A Guide To Fishing The Annan…
Written by Michael Fearns
About The Annan…
The river Annan is about 40 miles in length with the source rising on Annanhead Hill just above the Devils Beef Tub and flowing South through Moffat where it’s joined by the Evan Water and the Moffat Water at Three Waters Meet. The Annan continues to flow south towards Lockerbie where it is joined by the river Kinnel, a major tributary formed from the Kinnel, Duff Kinnel and Water Of Ae. Further downstream the Dryfe Water also joins.
Another main tributary, the Water Of Milk, flows into the Annan south of Lockerbie with the Mein Water joining near Ecclefechan. The Annan then continues to flow towards the town of Annan before discharging into the Solway at Annan Water Foot.
The first permitted water begins at Three Waters Meet where the river is recognised as the main river Annan. In total there’s 33 miles of water on the main river, most of which is available on a day permit as well as some season permit and syndicate rod options.
The main river is split into three sections (upper, middle and lower) with the upper river being from three waters meet to Kinnel Mouth, middle river from Kinnel Mouth to Williamworth Bridge and lower river from Williamworth Bridge to Annan Water Foot.
The Annan was traditionally known as a back end river with a run of summer grilse followed by a main run of salmon arriving in the river during late summer and autumn, often with fresh fish running right up to and beyond the end of the season.
River Annan Salmon Season
25th Feb – 15th Nov
However, following a change in run timing and a reduction in autumn salmon numbers on most UK rivers, the Annan now has a main run of summer salmon which, depending on conditions, run from late June through to late September with a run of summer grilse from late July.
The Annan also has a smaller spring run with some of the lower river beats well worth a go during early spring for those salmon anglers prepared to brave the cold water.
Where To Fish…
The Annan has a variety of water to suit various fishing methods including fly, spinning and bait (depending on individual fishery rules).
When choosing a beat to fish for salmon there are a few things to consider before booking such as time of year, river conditions (height and colour) and preferred method of fishing.
Upper River
The upper river can be described as a small to medium river and less than 15 metres wide in most places. There’s access to day permit and season permit fishing on the three main beats with the Upper Annandale Angling Association controlling two of the beats (Upper Beat and Applegarth) and the Annandale Estates water in between them.
In total there’s about 11 miles of fishing available on the upper river.
Upper River Beats
The upper river would be classed as a typical spate river that runs off and clears quickly after rain. Good water is essential for fish to access the upper reaches of the Annan and the best time to fish the upper beats would be as the river drops in and settles following a spate.
- Some good fly water and good holding pools
- Good option for late summer and autumn salmon and grilse (with water)
- Peak time September to October (with water)
There are three beats available on day permits with season permit options.
Day permit prices for salmon range from £10 – £20 depending on time of year.
- UAAA Upper Beat – Day permits and season permits available. Any method fishing (see fishery rules). Day permits available through Fishpal and local outlets (Benmar Garage, Moffat and Sports & Trophy Shop, Lockerbie).
- Annandale Estate – Day permits and season permits available. Any method fishing (see fishery rules). Day permits available through Fishpal and local outlets (Benmar Garage, Moffat and Johnstonebridge Community Centre, Johnstonebridge).
- UAAA Applegarth – Day permits and season permits available. Any method fishing (see fishery rules). Day permits availible through Fishpal and local outlets (Benmar Garage, Moffat and Sports & Trophy Shop, Lockerbie)
Beat maps for the upper river are available on the Fish Annan website and blog. Click the link below to view.
For more details on Upper Annandale Angling Association including information on both beats and season permits visit their website.
Often the upper river is the only part of the river fishable following a big spate with the middle and lower reaches being much slower to drop and clear.
Following heavy rain and a good lift in water, the upper river beats are usually fishable within 12 hours or less.
The three beats offer very good value salmon fishing which although heavily dependent on water, can be very good fishing in the right conditions.
Middle River
The water on the middle river is quite varied with the three beats above Shillahill Bridge having the better fly water before the river slows down with some much longer and deeper pools from Shillahill Bridge to Dormont, some of which are very good holding pools for salmon.
