North Esk Scotland

One of the most-productive salmon rivers in Scotland.

How To Get There

A bridge on the main road between Dundee and Aberdeen A90 takes you over the river (Dundee 65 km, Aberdeen 55km), with the towns of Montrose, Brechin and Edzell nearby for accommodation.

Location Details

The upper parts of the river are best described as a tumbling Scottish burn (stream) with falls and deep pots interspersed by shallow glides. Here, the fishing is best for wild brown trout. This is a lovely wild landscape with the river splashing through tree-lined banks against a backdrop of heathery hills and rocky mountains. Here eagles and peregrines soar and red deer watch from the flanks of the glen.

The middle river, below Loch Lee, through the middle and lower reaches of Glen Esk, provides some good salmon fishing although there needs to be a reasonable water flow to offer optimal conditions. This part of the river may be reasonably described as spate-river (better under higher water flows).

As you come downstream the river slows into more defined (and deeper) pools where salmon and some sea trout tend to lie. Here the mix of salmon and brown trout is highly attractive. This part of the river can be highly productive when the runs of salmon fill the river. The river is natural and largely tree-lined making it a wonderful environment to enjoy your fishing.

The lower river, especially between Edzell and the sea, provides some of the best small-river salmon fishing in Scotland. Here the pools are well-defined with deeper sections and gorgeous runs. This is fly-fishing at its best and when the fish are fresh and in a taking mood, the fishing is simply excellent.

Species

The R. North Esk holds a good population of (small) Brown Trout, some of which fall downstream to enter the North Sea and return as large Sea Trout.

Indigenous brownies live in the main river and tributaries, and in Loch Lee, a deep loch (lake) near the river's head.   Arctic Char also live in Loch Lee and provide a fly-fishing novelty (use small tinsel-bodies flies!).

The North Esk is most famous for its Atlantic Salmon - providing catches proportionally far in excess of what might be expected from the river's small size.

These fish ascend throughout the year with big (mostly female) spring fish venturing into freshwater as soon as the snow melts followed by sporadic runs of smaller salmon.

In July (especially following a rise in water levels) the first grilse (salmon which have spent only one winter in the sea) arrive, although recently, grilse have been running later.  In autumn, good runs of larger salmon ascend and spawning takes place, ensuring the survival of a wonderful species.

Equipment

Most anglers salmon fish with 12ft (370cm) to 14ft (430cm) fly rods (#9 - #10) during the early months or when the river is high, but they resort to 9'6" (290cm) to 10' (305cm) rods (#7 - #8) in lower water conditions.

Intermediate and floating lines are the most popular, with deeper sinking lines when high water requires the fly presented at depth.

In springtime when the water still has cold mountain snow-melt larger flies on sunk lines sometimes are best, whereas when the river shrinks to summer levels, tiny flies on floating lines are de rigeur.

Practical Info

In an effort to  protect the spring runs of salmon (and sea trout) there is a total ban on killing these species from the opening day until the 31^st May.  Barbless hooks only may be used during this period.

Thereafter, many 'beats' of the river apply their own local rules where a variety of regulations exist about returning fish, some permit the killing of a single fish for instance    -  it is highly-recommended that you establish the rules in force on your beat of the river before you commence fishing.

The most productive times of year for salmon tend to be in the late spring (when the water warms a little and fish ascend the river)   - and in the autumn when the main runs of fish arrive. There are runs during the summer months but these are highly dependent on water height.

For Sea trout, it used to be late June and early July that saw the bulk of sea trout running the river,  but these runs seem to be arriving later in recent years (this also is the case with salmon, perhaps to a lesser extent)

These species enter the river when rainfall raises the levels (or freshens the flows) and the best fishing time is during the hours following a significant rise on water level.  As the water returns to normal height (and perhaps clears of water-borne matter) the fish are much more likely to accept your well-presented fly !!

In Scotland there is no rod license requirement although you will require to have permission to fish. Refer to www.fishesks.co.uk for where to fish and where to obtain permits.

The Brown Trout fishing season in Scotland is from March 15^th to October 6^th inclusive.

The River North Esk Salmon (and sea-trout) season opens on 15^th February and ends 31^st October (but there is no Sunday fishing for sea-trout or salmon, so these dates may be changed by this).

Excellent website providing details of available fishing, recent catches, prospects and water levels etc.
www.fishpal.com/Scotland/Esks/

Pictures

Trout fishing on Loch Lee at the head of Glen Esk

The Unich Burn – an upper tributary

North Esk Atlantic Salmon

Author fishing for salmon on Morphie Beat of lower River

Broad, slower pools nearer to the sea

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One of the most-productive salmon rivers in Scotland, the River North Esk is a small but varied river.