Salmon Fishing in Ross-shire

Last October my 70th birthday my friend David Jones suggested a fishing trip to celebrate, what a good idea I though, then said “Let’s visit British Columbia and fish for salmon”. It was duly put in the diary. In May of this year I visited the Black Isle in Ross-shire to see my son Nigel his wife Tracy and my first granddaughter Morgen. As always I travelled with a selection of fly fishing gear to cover pike, perch, and trout and salmon, I had a great week of fishing which included catching some wild brown trout to 3lbs. On my return David and I were chatting at the waterside about my trip when he said “I have always wanted to have a weeks salmon fishing in Scotland” I said “Let’s go north and not visit B C. Within the hour we had booked our fishing on the River Connon controlled by the Fairburn Estate in the Muir of Ord Ross-shire.

Location and Water Description

The River Connon is on the east coast of Northern Scotland, the mouth of the Connon being about 2 miles south of Dingwall, 13 miles from Inverness. The Connon system is by far the largest north of the great Gen where it is fed by 4 main tributaries the Orrin, Meig, Bran and Blackwater. The Fairburn estate has 21/2 miles of right bank fishing with 16 named pools Junction Stream, Junction, Boat, Bridge, Roberts and Teal. At the Colonel’s pool you will find a cabin with table chairs coffee and tea making facilities. Other pools are, Moy, Plock, Bend, Rowan 1 and 2, Wires, Tommy’s, Aquarium and Kettle most with cabins. The cost for 5 rods when I visited in September was just £450-00 per rod for a week salmon angling. It varies from £180 in spring to £550 in August. Certainly value for money in some wonderful countryside

As we all know successful salmon angling is so dependant on water levels, over the years many anglers have booked a weeks angling in Wales England or Scotland in the spring for a September holiday, only to arrive and find no water, and no salmon. We chose the River Connon as it gets compensation water from the hydro scheme ensuring good water levels throughout the season. I would also say that the beat fishes best from around 1 foot 9 inches to 2 feet 2 inches. I also think its fair to say that when generating it can go from a foot to three and a half 2 feet above summer level, and the compensation water can cause the river height to change from a foot to 31/2 feet and back again in a few hours, depending on the demand for electricity and the water available. I did notice with an influx of fresh water that it encouraged the fish to snap at a passing fly.

Bank, wade and boat fishing were practised, but during my stay anglers fished from the bank and deep waded when the water was suitable. The wading was some of the most comfortable I have ever experienced anywhere in the world. Fishing the pools was quite easy, you could be forgiven if you though the bed of the pools were covered with carpet, so smooth was the wading. During my week in September I witnessed a lot of moving fish and many chrome bright fish were caught on the fly and returned.

Tackle Choice Was Simple

It’s possible to fish with a single handed 10 foot 8 or 9 weight rods, but for ease of fishing in covering all the pools a 14 foot Thomas and Thomas Spey rod was the choice of many anglers, matched with floating or sink tip line depending on the water height. Ryan Rutherford the head Ghillie along with the other rods fishing the various beats during my stay rated the Thomas and Thomas Spey rod the best they had ever cast. Apprentice Ghillie and gamekeeper 16 year old Sean Buchanan is from Marybank, the house that he has lived in all his life is only half a mile from the river, he is without doubt one of best Spey casters I have seen. It was such pleasure to sit on the bank and watch this young man put a fly tight to the far bank. David Jones during his weeks fishing used only two fly patterns, a Cascade brass tube for the faster water, a Temple Dog fly pattern at all other times. They say a Collie Dog worked quickly through the pools often wakes up the salmon and makes them more aggressive. Some other successful fly patterns are Silver Stoat, Shrimp Fly, Munroe Killer, Willie Gunn, Ally’s Shrimp, Cascade, and Stoat Tail.

Trout from the River Orrin


While David chose to fish for salmon, I chased the wild brown trout above and below the salmon pools, another venue I enjoyed was the River Orrin a small 15-20 foot wide river of jumbo sized rocks, with steep gradients and lots of fast boiling foaming rushing water flowing through a high gorge of rock and forest. Fishing this turbulent water meant some tough upstream wading, on many occasions the white foaming water tried its best to sweep me off my feet and send me downstream. Fishing a weighted nymph was achieved with a roll cast, but occasionally a short cast of 20 feet was needed as I worked my nymph into all the likely looking spots. Some of the quieter pools were no bigger than a dinning room table. The fish averaged 4 to the pound, the 8 ounce trout I caught was a veritable monster. But it was great fun; I wouldn’t want to have missed. For further details for bookings write to Estates Office Fairburn, Ross-shire IV6 7UT Tel 01997 433273 e-mail [email protected]

An excellent place to stay is the Ord House a country house hotel that specialises in looking after its fishing guests who angle on the Conon, Beauly and Ness rivers; if you’re like me you will fish the River Orrin and the local lochs. The hotel has been in the same family for the last 22 years with an AA rosette for food. The house is a beautiful 17th century house set in 60 acres of gardens and woodlands. It is a peaceful and relaxed hotel where they try to offer their guests a home away from home. Indeed many of the guests return each year to what they regard as their second home! For further details check out the web site is www.ord-house.co.uk where you can see pictures of the house with more information, Tel Eliza Allen: 01463 870492