Freestone · Mixed · Highlands / Ross-shire

River Conon

River Conon venue image
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Major Highland salmon river — a Category 3 declining system where every fish returned strengthens the run.

Fair · Atlantic Salmon
Cascade · 10-14
Fairlive now
Decent — worth a look
River high but settled. Stay with the seams and the slacker tail-outs.
75% confidence
What moved it
  • Level1.97 mDropping in the last 6h
  • Water temp13.7°C
  • ClarityClear
Today’s fly
Cascade
Cascade10-14
All-round Conon fly across spring and summer regulated water.
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Level
Steady
1.97 m
Dropping in the last 6h
Water temp13.7°C
ClarityClear
Weather15°C
WindSE 5 km/h
Pressure1019 hPa
Rain · recent3.2 mm
Rain · ahead5.9 mm

Live readings — water temperature is an estimate where the gauge does not record it.

Water temperature for atlantic salmon
Ideal
14°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
Fair conditions based on river hydrology and migration patterns.
Hatch timeline · todayQuiet day

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 10 active hatches hour by hour with Pro.

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Evidence
Survey-backed · regionalModerate confidence

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

Through the year
0–3 scale · July 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
GrannomHatch
2
2
Evening SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Large Dark OliveHatch
1
2
2
1

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

Ranked for today
Atlantic Salmon fly box
Beats · 4 · 3 reaches

The Conon is the hydro river of the Easter Ross tranche — larger and more engineered than its neighbours, with the Loch Luichart / Tor Achilty scheme governing its flows. FishPal puts it bluntly: it can fish well after a hydro release in low water, so it must NOT inherit a generic spate low-water penalty. The beat structure is unusually well-defined: the Estuary Beat is Dingwall & District AA association/tidal water, Brahan is a Conon Syndicate timeshare, Lower Fairburn and Coul are estate beats below Tor Achilty Dam, and Upper Conon is Loch Achonachie Angling Club. April spinning is permitted on many beats; spring high water needs caution; grilse peak in August. The Cromarty conservation policy requires all salmon returned to 30 June and at least 70% annual release. Confirm beat rules, boat/wading safety and tide windows before booking.

Fairburn & Coul · 2 beatsDay rods
Lower Fairburn, Coul Fishings
The 2 beats
Lower FairburnSeason rods
Fairburn Estate
The cleanest Conon import — Fairburn Estate states about two and a half miles from above the Blackwater junction to the Orrin junction, with more than 13 named pools, five rods and a ghillie, fished by bank, wading or boat depending on conditions. Rods are available individually early season before five-rod weekly bookings later; booked direct with the estate.
Cromarty Firth policy: all salmon returned up to 30 June; after 30 June all fish over 30 in / 75 cm released, with at least 70% of the annual rod catch returned; avoid trebles, use barbless, keep fish in the water. Hydro-influenced — releases can lift low-water fishing; high spring water alters method and boat/wading safety. Statutory close before 1 April; no Sunday salmon or sea-trout fishing.
Coul FishingsSeason rods
Coul (verify)
The beat starting below Tor Achilty Dam, accessed by boat — estate water in the same middle-river corridor as Fairburn, immediately downstream of the hydro release point, so it responds directly to managed flows. Booking route and rods need confirming.
Cromarty Firth conservation policy applies (all salmon returned to 30 June; 70% annual release). Below Tor Achilty Dam — read hydro releases, not just rainfall; boat access means flow-dependent safety. Statutory close before 1 April; no Sunday salmon or sea-trout fishing. Verify controller and booking route.
Dingwall & District AA Estuary BeatMembers
The ordinary-angler route into the Conon — the Estuary Beat near the Cromarty Firth, controlled by Dingwall & District AA, with association/permit access and public value.
Brahan & Blackwater contextMembers-only
Brahan (Upper, Middle and Lower beats) is run as a timeshare by the Conon Syndicate and is not generally open day-ticket water; the Blackwater is the main tributary, with lower/middle/upper sections joining the Conon below Loch Achonachie.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
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Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

Major Highland salmon river — a Category 3 declining system where every fish returned strengthens the run. Hydro-buffered by the Loch Luichart dam system, the Conon offers stable flows without natural spate volatility, making it a predictable alternative to spate-driven rivers. Spring salmon run January–May (peak March–April) and a strong back-end run (September, with fresh fish into October though the rod season closes on the 30th) reward consistent effort. Conservation-first approach: mandatory catch-and-release on most beats applies throughout the season. Fish the Conon on stable water with sinking-tip and medium tubes (size 1–1.5 inch) in spring; as water temperature rises, reduce fly size to doubles. The Brahan and Coul beats are among Scotland's most productive. The river's regulation provides predictable conditions — fish the established pools with systematic coverage. Excellent platform for learning Highland salmon technique without spate river volatility, though always check beat-specific C&R rules before fishing.

  • Mixed
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Moderate
  • Chemical: Unknown

SEPA (Scotland) · UKSC020166

The full read · show the working · for atlantic salmon · confidence 75%
How the river scores — hydrology factors
Water heightMedium Ideal0.0
Recent riseNone0.0
Falling after liftNot Applicable0.0
Water temperatureCool To Moderate0.0
Time in seasonOpening Period0.0
ClarityClearing0.0
Hydrology base0.0
Legal gate: Unknown Check Local Rules
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon26 January → 30 September
Related guides
Scotland Playbookloch & river fishingAtlantic Salmonsalmon tacticsYorkshire & SpidersNorth Country methods
Booking & contacts