Spate · Sandstone · Wester Ross, GB-SCT

River Carron (Wester Ross)

Photo of River Carron (Wester Ross)
Tomorrow · Slow going — better windows ahead
Partridge and Orange
Forecast · Tomorrow
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 · Tomorrow
Live gauge
Level
Rising
1.07 m
Lifting fast
Water temp14.9°C
ClarityUnfishable
Weather16°C
WindN 25 km/h
Pressure1000 hPa
Rain · recent23.0 mm
Rain · ahead5.5 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
15°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
Excellent — water temperature is right today, though time of day could be better.
Likely species
Mayflies
Stoneflies
Caddisflies
Hatch timeline · tomorrowPeak at 12h

12h(now) — Heather Fly

Stage: Terrestrials on topApproach: Dry flyActivity: 52%
Also:Reed Smut40%Autumn Dun27%
Peak emergence window9 food groups active

Peak activity at 12h — 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.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 2 as a supporter.

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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 · September highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
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
Fly box · Atlantic Salmon
Beats · 5 · 4 reaches

A west-coast salmon/sea-trout river with a strong restoration and monitoring story. The angling page must be conservation-first: strict catch-and-release, the current local marking/inspection protocol (keep-net from the hut, contact Bob Kindness), and sober wording around sea-trout decline. Distinguish clearly from the Easter Ross and Spey Carrons.

AttadaleSeason rods
One of three practical permit beats on the Carron (with New Kelso 1 and 2), under the River Carron proprietors with active conservation and stocking work.
New Kelso beats · 2 beatsDay rods
New Kelso 1, New Kelso 2
The 2 beats
New Kelso 1Day tickets
River Carron proprietors (permit)
One of the Lochcarron permit beats on the lower river near Strathcarron — practical, permit-based access under the River Carron proprietors, with the same conservation/marking regime as the rest of the river.
Strict C&R; keep-net inspection/marking protocol (contact Bob Kindness). C&R mandatory across Scotland until 31 March.
New Kelso 2Day tickets
River Carron proprietors (permit)
The second Lochcarron New Kelso permit beat — permit-based access under the River Carron proprietors, sharing the river's restoration story and strict conservation regime.
Strict C&R; keep-net inspection/marking protocol (contact Bob Kindness). C&R mandatory across Scotland until 31 March.
Glencalvie and GruinardsSeason rods
Premium estate/hosted salmon water — let weekly with a ghillie.
River Carron restoration (context)Members-only
A restoration-and-monitoring honesty module, not a beat.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
River Carron (Wester Ross)
< 1 km
Salmon · Sea trout · Brown trout
River Carron (Wester Ross)
< 1 km
Salmon · Sea trout · Brown trout
Loch Maree
29 km
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
River Ewe / Loch Maree
37 km
78
Salmon · Sea trout · Brown trout
Beauly
57 km
50
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
Gallery · 2
  1. Photo of River Carron (Wester Ross)
    River Carron (Wester Ross)
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Why this score · for Atlantic Salmon
  • Temperature10030% weight
  • Flow6025% weight
  • Clarity9520% weight
  • Feeding Time5015% weight
  • Pressure8510% weight
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones

Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026)

Related guides
Scotland Playbookloch & river fishingAtlantic Salmonsalmon tacticsYorkshire & SpidersNorth Country methods
Booking & contacts