World-class salmon fishing on the famous River Spey
World-class salmon fishing on the famous River Spey
The world-famous River Spey is one of the most productive salmon rivers in Scotland. It is also the birthplace of the double handed "Spey cast", which is commonly used when fly fishing for Atlantic Salmon. The Spey is one of the fastest flowing rivers in the UK and runs through the heart of North East Scotland. Speyside is not only famous for its breath-taking scenery and fabulous salmon fishing but also for its whisky distilleries. There is a plethora of whisky distilleries in this region that produce Scotland’s famous tipple. Often, whilst you are playing a salmon on the river, you can taste the sweet smell of barley emanating from any one of them.
The headwaters of the River Spey originate high up in the Monadhliath Mountains. The river then winds its way through the beautiful Highland countryside, close to the towns of Grantown, Aberlour and Rothes. The river finally enters the sea at Spey Bay which is located by Fochabers. The River Spey shares many of the characteristics of a typical Scottish Highland river but is much larger in size, which can offer its own unique challenges. The water is often slightly tinged in colour, especially after a spate and this is because of peaty moorland at the headwaters of the river.
Discover Salmon Fishing on the River Spey
The Spey boasts some fantastic fly water and it truly showcases some of the finest salmon fishing Scotland has to offer. The vast majority of the beats on the river are private but there are a few stretches which are controlled by local angling associations. These stretches of water can give the visiting angler the opportunity to fish on one of Scotland’s most prolific salmon rivers at a reasonable cost.
The season on the River Spey commences at the beginning of February and runs through to the end of September. Salmon are regularly caught from opening day onwards. The spring season runs from February through to the end of May. In recent years, the spring run on the river has improved significantly, making it now one of the top destinations in Scotland to catch a spring salmon. During the early part of the season, it is usually the beats on the middle river (from Aberlour downstream) which enjoy the best of the sport. As we move into April and May, the water temperature usually starts to rise which encourages fresh fish to run further upstream in greater numbers. This ensures that beats located on the upper river begin to produce more consistent catches. The numbers of spring fish entering the river usually peak in April and May, making it a prime time of year to catch that hard-fighting Scottish spring salmon.
Best Practices for Salmon Fishing on the River Spey
Summer salmon and grilse usually begin entering the system from mid-June, with runs usually peaking in July. The Spey is famed for producing large numbers of grilse and Summer salmon which can provide some excellent sport for the visiting fly-fisher. It is usually the beats located on the middle and lower river which produce the bulk of the action at this time of year. Towards the end of the season, especially if the water is low, most of fresh fish are caught on the lower river. Many of the fish that enter the Spey in late August and September do not run too far upstream, making the lower beats around Fochabers particularly productive.
The River Spey is a truly special salmon river, and this is why anglers from all over the world return year after year. With some of the best fly water in the country, coupled with prolific spring and summer runs of salmon, it is easy to see why the salmon fishing on the Spey is truly world class.