Freestone · Mixed · Highlands / Ross-shire, GB-SCT

River Conon

A fast-flowing river churning through a rocky gorge lined with trees near Garve, Scotland.

Major Highland salmon river — graded Good (Grade 1) for 2026, where every fish returned still strengthens the run.

Poor · Atlantic Salmon
Willie Gunn · 1 inch tube
Closed season
Out of season. File this water for the right month.
Closed — confidence not applicable today.
What moved it
  • Level0.56 mDropping after lift
  • Water temp7.6°C
  • ClarityClear
Today's fly
Willie Gunn
Willie Gunn1 inch tube
Spring tube for the cold, dam-regulated flows of the Conon — fished deep on a sink-tip for early springers.
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Level
Steady
0.56 m
Dropping after lift
Water temp7.6°C
ClarityClear
Weather7°C
WindSW 18 km/h
Pressure1004 hPa
Rain · recent6.0 mm
Rain · ahead6.1 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
Cool — slow
8°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.
Hatch timeline · todayQuiet day

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 6 active hatches hour by hour as a supporter.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

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.

Evidence
Survey-backed · regionalHigh confidence

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

Through the year
0–3 scale · November 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
3
2
CapererHatch
2
3
3
2
Hawthorn FlyHatch
2
2
GrannomHatch
2
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 · 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
Other water nearby · 5
Beauly
9.0 km
0
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
River Ness
21 km
0
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
River Alness / Averon
23 km
0
Salmon · Sea trout · Brown trout
River Alness / Averon
23 km
Salmon · Sea trout · Brown trout
River Alness / Averon
23 km
Salmon · Sea trout · Brown trout
Gallery · 2
  1. A fast-flowing river churning through a rocky gorge lined with trees near Garve, Scotland.
    img169
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

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: every salmon caught before 1 April must be released by law, and catch and release is the norm on most beats after that. 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

Why this score · for Atlantic Salmon
  • Temperature4630% weight
  • Flow6025% weight
  • Clarity9520% weight
  • Feeding Time9515% weight
  • Pressure8510% weight
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon 26 January → 30 September
Related guides
Fly Fishing Near Invernessfeatured in this guideScotland Playbookloch & river fishingAtlantic Salmonsalmon tactics
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts
At a glance

River Conon is a freestone river in Highlands / Ross-shire, Scotland. It sits at about 18 m above sea level. The river is described as roughly 40 km long. Species listed for this water: brown trout and salmon. It is classed as a salmon river. The salmon season is recorded as running from 26 January to 30 September. Best window recorded for anglers: April–June (spring), August–September (autumn). Core methods listed: small double (salmon); upstream nymph; dry fly. Level and flow data for this water is linked from 1 gauge. Its Water Framework Directive ecological status is recorded as moderate. Nearby waters in our listings include Beauly at 9.0 km, River Ness at 21 km and River Alness / Averon at 23 km.