Destinations

The Highlands and Islands offer some of the finest salmon fishing opportunities in Scotland. They cover a massive geographical area north of the Great Glen. The Highlands are an unspoilt remote wilderness and offer a truly spectacular backdrop for even the most discerning of salmon anglers. The unique blend of stunning scenery coupled with prolific salmon rivers makes the Highlands one of the most exciting salmon fishing destinations in the country.

Many of the rivers in the Highlands are spate rivers and are quite small in size but big on character. These rivers include the Thurso, Helmsdale, Naver and Findhorn. Most of these rivers have an excellent spring run and fish are regularly caught from January throughout the course of the season.

The River Spey is probably the most famous and prolific Highland salmon river. It is, of course, the birthplace of the famous double-handed Spey cast. The Spey runs through majestic countryside with a magical whisky distillery never being more than a stone’s throw away. The River Spey is one of Scotland’s “big four” salmon rivers and is a truly wonderful place to salmon fish. With its excellent spring and summer runs of hard fighting fresh salmon, gorgeous scenery and of course a plethora of world famous whisky distilleries, the River Spey is a natural destination for many anglers that come to Scotland to fish for salmon.

Away from the mainland, there are also a number of islands around the north-western coast of Scotland, which offer excellent salmon fishing opportunities. The most notable of these are the unspoilt Islands of Lewis and Harris. The fishing on these islands is at its most productive during the summer months with July and August being prime times of the year. There are some famous and very prolific river systems on both Lewis and Harris, which allow salmon fishing not only on rivers but also on lochs from a boat. This traditional style of fishing can be very exciting and highly addictive. Salmon Fishing Holidays Scotland can arrange salmon fishing on several rivers and lochs on many of Scotland’s stunning and remote island locations.

Traditionally, the prime fishing months in the Highlands and Islands are between March and May for spring salmon and then again between July and September for grilse and summer fish.

As many of the rivers are much smaller compared to the rest of the country, they allow you to fish for salmon in a much more intimate setting. Usually, no more than a fourteen-foot rod is required and in low water often a single-handed trout rod will suffice. Often during the summer months, when the water is clear, stealth tactics using smaller rods and light tackle can pay rich dividends.

The Scottish Highlands & Islands are truly a salmon anglers dream. With bountiful salmon fishing opportunities, scenery that will take your breath away and beautiful places to stay and visit, your salmon fishing holiday in the Scottish Highlands will never be forgotten.

In the north east of Scotland, there are also a number of excellent salmon fishing opportunities. Rivers like the Deveron, Nairn and Don, are all prolific rivers in their own right. However, probably the most well known river in this part of Scotland is of course, the world-famous River Dee. The River Dee is one of Scotland’s most prolific salmon rivers and just like the Spey one of the countries “big four” salmon rivers. The river runs through majestic Royal Deeside, where some of the scenery and wildlife you can encounter can only be described as truly spectacular. The Dee opens in early February and produces fish throughout the course of the season. In recent years, the River Dee has not only produced fish during the spring months but also good numbers of grilse and summer salmon. The pools on the River Dee are made for fly-fishing and the crystal-clear waters offer their own unique challenge.

Through selected partners, Salmon Fishing Holidays Scotland has access to some of the most exclusive beats on the River Dee. This makes the River Dee and other rivers in the north east a very popular destination for anglers that come to salmon fish in Scotland.

There are a number of excellent rivers and lochs in central Scotland where salmon can be caught. Most of these make up part of the River Tay system. The River Tay needs little introduction in salmon fishing circles. It is mighty not only by name but also in nature. It still holds the British rod caught record for the biggest Atlantic salmon. This fish was caught in 1922 and weighed in at a colossal sixty-four pounds. To this day, the Tay remains one of the most popular salmon fishing destinations in Scotland. This is partly due to the large size of fish the River Tay regularly produces but also because of the excellent facilities for anglers on many of the beats. Over the past few years, the spring run on the River Tay has gone from strength to strength, with fish regularly being caught on opening day in mid-January. As well as having an excellent spring run, the Tay also produces good numbers of grilse and summer salmon. During the autumn months, the Tay can produce some big catches. Many anglers have had some unforgettable days in the autumn months, when not only large numbers of fish are caught but also large fish. The River Tay and her tributaries run through the heart of Perthshire one of the most beautiful regions of Scotland. This means that visiting anglers are not only fishing on one of the world’s most famous salmon rivers but also fishing on a back drop that can only be described as being breath taking. The River Tay truly showcases some of the finest salmon fishing Scotland has to offer and the lure of catching that fish of a lifetime draws people back to this great river year after year.

It is not only the main stem of the Tay that can be productive. Rivers like the Tummel, Ericht, Lyon and Tilt all make up part of the Tay system. Although smaller in size to the Tay, these rivers can be highly productive throughout the course of the season. In addition to the Tay’s tributaries Loch Tay and Loch Faskally offers the visiting angler the chance to fish for salmon from a boat.

Away from the Tay system, there are a number of other prolific salmon rivers in the area. Rivers like the Teith, Forth and North and South Esk all produce decent numbers of fish. These rivers produce fish from opening day in February through to the autumn months. On their day, these rivers can rival the catches of the mighty River Tay.

Apart from its prolific salmon rivers and breath taking scenery, central Scotland is very accessible by road and rail services. There are also two major international airports in close vicinity to many rivers in the region, with Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital city only being a short drive away. This adds to the appeal for many visitors and of course, no salmon fishing trip to Scotland is complete without having at least a cast on the silvery River Tay.

The rolling hills of the Scottish borders provide a beautiful but gentle backdrop to some of the finest salmon fishing in the country. Rivers like the Nith, Annan and Tweed, are all very famous salmon rivers in the area. The River Tweed is one of Scotland’s “big four” salmon rivers and is consistently the most productive river in the country. It is home to the famous Junction Pool at Kelso. The Tweed opens in early February and produces fish from opening day through to the end of November. Indeed, it is during the autumn months the rivers famous and much-anticipated “back end” run arrives in huge numbers. The Tweed is renowned for its prolific autumn run and fresh salmon can be caught in decent numbers form late August right through to the end of November. People from all around the world come to fish the River Tweed in the autumn making it a prime destination for many salmon anglers that visit Scotland.

As well as the main river itself, the Tweed has several prolific tributaries. These include the Till, Teviot and Ettrick. These rivers can be highly productive given adequate water and regularly produce good numbers of hard fighting fresh salmon as well as large Sea trout. Just like central Scotland, the Scottish borders have excellent transport links, making rivers in the region easily accessible to visiting anglers.