River Dee Fishing Report – Week 29 commencing 10th August 2026
The only upside I have found to very hot weather is the reporting of it. Dee rods who reside south of the border spent much of last week variously baking, roasting and sizzling across heatwave Britain. Deeside escaped the worst of it, relatively speaking, but we had just enough heat to affect conditions — and not in a good way. After a promising start, the fishing was underdone.
The week produced 55 salmon and grilse and 7 sea trout, with the better catches concentrated early in the week before things became progressively tougher. Monday produced 12 salmon and Tuesday another 21, giving us a decent start and hinting at a continuation of the previous week’s sport. Unsurprisingly, catches fell away as the week went on, with 4, 7 and 5 fish reported from Thursday to Saturday respectively.
Catches were concentrated mainly through the lower and middle river. Park finished with 8 salmon, Dess with 9, Crathes Castle 7, Tilbouries & Middle Drum 7, Lower Crathes W Durris 6 and Upper Drum & Lower Durris 5. Cairnton & Middle Blackhall picked up 3, with smaller contributions from Banchory, Little Blackhall & Inchmarlo, Woodend, Crathie and Glenmuick.
Ernie Gross from Ontario, more used to chasing steelhead, landed his first and second Atlantic salmon at Crathes Castle on Tuesday. He had a fresh fish of around 10lb and a resident fish of 6lb. Paul Morgan also had a nice fish from the Back of the Island. The beat ticked over throughout the week, finishing with seven.
I never tire of hearing about first fish. Ten-year-old Hetty produced a fine end to Ballater’s Victoria Week with success at Glenmuick, where she landed and carefully released her first salmon. Sounds like another convert to the cause has been found!
Park started the week with regular rod Andy Crawford landing one from Bakebeare on the north bank, while Frank Gaskell took a grilse from Greenbank on the south. In keeping with Tuesday’s all-round good performance, the beat landed five, including a cracker of about 17lb from the Durris for Paul Tuckwell, who followed it up with another good fish from Lower Kirks. Anthony Wood was also on form, adding an 8lbr from the Long Pool. Bert Webster 10lber in Duffers, south side, while Ian Wood also landed a 5lb grilse in the Durris Stream also from the south bank.
It was a similar story at Dess, where Twin Peakes Fly Fishing were hosting a three-day course. The week began in good form, with plenty of action, two first salmon landed and a few more lost in play. Kieron Armstrong caught his first ever salmon, then his second, third and fourth. It’s all so easy when you know how. Dean Hilton winkled out a couple more, but by midday Thursday ghillie Ali McEwan reported that the river had effectively shut up shop.
Of course, there has to be at least one exception to the pattern. Cairnton and Middle Blackhall started slowly but picked a grilse on Thursday followed by a grilse for Louis Middleton from the Cottage on Friday. Mark Blair rounded things off taking two on the hitch on Saturday.
Outlook
Looking ahead, conditions should become more favourable as cooler and more unsettled weather returns, at least theoretically, to Deeside. Rain is expected to move in on Monday, with further showers possible through the week and temperatures generally dropping back into the mid-teens. Whether we get enough rain to produce a meaningful rise remains to be seen, but more cloud, lower temperatures and at least the prospect of some fresh water should be welcome after last week’s heat.
The ghillies will each have their own thoughts on fly choice, but a selection of hitches, small dressed doubles, Silver Stoats, Crathies, small Cascades, Flamethrowers and similar patterns should cover most eventualities. Full floating lines and a range of polyleaders remain the basic staple.
As ever, listen to your ghillie.
Ross Macdonald