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Fishing in Moray Speyside

Moray Speyside is known around the world for its whisky heritage, its famous rivers and its spectacular nature and landscape but these make factors make Moray Speyside the ideal location for your next fishing adventure. The peaceful surroundings of our region make it one of Scotland’s favourite destinations for world-class fishing.

The fishing season in Moray Speyside runs from the 11th of February until the 30th of September.

Types of Fishing in Moray Speyside

There is a wide variety of species to be found in Moray Speyside. Our region hosts excellent salmon and trout fishing as well as sea fishing . All of these are located in some of the most picturesque locations in Scotland.

Fishing Locations in Moray Speyside

Lossiemouth.

The River Lossie flows northwards through Moray towards Elgin, entering the Moray Firth at Lossiemouth’s East Beach. The River Lossie can provide some excellent salmon and sea trout fishing. Elgin Angling Association control the lower 10 miles of the River Lossie. 

Fishing permits available from The Angling Centre, Elgin (01343547615), and from Dallas Angling Association (Ian Sutherland 01343 890420 or Charlie Gerrie 01343 890310).

The River Spey

The River Spey is the fastest flowing river in Scotland, and is recognised as one of the finest fly-fishing rivers across Europe. The Spey is rich in salmon and all sorts of wildlife, and its fame for salmon fishing is widespread. Its waters also feed whisky production. 

Permits for fishing on the Spey are managed individually by angling clubs and fishing beats. Many share their availability on Fishpal .

The River Findhorn flowing from its source up in the Monadhliath Mountains 60 miles to the outflow at Findhorn on the Moray Firth, is a most attractive salmon river, with deep pools and fast runs throughout its length. Forres Angling Association control four miles of double bank fishing on the lower River Findhorn.

Fishing permits available from Forres Tackle Shop (01309672936), and from Forres Angling Association .

The River Deveron is well known for high quality wild brown trout fishing, as well as salmon and sea trout fishing. Permits can be bought from https://www.fishthedeveron.com/book-fishing . You can both stay on, and fish at the Mayen Estate https://www.mayenestate.com/ .

Sea Fishing

The Moray Firth (sea fishing): Fish commonly caught are: cod, ling, mackerel, flat fish, pollack, coalie, wrasse and scorpion fish. You can fish from the mouth of the Spey with Speymouth Angling Club , and you can take fishing charters from Moray Firth FIshing Charters.

Loch Fishing

There are several fishing lochs across the Moray Speyside region, take a boat out for the day and see what you can catch. 

Equipment Rentals/Tackle Shops

Fisheries of moray speyside.

Logie Steading hosts salmon fishing on the River Findhorn. The Steading is situated just 5 miles outside of Forres and is an ideal location for a family excursion. It is ideal for fishermen and non-fishermen of the families with its proximity to Logie Steading Visitor Centre as well as Ace Adventures.

All beats have a variety of pools with some suitable for most heights of water. Wading may be necessary but there is also vehicle access to within half a mile of all pools. Access to some of the pools are quite steep due to its position in the Findhorn gorge however the river paths are generally good. 

The stretch of River is popular among rafters, canoeists, dog walkers and much more so mutual respect and consideration is required.

Find out more and book here

Mayen Estate

The Mayen Estate is situated between Rothimay and Marnoch in the broder between Banffshire and Moray. It is an ideal location for Salmon, Sea-Trout and Brown Trout fly-fishing across two different beats of the River Deveron.

Kellas Estate

The Mill of Kellas Trout Fishery can be found a 15-minute drive south of Elgin. The estate is perfect for fishing of all levels as it is the home of three different lochs, each with their own difficulty level. High quality full tailed rainbow, blue and brown trout are frequently stocked.

Gordon Castle Estate

Gordon Castle Estates have gain well-deserved recognition for their stunning grounds and were recently crowned the UK Historic Houses Garden of The Year. However, they are also home to one of the largest stretches of fishing on the River Spey.

Orton Estate

The Orton Estate is set eight miles upstream from the River Spey and offers one of the most prolific beats on the famous river. The estate offers fishing for salmon, grilse, sea trout and brown trout from both banks across two different beats.

Just walking distance from the beats are a number of comfortable and elegant accommodation offerings. They are perfect for your fishing holiday and the sense of privacy is unmatched.

Altyre Estate

The Altyre beats can be fished from March to June and is easy to fish at all stages – perfect for the beginner, for intermediate and for more advanced casters. There is vehicular and pedestrian access within easy reach of all pools. The fishing at Altyre is divided into Upper and Lower Beats offering over 2 miles of private estate fly fishing.

