Finavon Castle Water (FCW) is a well-known middle beat of the South Esk with a reputation for excellent sea trout fishing in June and July, and in the right conditions, quality salmon fishing in the spring and autumn. The Water is easily accessed from anywhere in the UK via the A90 Dundee to Aberdeen main road, with airports in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee and mainline railway stations in Dundee and Montrose.
The Finavon Castle Fishings extend to 2.5 miles of mainly double bank fishing for 6 rods, and covers some 24 named pools where tenants have the chance to fish in a beautiful managed woodland setting, with opportunities to enjoy wildlife - such as kingfishers, otters, red squirrels, roe deer and an exceptional range of wildflowers. FCW gives its visitors a wonderfully peaceful environment, with opportunities in the right conditions to catch quality salmon and sea trout. The South Esk has a reputation for big salmon, with the heaviest ever recorded a 59lbs fish caught at Kinnaird near Brechin in 1922. Even today salmon of 20lbs + are caught in most years.
Anglers visiting Finavon will be warmly met by the Estate ghillie in the morning and given a plan for the day, and direction on which pools to fish, as well as any advice required. For anglers or parties who desire the company of a ghillie all day, a personal ghillying service is usually available at a separate cost.
The South Esk is prone to periods of low water when catches are reduced. While not a spate river as some west coast rivers are, the run-off after a spate or freshet typically lasts for two or three days, depending on the time of year. Catches until 2015 were severely affected by coastal netting. With all coastal and in-river nets now removed from the South Esk District there is a good chance of increased runs of both salmon (especially in the spring) and sea trout.
While the Estate prefer to let beats to groups of anglers for multiple days, individual rods are welcome, booking through Fishpal, on the understanding that it may be necessary to share the beat with another rod.
Anglers should be aware that following the devastatting flooding of October 2023, some beat infrastructure, access and pools may be different in 2024.