Middle River Beats
The middle river is a slower section of river consisting of long steady pools and runs. Below the mouth of river Kinnel, the river is quit a bit larger than the upper beats and offers good holding areas for salmon and grilse awaiting water to progress further upstream.
- Some good fly water and good holding pools.
- Good option for summer grilse and both summer and autumn salmon. Chance of spring salmon during late spring
- Peak time August to October.
There are six beats available on a day permit with season permit and syndicate rod options.
Day permit prices for salmon range from £10 – £45 depending on time of year.
- Dryfeholm – Day permits and syndicate rods. Fly only (Except for certain conditions. See fishery rules). Day permits available through Fishpal.
- Halleaths – Day permits and syndicate rods. Fly only (Except for certain conditions. See fishery rules). Day permits available through Fishpal.
- Shillahill – Day permits and season permits available. Any method fishing (see fishery rules). Day permits available through Fishpal.
- Royal Four Towns – Day permits and season permits available. Any method fishing (see fishery rules). Day permits available through Fishpal.
- Castle Milk RFT – Day permits and season permits available. Any method fishing (see fishery rules). Day permits available through Fishpal.
- Dormont – Day permits available. Any method fishing (see fishery rules). Day permits available through Fishpal.
Beat maps for the middle river are available on the Fish Annan website and blog. Click the link below to view.
Being a slower section of river with some big pools and long flats, the middle river will fish at most water heights, including during a fairly big water, provided the water isn’t too coloured.
During the summer months, salmon will usually hold on parts of the middle river before progressing further upstream during early autumn, provided there is water.
The middle river offers some good summer and autumn salmon fishing which is mostly open to and suitable for all methods.
Lower River
The upper river begins at Williamworth Bridge where the river quickly changes from the slow moving water at Dormont to much faster runs and pools which are far more suited to fly fishing.
Most of the lower river is fly only with spinning only allowed during high water which is usually a defined height on the river level gauge. The height for spinning will vary on each individual beat which is normally applied based on the morning river height, even if the river drops in during the day.
Lower River Beats
The lower river offers classic fly water and is well suited to fishing fly. Much like the rest of the Annan, it’s best fished after a spate but with the size of the lower river and with fresh fish moving in off the tide, a spate isn’t always essential for fish to progress through to the lower river beats.
- Good fly water and good holding pools.
- Good option for spring salmon, summer grilse and bothsummer and early autumn salmon.
- Peak time July to September.
There are seven beats available on a day permit with some season permit, syndicate rod and timeshare rod options.
Day permit prices for salmon range from £15 – £30 depending on time of year.
- St Mungo’s – Day permits and season permits available. Fly only (Except for certain conditions. See fishery rules). Day permits available through Fishpal.
- Kirkwood – Contact Real Farm Holidays for more details (see link below).
- Brocklerigg – Day permits and syndicate rods. Fly only (Except for certain conditions. See fishery rules). Day permits available through Fishpal.
- Hoddom – Day permits only. Fly only (Except for certain conditions. See fishery rules). Day permits available through Fishpal.
- Cleuchhead – Day permits only. Fly only (Except for certain conditions. See fishery rules). Day permits available through Fishpal.
- Newbie Beat – Day permits and timeshare rods. Fly only (except for certain conditions. See fishery rules). Day permits available through Fishpal.
- Annan Town Water – Day permits only. Any method fishing (see fishery rules). Day permits available through Fishpal.
Beat maps for the lower river are available on the Fish Annan website and blog. Click the link below to view.
For further information on fishing Newbie Beat visit their website.
For further information on fishing Kirkwood and fishing holiday packages visit the Real Farm Holidays website.
The lower river reports the majority of the the salmon caught from the Annan with both Newbie and Hoddom often reporting about one third of the rivers total annual catch between them most seasons.
For spring salmon and fish fresh off the tide during most of the season, the lower river is the best option for salmon anglers, especially those that prefer to fish fly.
