The River South Esk,
together with the North Esk, are two of the most
prolific and attractive salmon and sea trout rivers
in Scotland. Both flow into the sea near Montrose.
The South Esk is best known for its sea trout. The
Inshewan Fishing's beat is, without doubt, one of the
most picturesque, varied and prolific beats on the
South Esk. It stretches from the Shielhill Bridge
four miles East of Kirriemuir and meanders
downstream for two and a half miles to the dam at
Craigeassie. The beat naturally divides itself into
two with the Esk Pool marking the mid point.
If the river is shared between two independent
parties the changeover time is at 1 pm.
The two top pools, The Big Stone and
The Lushet,
maybe let separately between June and September but are
usually included in the Beat. When all the pools
are available the beat is let for five rods but when
the top pools are not available the beat is a four
rod beat.
Below the Lushet the river tumbles down to the Red
Stream, a long pool which carries the fly well and
fishes best with a bit of water. (18 inches has
always seemed to be about the optimum height of
water as measured on the gauge at the garden Pool).
This gives way to The
Blue Rock (or Stone) a great holding pool much
improved in recent years by the creation of new croys
at its tail
and thus creating a new pool – the Two Croys. Downstream
and round the corner is the Wood stream, a “fishy”
pool if ever there was one, and below this the
Bothy
and so down to The Esk - one of the best pools on
the beat and a favourite for night sea trout
fishing. This point marks the bottom of the upper
beat.
From hereon down and for about a mile the fisherman
must walk; but the walk is most rewarding and will
take him through the most picturesque gorge amongst
ancient beech woods and past some exciting pools the
first of which is the
Auchcleuchrie below which is
the unromantically named Pipeline pools created in
the 1960s when North Sea Gas pipes crossed the
Estate.
From hereon down the river tumbles through the
sandstone gorge through the Lang Stream an exciting
place for the fisherman, using a single handed rod,
to cast a fly with a good chance of hooking a sea
trout or grilse – and then the fun is really on! At
the end of this long pool the river quietens down
and ends abruptly in a very deep quiet pool, The
Castle Hill, where the river narrows to a width
of only a very
few feet but where in its depths the salmon and sea trout can
safely hide – sometimes in very large numbers. The
pool is dominated by the site of an ancient castle
surrounded by a dry moat. As the stream glides out
of the tail there is a famous lie guaranteed to hold
fish. The fish can be seen from the path high above
but they can only be reached from below with a long cast.
Below the
Castle Hill is the Ministers Stream – a
good sea trout run best fished in the evening. This
leads through the Dardanelles (well named) and into
the
Garden Pool where the sea trout
can lie in large
numbers especially in low water. This pool is a
favourite for the night fisherman. Below this famous
pool there is a most attractive fast run known as the
"Back of the Island" – an almost sure bet for a pull
from a sea
trout from mid June onwards. This leads into
Cameron’s Run, another new pool created by the clever
placing of some large river stones and so on down to
the House Pool where the new (2006) comfortable
Fishing Hut is sited.
Below the House Pool there is an awkward pool – The
Cairney - seldom fished as it is only approachable
from the far bank; Even so it holds good fish as it is
well worth the effort of wading across at the tail
of the House Pool. This leads
down to
Strachans, a deep hole where both salmon and
sea trout congregate throughout the season. Strachans
levels out into a quiet run much favoured by sea
trout. On the corner below this is a dead elm
tree which marks the top of the Boat Pool, another
under-fished pool. At the bottom of the Boat Pool
there is one of the most magical and mysterious
pools on the river, The Bottom Croy where a whole
night can be spent during the sea trout season but
which is always worth a cast at any height of water at any
time. Finally, at the bottom of the beat is the
Dam
Pool which has altered considerably in recent years
as winter spates damaged the Craigeasie Dam. The changes
are, on the whole, for the better and the long deep run under the
far bank has become a favourite spot for the fish to
rest after crossing the dam.
Besides the river itself Inshewan is a treasure
trove for botanists and bird watchers. Kingfishers
are often seen as are otters. Inshewan is famous for
its Deer
Park and some of the finest red deer in
Britain. They are usually seen when fishing the top
beat. A deer fence runs the length of the beat,
well back from the river. Consequently the river
bank is ungrazed and is a mass of wild flowers.
Finally a word about dogs: tenants may bring their well behaved dogs provided they are always on the river side
of the deer fence and are kept under control
especially in the spring when ground-nesting game
birds and young ducklings are vulnerable.
RECENT RECORDS.
Catch records for the last five years are
FISH |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
SALMON |
134 |
203 |
73 |
195 |
129 |
SEA TROUT |
180 |
252 |
63 |
108 |
53 |
Directions to find The Inshewan
Fishing's
Go down the Inshewan drive
until you reach a crossroads where the obvious main
turning is to the right. Turn right there and
bearing left past some farm buildings. Then
turn very sharply right, downhill at the bottom of
which you will see a sign "Fishers", follow the sign
down to the river and stop at the fishing hut
PRICE
The price per rod per day
is £ 55 plus VAT.
Availability
2006
From |
To |
No of Rods |
Month |
Date |
Month |
Date |
April |
24th |
April |
26th |
2 |
May |
8th |
May |
13th |
5 |
May |
22nd |
May |
31st |
5 |
June |
15th |
June |
17th |
4 |
August |
1st |
August |
5th |
5 |
August |
7th |
August |
12th |
5 |
August |
14th |
August |
19th |
5 |
August |
21st |
August |
26th |
5 |
August |
28th |
September |
2nd |
5 |
September |
4th |
September |
9th |
5 |
September |
18th |
September |
23rd |
5 |
September |
25th |
September |
27th |
5 |
October |
9th |
October |
14th |
5 |
Terms
4 or 5 rods available"
also "Ghillie on request.
How to Book
We are unable to take bookings online at present but
will reply to any requested dates
by e-mail, phone or letter.
Tel/Fax:
01307 860229
E Mail:
Inshewan Fishing's colin.gibb@tesco
.net
or by writing to:
Inshewan Fishing's; Inshewan; By |Forfar; ANGUS DD8 3TU
Statutory Regulations
With effect from 16th
February 2005 The Esk River Board introduced new
restrictions on the taking and keeping of salmon or
sea trout from the beginning of the season (16th
Feb) until the end of May. So far as the river
fisherman is concerned this means that no fish
caught by rod and line may be taken and all fishing
must be done with single or double barbless hooks.
At Inshewan any angler who catches a fish during
this period should keep a scale sample and give this
for analysis to the management who (if verified)
will reward the angler concerned with a side of
smoked salmon
After 31st May these
restrictions cease to apply but the estate would ask
that reasonable restraint is still observed and that
all the fish are returned after 15th August
|