Tilbouries is an attractive stretch of river with 1.5 miles of right bank fishing and 12 named pools offering excellent fly fishing water, with pools to suit all water heights.
The beat is looked after between Nicol Paton and Bert Webster, who between them have over 70 years’ experience, Nicol is also a qualified casting instructor. Nicol and Bert aim to provide a great experience for all of their guests.
The beat has one of the oldest and most traditional huts on the river, a well-appointed comfortable fishing bothy with a wood burning stove, fridge and microwave.
The beat offers everything a salmon fisher wants, from a classic salmon pool, runs and holding pools, when most of the Dee is unfishable due to high water, the famous Lawsons pool excels, the beat also have pools which fish when the river is on its bones.
some pools are particularly suited to beginners and children because they have excellent wading, or easily fished from the bank.
Cairnton pool is fished from the bank as is the Island Stream.
The famous Lawson pool, reputed to be the longest pool on the Dee, provides excellent easy wading and is renowned for holding large salmon, the 2024 season produced a 25lb salmon and the beat has consistently caught large salmon over the years.
The Kelpy and Tilbouries run leading to Alfred's Pot is a delightful piece of streamy water that produces good numbers in the summer.
There is also the challenging Alfred's pot which can be very productive.
Tilbouries also offers a great opportunity for anglers who want to challenge themselves to cast a longer line.
The beat produces good numbers of very fresh salmon because of its close proximity to the sea.
Tilbouries supports the river Dee conservation code and requests adherence to the code guidelines.
All fish caught, whether salmon or sea trout, to be handled with extreme care and not to be removed from the river.
Popular fly patterns at Tilbouries consist of Gold bodied Willie Gunn pattern, Tosh or black and yellow tubes in the spring and Sunray Shadow and Monkey flies utilised to good effect when fish are seen running. When the water warms up and anglers utilise floating lines then the patterns that do well include Flamethrowers, Cascades, and Silver Stoats and shrimp patterns. When the water cools in the back end the popular Tilbouries Shrimp comes into its own.
