Top 10 Trout Rivers in Scotland
Every fisherman will have his preferences, nevertheless here is the River & Green’s fishing guides’ consensus of the very best trout fishing rivers in Scotland…
1. The Tweed
Famed for its salmon, The Tweed and its major tributary The Teviot also provide fantastic sport for wild brown trout. Tweed is particularly good for dry fly-fishing in the early part of the season, around mid-April and during the evening hours throughout the summer months.
2. The Don
Perhaps not as prolific as it was, the Don still offers wonderful fly-fishing for really big trout in wonderful surroundings. Still justifies its excellent reputation.
3. The Clyde
The Clyde is easily accessible, cheap and reliable. Especially good in March and April. The fish are not fooled easily, but the river holds a good population of big fish. Also offers great grayling fishing in the winter.
4. The Annan
Another river with a famous for producing big trout. Tremendous dry fly water during the summer. Also has a prodigious run of summer sea trout.
5. The Spey
Perhaps an unlikely choice, but the fast flowing waters of the Spey produce very hard fighting brown trout. As the river is almost entirely given over to salmon fishing, there is little pressure on the trout. It is however essential to know which parts of the river to fish.
6. The Tummel
Pitlochry Angling Association controls all of the best that the Tummel has to offer. Like its neighbour the Tay, it is relatively heavily fished, so the trout are wary and the gin-clear water only serves to make things more tricky.
7. The Tay
Like the Tummel, the Tay is visited by a lot of trout fishermen. Like the Spey, you really need to know which parts of the river are worth fishing.
8. The Earn
The Earn flows relatively slowly through rural Perthshire. Reminiscent of the Don, the banks can be heavily vegetated. The trout can be very large and free-rising, especially when there is a touch of colour in the water – which is not unusual.
9. The Gaur
A personal favourite, the humble River Gaur is probably not very familiar to many Scots! This little river running between Loch Laidon and Loch Eigheach in the middle of Rannoch Moor offers fantastic fishing for mostly small trout in breathtakingly wild and remote scenery. Due to the terrain and remoteness, we would advise against fishing it alone.
10. The Dochart
And finally, another river which is much overlooked by the visitor, but cherished by the locals. Mostly smaller fish, except in some of the deeper pools. Excellent upstream dry fly-fishing.