Tackle advice
Fishing the Luce
The Luce is a fly only river and no other methods are permitted. The river is best tackled with a lightweight single handed rod. Small black coloured flies do best.
Fishing the Bladnoch
The tackle you should bring will depend upon what species of fish you are fishing for and also what the conditions are like at the time of your visit. The beat owner will be the best person to ask as they will know what has recently been successful.
When spinning for salmon in high water conditions, black and red Flying Cs are usually good and Rapalas (in particular the blue and white varieties) can be productive.
Pike are regularly taken on oily deadbaits such as mackerel (please note that livebaiting is illegal in Scotland) although small meps can also be good.
Rod wise for fly fishing, a lightweight single-handed rod will suffice on the Bladnoch. Wading is not generally necessary so chest waders are not essential although they do give you the option of sitting on wet ground! Most anglers tend to opt for thigh waders or boots, which makes fishing the Bladnoch a less cumbersome and more relaxed affair than experienced on some larger rivers.
Flies that are particularly recommended include the General Practitioner, Ally's Shrimp and Green Highlander although your beat may also have some favourite flies. Please check with the beat in advance of your arrival.
Fishing the Cree
The tackle you should bring will depend upon what species of fish you are fishing for and also what the conditions are like at the time of your visit. The beat owner will be the best person to ask as they will know what has recently been successful. When spinning for salmon in higher water conditions, black and red Flying Cs are usually good and Rapalas (brown and yellow varieties) can be productive. Cree river rules require only a single hook on bladed spinners.
Rod wise for fly fishing, a lightweight single-handed rod will suffice on the Cree. For spinning, a medium sized spinning rod is suitable.
Wading is mainly practiced on the pools that run through Newton Stewart, with wily anglers taking to the water to access areas out of reach to those fishermen confined to the bank. The substrate is generally gravely with some boulders and is mainly quite stable. In the tidal sections, some anglers also wade but this should only be undertaken with caution and a lifejacket should always be worn. The estuarine muds that enter the river on a spring tide can make the substrate very slippy.
Flies that are particularly recommended include the General Practitioner, Ally's Shrimp and Green Highlander although your beat may also have some favourite flies. Please check with the beat in advance of your arrival.
Fishing the Fleet
The Fleet is a small river and it is therefore perfect for small rods (eg 10" single handed fly rod). It is considered a sea trout water, although some salmon are caught later in the season.
Flies to bring - Following a flood, Size 8 Hairy Mary, Jock Scott, Silver Doctor, Brown Turkey with mixed body and Blue Charm are reputed to do well. At night it's best to go for a smaller fly. Try a Size 10 Bloody Butcher, Brown Turkey with mixed body, Teal and Silver, Coachman, Peter Ross or Hairy Mary.
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Fishing the Kirkcudbrightshire Dee
The salmon population on the Dee is presently too low to support angling.
For brown trout and sea trout, flies with dark hackles, dark wings and silver bodies are good. Generally the bigger flies (size 8-12) will do best. Small tube flies, such as silver stoats and shrimp imitations are good for salmon. Coarse fish angling can be very productive in the Dee especially around Loch Ken with numerous pike, perch, roach, bream, dace and ruffe caught.
Fishing the Urr
A single handed fly rod will be ideal in most of the main fishing areas.
The best flies to use for salmon are shrimps through the summer, particularly Ally's Shrimps. In the autumn it is the turn of the tube flies, with Willie Gun, Cascade, Ally's Shrimp and black flies, such as Stoat's Tail, all being successful. For sea trout, try Teal, Blue and Silver or the Dunkeld, Peter Ross and Butcher's. Spinning is also popular on the Urr with rapalas, flying C's, and toby's being popular in flood conditions.
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Seatrout Flies.