When to Fish…
Whether anglers are looking for an early spring salmon, summer salmon and grilse on small flies or autumn salmon fishing, the Annan offers some good fishing throughout the season when conditions are suitable.
Spring Salmon
The Annan salmon season opens on the 25th February and most years, if conditions are good, there will be spring salmon caught on the lower river, if not during opening day, usually within the first few days of the season.
March is a particularly good month for spring salmon on the lower river and provided river conditions are good and water temperatures are above 4 degrees, salmon have no issues with going through the fish pass on the weir at Newbie, which can act as a temperature barrier as well as a partial barrier during low flows.
However, even during very low water, fresh salmon will still run in off the tide and progress at least as far as the weir.
Most years Newbie Beat reports the majority of the spring salmon caught, partly because they have fairly high angling pressure during, but also because water temperatures and low flows during spring will often hold fish on the beat.
During April and May the Annan usually gets regular small lifts in water from heavy rain showers which provides more than enough water for spring salmon to progress upstream. Certainly as far as the middle river beats with the occasional spring salmon appearing on the upper river.
However, for a realistic chance of a spring salmon (during good water conditions), the best option would be to fish any of the lower river beats with Newbie the best beat to fish during very low water conditions.
Summer Salmon
The summer salmon run on the Annan can start anytime from late May to early June provided conditions are right but it’s usually late June and into July before we see the first decent numbers of fish and reports of salmon caught, usually from the lower river beats.
With good conditions, fish will run throughout the summer with some fish quickly getting as far as the upper river beats, although, most of the summer fish tend to hold on the lower and middle reaches until late summer and early autumn before progressing further.
However, we don’t always get a typical wet Scottish summer which can have an impact on the ability of salmon to run but during low flows, fish are always able to run in off the tide and fresh run salmon and grilse are often reported even during the lowest of water on the beats nearest to the river mouth.
With or without water, in July, the grilse begin to appear and they continue to run during August and into September. By the end of the grilse run, the majority of the Annan salmon run can already be in the river and spread mostly between the middle and lower river beats, depending on river conditions.
During a summer of water and good conditions for salmon, August and into September would now be considered peak time on the lower Annan with good numbers of fish already in the river (many of them still fairly fresh) and further fish to come.
Autumn Salmon
With the right conditions, September is an excellent month on the Annan for salmon fishing with the whole river likely to be holding fish (depending on conditions). September is also peak time on the middle river, and with water, the upper beats should be seeing the first good numbers of salmon arriving on the upper river.
However, although fresh fish are often caught on the upper river, by late September, most of the fish are well coloured or colouring up having been in the river for at least a week or longer.
Fresh fish still run during the autumn, although not in very big numbers and they’re well outnumbered by the coloured fish already present in the river.
Once into October, the upper beats start to come into their own with much of the run either already present on the upper river or running through after each spell of water, which is usually plentiful during October.
The shift in run timings to a mainly summer run is a fairly recent change and it’s not that long ago the Annan was famous for its ‘back end’ run of fresh salmon with big grey backs being the draw for autumn salmon anglers, right up to the end of the season in November.
The Annan still has its share of big salmon with fish into the high twenties reported most years as well as the occasional 30lb salmon. These days, the bigger fish are usually caught during spring with occasional reports of big salmon being seen during the summer.
However, it’s often during the autumn months when these big fish are caught and reported when they are generally well coloured and, in the case of big cock fish, very aggressive and very willing to take a fly, spinner or bait.
Tackle & Flies For The Annan…
Throughout its length the river Annan varies greatly in water type, width and flow meaning there’s water to suit the style and preferred method of most fly anglers from single handed summer salmon and grilse fishing in low water to a big double handed rod fishing big flies deep during spring and autumn.
What Rod & Length?
There’s a whole range of rods available for salmon fly fishing from single handed rods to 15ft plus double handed rods and all have a use depending on river size and conditions. This equally applies to fly lines with lines available in a wide range of head lengths to suit not only the rod, but also the style of casting and the width of the river being fished.
