Spate · Granite · Easter Ross, GB-SCT

River Alness / Averon

Fast-flowing rapids on the River Averon, also known as the River Alness, in the Scottish Highlands.

A compact Easter Ross salmon river — also known as the Averon — with a clearer beat structure than many west-coast systems.

Today · Slow going — better windows ahead
Partridge and Orange
Forecast · Today
Slow going — better windows ahead
Little in your favour today. Fish the certain lies, or leave it for a better one.
40% projected
Today's fly
Partridge and Orange
Partridge and Orange
Conditions on the water · Today
Live gauge
Level
Rising
0.59 m
Lifting fast
Water temp14.2°C
ClarityUnfishable
Weather16°C
WindN 18 km/h
Pressure1001 hPa
Rain · recent0.8 mm
Rain · ahead0.0 mm

The nearest gauge doesn't record temperatures, so we've estimated it — defer to the river keeper's advice.

Water temperature for Atlantic Salmon
Ideal
14°C est.ideal 10–16°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
Good — water temperature is working for you, but time of day is the limiting factor today.
Likely species
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 12pm

12pm(now) — Heather Fly

Stage: Terrestrials on topApproach: Dry flyActivity: 53%
Also:Reed Smut39%Autumn Dun28%
Peak emergence window8 food groups active

Peak activity at 12pm — Heather Fly (Heather Fly, Peak emergence window)

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 3 guilds as a supporter.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 2 as a supporter.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Evidence
Survey-backed · regionalHigh confidence

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

Through the year
0–3 scale · September highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Salmon runRun
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
March BrownHatch
2
3
2
CapererHatch
2
3
3
2
Heather FlyHatch
2
2
Autumn DunHatch
2
3
2

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

Ranked for today
Atlantic Salmon fly box

A balanced Scottish river profile. Early season nymphs and spiders, then more dry-fly and emerger fishing as hatches strengthen on steadier glides and richer water.

Beats · 3

A small Easter Ross salmon river where beat-aware content matters. The Novar six-beat rotation is the premium anchor — six rotating beats of double-bank water booked through FishPal or the estate — while Alness Angling Club holds the affordable lower and tidal water, its permits also on FishPal. The Alness is graded Moderate for 2026.

Novar FishingsAgent booking
The structured premium anchor — about 6.
Visit official site ↗
Alness Angling ClubMembers
The ordinary-angler value lane — productive tidal water near the A9 road bridge plus river beats, with permits historically available locally and via FishPal.
Loch Morie / Upper Alness (context)Enquiry
Spate-source and flow-regulation context above the main beats — Loch Morie buffers the headwaters and shapes how quickly the river runs off.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
Gallery · 2
  1. Fast-flowing rapids on the River Averon, also known as the River Alness, in the Scottish Highlands.
    Rapids on the River Averon (Alness), Easter Ross.
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

A compact Easter Ross salmon river — also known as the Averon — with a clearer beat structure than many west-coast systems. Mandatory catch-and-release applies. Declining Atlantic salmon populations are Category 3 under Scottish Government classification; every fish returned matters. The Novar Fishings rotation is the obvious premium anchor: six rotating beats over upper and lower sections, fly-only, with anglers rotating through beats during a week. A separate club/estuary access layer exists but needs current verification. Granite-based upland geology shapes this river.

Sea trout here

Summer-autumn runs (June–September), nocturnal pattern in peak season

  • Granite
Why this score · for Atlantic Salmon
  • Temperature10030% weight
  • Flow6025% weight
  • Clarity9520% weight
  • Feeding Time1015% weight
  • Pressure8510% weight
Directions
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon 1 April → 31 October

Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026)

Related guides
Booking & contacts