Where to Stay in Moray Speyside

• Ardgye House
• Braeside Cottage
• Lossiemouth House
• Kilmorie House
• Mansion House Hotel
• Moray Bank B&B
• Old Duffus Farmhouse
• The Lodge Guesthouse
• West End Guest House
• Blervie House
• Bradbush House
• Dalvey House
• Kennels Cottage
• Knockomie Inn
• Mains of Moy Cottage
• The Beeches
• The Carisbrooke Hotel
• Tullochwood Lodges
• Weiroch Lodge
• Dalmunach B&B
• The Dowans Hotel
• Craigellachie Lodge
• The Craigellachie Hotel
• Station Hotel
• Dipple House
• Cardhu Country House

Click here to see more places to stay

Useful links.

Spey Fishery Board

Made up of the Spey Fishery Board, the Spey Foundation and the Spey Catchment Initiative, we work alongside many organisations and businesses throughout the 3000 km2 Spey Catchment to improve the natural environment and ensure that our landscape is enhanced and protected for wildlife and future generations.

The trusted online booking and information system for all types of rod fishing. Providing impartial advice, up-to-date catch and river level data and the latest rod availability.

Speycaster offer casting tuition, guided salmon fishing and salmon fishing holidays on the River Dee, River Findhorn, River Spey, and River Avon in Scotland.

Camping Information

Planning on holidaying with your campervan? Then get all the information you need here on using your motorhome in Moray Speyside.

Fishing/Sea Angling Trips . . .

Guide Charters can offer you the perfect anecdote to your busy modern life – a relaxing sea angling trip with friends on the abundant crystal clear waters of the Moray Firth! Skipper Harold’s experience as a fisherman, along with his knowledge of the local area and fish species will help to ensure that your trip will be enjoyable . . . and hopefully successful!

Fishing trips on “Guide” are available from Fraserburgh, Saturday & Sunday. Other times can be arranged by prior arrangement. Weather permitting.

Fishing trips on “Seacat” are available from Macduff, Monday – Friday by prior arrangement. Weather permitting. Contact us to book places.

You don’t even have to have your own equipment as good quality rods and tackle can be hired onboard.

• Lifejacket provided

Tackle Hire

Complimentary tea and coffee available

. . . Harold the skipper keeps his eye on the tide He kens a there is tae ken about the coast, Now with his new boat the “Guide” Harold will be the perfect host.

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6 Beaches for Budding Swimmers, Surfers and Castle Builders

For families with children, we found half a dozen beaches in the United States and Mexico, each tailored to a particular summer activity.

By Freda Moon

A family beach vacation is an American classic. But depending on their children’s ages and inclinations, some families may be drawn to different kinds of shorelines: those featuring clear, calm water for snorkeling and learning to swim; or, for shell collectors and young naturalists, sandy stretches carpeted with seashells or bordered by tide pools. For castle builders, fine sand is a must, while would-be surfers need tidy waves, ready to ride. Here are six great beaches in the United States and Baja California for family-favorite summer activities.

For castle builders: Mission Beach , San Diego

San Diego’s temperate climate allows for barefoot beach days year-round. For those who’d rather build with sand than lie in it, Mission Beach has another advantage: San Diego Sand Castles and the sand sculptor JT Estrela. Mr. Estrela, a former math teacher, offers lessons in the art of sand castle construction on this family-friendly Southern California beach, where the sand is perfect for castle building: The grains are fine but not too silty, clean below the tide line, free of shells and rocks, and pack hard.

In his two-to-three-hour sessions (starting at $160 for two people, $20 for each additional person), Mr. Estrela works with families to build elaborate five-foot-tall castles. The goal is for participants to “feel like this insider of arcane knowledge,” he said.

While the best sand in the San Diego area is at the offshore city of Coronado in San Diego Bay, Mr. Estrela prefers working with families at Mission Beach. Known for its boardwalk amusement park, Belmont Park ; historic beachfront swimming pool, the Plunge ; and excellent playgrounds, it’s particularly fun for kids. The smell of cotton candy and hot dogs hangs in the air, mingling with shrieks from the Giant Dipper, Belmont’s 1925 wooden roller coaster, squawking sea gulls and salt spray. Its biggest downside is its popularity, which means parking can be a challenge.

For new swimmers: Onekahakaha Beach Park , Hilo, Hawaii

In an archipelago known for spectacular beaches, Onekahakaha Beach Park , on the rugged, volcanic coast of the Big Island, may seem a counterintuitive choice. At Onekahakaha, with its two large, sandy-bottomed ocean pools enclosed by lava rock walls and backed by palm trees and an expansive grassy lawn, the sand is mostly below the surface.

Separated from the Pacific Ocean’s notoriously powerful waves and rip currents, the seawater within the pools is warm and placid, protected and shallow, which makes it excellent for little kids learning to swim, as well as for older kids to snorkel. It’s also home to nonthreatening marine life (no sharks here), including green sea turtles.

Though the water is only about waist-deep on an adult, there are lifeguards, adding to Onekahakaha’s reputation for safety. And without a wide swath of sand between the pools and the shoreline path, the water is accessible for strollers and wheelchairs. There’s also a swing set, picnic tables and proximity to the lush Hilo area.