- Upper River – During normal height to low summer level (around 1ft or less) the upper river beats are best fished with a single handed rod or a switch rod and a full floating line. During normal height to high water a switch rod or 12 to 13 foot double handed rod is more than enough to cover most situations but regardless of rod length, due to the upper rivers width, it is essential to match the rod with a short head line to load the rod correctly during casting (a head of less than 15m).
- Middle River – Even though it’s a good bit bigger than the upper river, the middle river is fairly easily fished with a single handed rod or switch rod during normal to low flows. However, when the river is running at an ideal height for the fly or bigger, a longer double handed rod of 13ft to 15ft is required to cover the water effectively and also for using tips or heavy flies to ensure the fly is fishing at the correct depth.
- Lower River – Being a much wider section of river than the middle and upper reaches, a double handed rod (switch or otherwise) is essential for most conditions although a single handed rod would be adequate during very low summer flows. Switch rods are a good option for most summer salmon and grilse fishing during normal to low flows but when the river is at an ideal height for fly (around 1.5ft on most beats), a double handed rod of 13ft to 15ft is required to cover the water effectively and maintain line control. This is especially true when fishing heavy tips or tube flies.
Fly choice and colour?
Fly choice varies during the season with spring flies generally being heavy to get down to the fish in the cold water with typical colours of yellow, green and black.
As water temperatures increase, the salmon become more active and more inclined to take nearer the surface which is when full floating lines and much smaller and lighter flies are used.
During late spring and summer, the colour of effective salmon flies changes with black, blue and silver being a preferred combination for salmon in clear water an black, yellow and silver being equally effective in both clear water and water carrying a tinge of colour. Shrimp patterns tied in yellow, red or orange are also very good when fished on a full floating line.
Mostly, the Annan is a fairly shallow river with salmon often sitting in the fast water at the heads of pools or in the shallow runs between pools, especially during the summer months. With this in mind, a full floating line is often all that’s needed for much of the main season.
As we move into autumn and water temperatures cool, salmon fly style and colour changes again with the most effective colours being black, red, yellow and orange, basically flies which match typical autumnal colours.
Shrimp flies of the correct size continue to do well but as fish sit deeper due to cooler water temperatures, heavy tube flies or sink tips can be essential to get down to the fish.
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Conservation Of Salmon
In Scotland, salmon rivers are managed locally by District Salmon Fishery Boards and River Trusts to protect and conserve salmon and sea trout through the monitoring of fish populations, restoration and improvement of habitat, barrier easement and fisheries enforcement.
Many of the issues that salmon and sea trout currently face are out at sea as well as within the local catchment area and with salmon facing a whole range of threats to their survival at all stages of their life, many of which involve human conflicts of interest, any short term solutions or quick fixes to address all of these issues would be unlikely.
However, despite the issues that salmon face, both in freshwater and out at sea, fisheries management can still have a positive impact to help prevent further decline as well as to improve on future survival of salmon and sea trout populations.
Especially at local catchment level.
Follow River Annan District Salmon Fishery Board on Facebook
Conservation Of Salmon Regulations
Following the 2014 Wild Fisheries Review, all salmon rivers in Scotland were categorised for the 2016 season based on their ability to reach certain conservation limits with restrictions on the taking of wild salmon for some rivers failing to reach these limits.
The Annan is currently a category 3 river and therefore all salmon caught must be returned to the river.
Under the Conservation Of Salmon (Scotland) Regulations 2016 it is an offence to take or be in possession of a wild salmon from a category 3 river.
Catch & Release
The practice of catch and release has been around for many years and has been adopted by a high number of stillwater trout anglers as well as river trout and grayling anglers as standard.
Catch and release for salmon has also been practised for many years but only in recent years on a large scale with many rivers now catch and release due to category 3 status as well as some rivers and beats being catch and release by choice.
The images below are from the Fisheries Management Scotland catch and release guidelines leaflet with advice on best practice for fishing methods, unhooking of fish, handling of fish and the release of fish.
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