Fishing the River Findhorn

The Findhorn River is in the northeast of Scotland and flows into the Moray Firth. The river rises in the Monadhliath Mountains and flows through Strathdearn past Tomatin and down to the small town of Forres before reaching Findhorn Bay. The river is of a medium size and has excellent runs of salmon and grilse on all beats with the lower beats offering good sport for sea trout. The upper beats wind through some spectacular mountain and moor land scenery from Coignafearn and down beyond the Tomatin beats. The middle beats start at Cawdor Estate on Drynachan, soon carving their way through the rocky gorges at Banchor, Lethen and Glenferness. The gorge beats extend on down to Logie and onto the lower beats at Sluie. From here, the river flows through spectacular red sandstone outcrops on Darnaway and Altyre beats, which eventually open out into the lower river at Forres before running into Findhorn Bay.

The lower beats, which are fished by Moray Estates, Altyre Estate, and The Forres Angling Association, catch early Spring salmon from February through to early May. All of the beats above here have to wait for the water temperatures to rise to over 42f to allow the fish to ascend the Poolie Falls at Sluie. Therefore from early May onwards, the fish will run quickly upstream moving into the middle and upper beats.

Garden Pool, Logie.
Images © Ian Neale