The Canonbie beat is popular with both local and visiting anglers and has some good holding pools, long runs and is excellent for night fishing.
The Canonbie beat on the Border Esk forms much of the middle section of the system whilst on the Liddle the two beats are in the middle and lower sections.
Both the Esk and Liddle flow through picturesque countryside typical of the Border area and much of the bankside is wooded with indigenous hardwoods.
The rivers are generally fast flowing and with beds of rock outcrop or pebble shingle with no natural weed growth.
The Esk may be regarded as "gin clear" except during periods of high water. The Liddle, except during periods of fairly low levels, often carries peat stain, although this does not have a detrimental effect upon fish taking.
Both rivers rise and fall quickly, with optimum fishing conditions coming the day after a flood, ideal heights for the Border Esk range from 10" to 2ft, depending on method.
The Salmon season opens on April 1st and continues until 31st October. Early season salmon fishing continues to improve, given water salmon will be present from the start of the season, the best of the salmon fishing now takes place in mid summer, after a flood the river will receive runs of fresh summer salmon. The autumn fishing has diminished slightly, but still in the latter months the river will now be full of salmon, with some fresh fish still running.
Multiple catches can be made if you catch the river "just right".
Both rivers produce fish weighing well into the teens of pounds and twenty pounders plus are taken every season.
The Sea Trout season commences on the 1st April and continues until 30th September, given good running conditions, a small amount of early fish in the 4 - 7lb class are usually present on the opening day, these fish are hard fighting, tide fresh seatrout and will test any angler.
The last flood of May usually sees the main run start to build, given water most anglers should get amongst a fish or two, if water levels are low, night fishing is the method, with the deeper pools holding shoals of seatrout.
A gradual increase in numbers continues until early August or later in some seasons. The average weight of the main runs is usually 1 - 2 lbs with a few larger specimens up to 10lbs.
Why you need to fish here
The Canonbie beat provides visiting anglers with a great chance of catching a hard fighting, fresh run salmon or exhilarating sport with seatrout, summer spates bring in fresh running fish, super sport can be had on the back of a falling river.
Night fishing for seatrout is an experience everyone should try, with good runs of 2-3lb seatrout the Border Esk is the place to experience the magic of night fishing.
