Salmon Fishing Scotland 2022: These are 10 of the best Scottish salmon fishing rivers
Scotland is famed for its salmon rivers – providing anglers with one of purest and most exciting forms of the sport.
The country has almost 400 different rivers that have populations of the migratory fish, attracting people from all over the world to cast a fly or lure and try their luck.
The Atlantic salmon is a remarkable creature that live in freshwater as juveniles, but migrate to sea as adults before returning up river to spawn.
They are able to find their way back to the particular stretch of their native river where they hatched with incredible accurancy – sometimes even returning to a specific rock.
Researchers have found salmon that have travelled as far as 2,400km during their migration.
As a general rule, the salmon fishing season in Scotland runs from early February until late October, with a few exceptions (the River Tay season runs from January 15 until October 15).
Peak times for catching salmon tend to be in April and May and then from September to October, with spring salmon, or ‘springers’, particularly highly-prized due to the bright silver colour, which means they’ve only recently returned from the sea.
While some of the best fishing beats command hefty prices, there are bargains to be had from fishing clubs and associations that offer angling opportunities for locals and visitors alike.
Here are 10 of the best salmon fishing rivers in Scotland.
They are able to find their way back to the particular stretch of their native river where they hatched with incredible accurancy – sometimes even returning to a specific rock.
5. River Nith
Flowing through south west Scotland, the River Nith rises in the Carsphairn hills of East Ayrshire and traveles south through Dumfries and Galloway to the Solway Firth. Much of the river is available to visiting anglers and, if the water levels are just right, it can be one of the most productive rivers in Scotland for both salmon and sea trout.
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6. River Teith
The RIver Teith is formed from the confluence of two smaller rivers, the Eas Gobhain and the Garbh Uisge, that flow from Loch Venachar and Loch Lubnaig respectively. It flows through Callender and continues through Deanston and Doune before flowing into the River Forth. The Stirling Council Fishery beat on the river can be accessed by purchasing a permit, with the Bathing and Pipers Pools the most productive.
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7. River Deveron
The 60-mile-long River Deveron rises in the Ladder Hills, in the Grampian mountain range, flowing east through farmland and being joined by first the River Bogie and then the RIver Isla, before travelling through Turriff to the Moray Firth. The Deveron has a reputation as top class salmon river, with runs of spring, summer and autumn salmon. It is also where the largest ever fly-caught salmon (61lbs) was caught by the legendary Mrs Clementina 'Tiny' Morison on October 21, 1924.
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8. River Don
The 81-mile-long River Don rises in the Grampians and flows eastwards across Aberdeenshire, through Alford, Kemnay, Inverurie, Kintore, and Dyce, before reaching the North Sea at Aberdeen. The River Don salmon and sea trout season opens on February 11 and closes on October 31. The river is also famous for its sea trout and brown trout.
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