on the Blue Banks beat of the River Teith has historically been known as a prolific stretch river. Desalinating fish off the tide, a few resident fish in the deeper pools, and some lovely water for the fly and spinner. By reputation, the beat can be productive water from July on, as long as the water is not too high, and if there are grilse about. The Spring fish seem to bolt through if there is high water. However in Spring, Springers are caught in the Upper Teith before the Lower Teith every year, but they have to swim through the Blue Banks to get there. Timing is key to the Blue Banks success prior to July and that is why it pays to have a syndicate rod with the option of a day rod when conditions align. Sea Trout fishing in the evenings can be very good on the Blue Banks especially in the slower pools with undercut banks on the far sides and large structures created by logs. From the Upper March to Earns Pool. The Upper March, Ochtertyre, is accessed by walking upstream along the river from the car park. You will find a reasonably well used path along the edge of the field that crosses a low lying fence and a bridge across a ditch. A little further and in the trees are signs for the beats. Take the downstream path to the river and the marker signs on both banks indicate the start of the fishing. This run at the top is fast but can hold fish on the far side under the branches. The gravel is easily waded down. Don't wade too far downstream as you need to push back against the current and out the way you came. The little island may be a way out, however it is thick clay like mud and it is easy to get stuck. In low water it can pay to cross at the beach below the Blue Bank Pool, the big bend nearest the car park, and fish the bottom of this run. Fish hold on top of the gravel bar upstream for the viewpoint as you meet the river from the car. There are a few snags here so be careful. The Blue Bank Pool is difficult to fish from the left bank, however some anglers manage to find a place to drop down the high bank. The outside bend is very deep and full of logs. Best fished from the inside bend. As the river shallows and straightens out of the Blue Banks Pool, this is a great spot for Sea Trout. Access this via the path that takes you through the bushes and trees downstream of the car access. You will come to a gravel beach and walk upstream and fish from the bank above the gravel beach. No need to go in the water here. The next tight left bend can hold fish at the top, middle and bottom of the corner, Grilse will sit in the faster streamy water at the neck. The water on the inside of the bend is very deep at the tail, so be careful not to slide down the gravel bar. A lifejacket is recommended and a pair of polarized glasses to see the drop off. The river shifts from bank to bank and speeds up below this bend into a pool that has now filled in and moved to the far bank. A spinning pool at best. The Earns pool above the stile is fishable again by spinner in high water, possibly fly in lower conditions. From the Earns to the Confluence. This section of the river becomes very slow and difficult to work a fly effectively amongst the logs. The pool at the stile is excellent fly water with easy gravel under foot. It will provide great Sea Trout fishing as the river below has huge logs and structure which Sea Trout will sit in during the day and creep upstream from at night. The rest of the beat is spinning water due to the speed and unmanaged bank vegetation and slump, poached banks. The section at Angling Active's casting area on the right bank can provide sport as it starts to speed up again as the river narrows before the confluence.

• Having one of Scotland's biggest and best tackle stores right on the beat is handy for a few flies, lures and know how.
• There is a great cafe in Dobbies Garden Centre at the confluence on the right bank and next door to Angling Active.
• Bridge of Allan has excellent bakeries, cafes, hotels, B&B's etc for those wishing to stay on the left bank nearer the parking for the beat.
• The parking is limited.