Spate · Mixed · Angus

South Esk

Sunset light over the River South Esk as it flows through Brechin, Angus, Scotland.
Poor · Atlantic Salmon
Gold-bodied Willie Gunn · double / small tube
Poorlive now
Slow going — better windows ahead
Low and clear — careful approach country. Stale fish in low clear water spook easily — pick your hour.
90% confidence
What moved it
  • LevelDry recentlyNo gauge reading
  • Water temp21.4°C
  • ClarityClear
Today's fly
Gold-bodied Willie Gunn
Gold-bodied Willie Gunndouble / small tube
Regional salmon default — river-specific evidence is thin.
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Level
Dry recently
No gauge reading
Water temp21.4°C
ClarityClear
Weather23°C
WindNW 19 km/h
Pressure1014 hPa
Rain · recent0.2 mm
Rain · ahead1.5 mm

No gauge on this water — readings are regional estimates from weather, not a live gauge.

Water temperature for Atlantic Salmon
Warm — slow
21°C est.ideal 10–14°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Atlantic Salmon
When
Morning into early afternoon.
Where
Pool tails, steadier runs, and any water with pace.
Method
Fish a sensible line-and-fly combination for the height and pace of water.
Kit
13 ft #8/9 double-hander in spate, 10 ft #8 single in low water. Floating line plus a fast-sink tip. 12–15 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Water at 21.4°C. This is the line where catch-and-release kills atlantic salmon. Do not fish for them today.
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 6pm

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 8 active hatches hour by hour with Pro.

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Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 2 with Pro.

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Evidence
Survey-backed · regionalHigh confidence

Backed by regional invertebrate surveys; no sampling on this exact reach yet.

Through the year
0–3 scale · August highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Salmon runRun
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
March BrownHatch
2
3
2
GrannomHatch
2
2
Large StoneflyHatch
2
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Atlantic Salmon fly box
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Water here around 21°C. Nothing cooler within range — carry a thermometer.
Gallery · 2
  1. Sunset light over the River South Esk as it flows through Brechin, Angus, Scotland.
    The River South Esk at Brechin, Angus, at sunset.
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Good
  • Chemical: Unknown
What this classification means

SEPA WFD 2022 — South Esk: Good status. Corrected 2026-06-18 (was recorded Moderate). Source: SEPA WFD 2022 classification (spatialdata.gov.scot / SEPA Aquatic Classification Hub).

SEPA (Scotland) · UKSC005799

Why this score · for Atlantic Salmon
  • Temperature130% weight
  • Flow6025% weight
  • Clarity9520% weight
  • Feeding Time10015% weight
  • Pressure8510% weight
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon 16 February → 31 October

Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026)

Related guides
Scotland Playbookloch & river fishingAtlantic Salmonsalmon tacticsYorkshire & SpidersNorth Country methods
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts