River Dee

The River Dee is internationally famous for its salmon fishing and especially so for its multi-sea winter spring salmon, with anglers coming from all over the world to fish it. The river also provides some excellent summer fishing for salmon, grilse and sea trout.

River Dee is one of the big four Scottish salmon rivers, the Dee rises in the Cairngorm Mountains and flows for over 80 miles through the Grampian region in north east Scotland before it enters the North Sea at Aberdeen.

Dee has a fascinating setting in Royal Deeside, the area around Braemar and Ballater, where the Royal Family have spent their summers at Balmoral Castle since the reign of Queen Victoria.

The Dee has a deserved reputation as one of the world’s great salmon rivers. Since the 17th century, anglers have been sport fishing on the river for its famous run of salmon. Victorian salmon anglers enjoyed some of the finest fishing in the Dee’s angling history and their innovative approach to fishing tackle design is still reflected in tackle today.With the advent of Victorian fly fishing tackle, the evolution of modern rods and reels had begun. No longer were salmon played on a ‘tight line’ or line tied to the rod tip, but rather a ‘loose line’ which ran through the rod rings. This allowed greater opportunity to land big Dee salmon, which the ‘tight line’ method was simply no match for. 

The Dee is one of the earliest producing rivers in Scotland and takes great pride in the fact that it produces more spring fish caught to the fly than many other rivers in Britain. The river catchment covers an area in excess of 2000 sq kilometres.

The fishing season starts 1st of February to 15th of October. Commencing on the 1st February, the best spring fishing is to be had in the lower and a few of the middle-lower beats which open that month, with the remaining beats opening on 1st March. Given good water conditions fish can run upstream quickly to the upper beats during March and by April/May the main body of spring fish will be passing through the middle beats into the upper river.

Water height and temperature can play a big part in the movement of fish at any time of the season but especially in the spring when snow and/or rain in the western catchment can quickly influence water conditions. All pools are readily fished from the bank or are easily waded. The Upper Bridge and Birkenbaud are sometimes fished from a boat at the ghillie’s discretion. Different pools favour differing heights of water and wind directions, with fishable water available throughout the season.

Rods rotate between combinations of pools each half day to give all equal opportunity. The Lower Crathes/West Durris beat provides predominantly double bank fishing on the Lower Dee below Banchory. Lower Crathes comprises the left bank from two thirds of a mile above Durris Bridge to one mile below with the West Durris beat occupying the right bank, from one and a half miles above the bridge to one mile below.

We have been fishing in Scotland for more than 4 decades, collecting endless information and experiences on the Scottish rivers but mainly we are focusing on the big 5, that are Dee, Spey, Tay, Tweed and Deveron.

We can customize a Salmon holiday for you on different rivers in order for you to experience the best Scotland has to offer.

While you are fishing in Scotland we can also arrange for Roebuck hunting in the spring and deer stalking in the autumn together with small game, such as pigeon shooting, pheasant shooting and grouse shooting.