As long as you’re on the Big Island, the site of several active volcanoes, visit the thermal pools alongside some of its beaches, including Pohoiki Black Sand Beach at Isaac Hale Beach Park , 40 miles south of Onekahakaha. The ocean there may be a bit rough for young swimmers, but it’s a great place to show children a fresh lava flow.

For would-be surfers: Wrightsville Beach , N.C.

Wrightsville Beach is considered by many surf historians to be the home of East Coast surfing and one of the first places outside Polynesia and the Pacific Rim for the sport to catch on .

It also has some of the best beginner’s breaks in the United States , said Sean Griffin, 37, a surfing instructor and the father of a 5-year-old, who started riding the local break when he was 8.

He points out that Wrightsville is the only surfing beach in the state that has clear, blue water. Being able to see one’s hands and feet and the sandy bottom “makes anyone feel more comfortable in the ocean,” he said.

At Surf With Sean , Mr. Griffin offers private 90-minute lessons ($95 to $120) to surfers as young as 3 and into their 80s, as well as surf camps for kids ($425 per week). “There’s no reason they shouldn’t be able to learn or give it a shot,” said Mr. Griffin, who provides all gear in all sizes, including adaptive equipment.

There’s more to the area’s kid appeal than its waves. Mr. Griffin points to Johnnie Mercers Fishing Pier , at the center of the beach, where his son “loves seeing all the salty fisherman pulling in fish,” and the big, modern playground at Wrightsville Beach Park .

For tide pool explorers: Carkeek Park , Seattle

Naomi Tomky — a lifelong Seattleite, author of “ The Pacific Northwest Seafood Cookbook ” and mother of two daughters, 6 and 8 — recommends Carkeek Park in Seattle for an immersive experience in Puget Sound marine life. At low tide, Ms. Tomky said, the narrow beach “just goes out for ages,” exposing tide pools filled with starfish, sea snails, anemones and “many, many crabs, from the size of your fingernail to the size of your hand.”

Unlike tide-pooling elsewhere on the West Coast, where the powerful Pacific Ocean requires caution because of dangerous sneaker waves , Puget Sound is rich with life but calm enough for Ms. Tomky to let her daughters explore on their own.

Just 30 minutes from downtown Seattle, Carkeek is part of the Seattle Aquarium’s Beach Naturalist Program , which sends naturalists to various shorelines around the area.

Along with the below-the-tide-line intrigue, Carkeek is also known for an annual spectacle: spawning salmon. In the fall, it’s possible to stand over the park’s Piper’s Creek and watch the fish — a sacred Indigenous symbol of the Pacific Northwest — on the run.

“It’s one of the coolest things you can see,” said Ms. Tomky, “to understand how these fish share the city with us as they swim back into their former home.”

For shell hunters: Tigertail Beach , Marco Island, Fla.

Sanibel Island, a barrier island just off Fort Myers, Fla., is one of the most famous shelling destinations on the planet. That popularity comes with a downside: It’s often picked over by enthusiasts who hit the shoreline at dawn. The island is also still recovering from Hurricane Ian, which badly damaged its infrastructure in 2022.

As an alternative, the shelling guide Evan Kuperman (a.k.a. Captain Evan) recommends Tigertail Beach on Marco Island, about an hour south.

Mr. Kuperman, a Florida master naturalist , operates Sand Dollar Shelling Tours . His tours ($125 per adult, $90 per child, and families of up to six people for $650) take guests by boat to places like the Ten Thousand Islands , a mangrove mud flat habitat and National Wildlife Refuge.

For visitors unable to join one of his trips, Mr. Kuperman said that Tigertail, a publicly accessible beach ($8 parking fee), offers exceptional shelling.

Marco Island is more built up than Sanibel, but Tigertail, at the island’s north end, is a county-owned park with a lagoon and a position facing the Gulf of Mexico that lends itself to accumulating seashells, including rare and striking ones, like the spiny ornamented lace murex and reddish brown banded tulip .

But everyone is hoping for a junonia, or Juno’s volute, a sea snail that has to travel far in churning waters to reach the beach intact. “You don’t find it,” said Mr. Kuperman, “it finds you.”

For young snorkelers: Playa el Chileno , Los Cabos, Mexico

About halfway between bustling Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, Playa el Chileno is no longer an undeveloped local secret. Now backed by the sprawling Auberge resort Chileno Bay Resort & Residences , the beach remains public and comparatively tranquil. Awarded the Blue Flag certification for meeting stringent environmental standards, Chileno is exceptionally well maintained.

While catamaran snorkeling tours come and go from Chileno Bay, it’s also possible to reach the reef from the shore, which makes it good for inexperienced snorkelers who might find it intimidating to leap into deep water without easing their way in. High Tide Sea Expeditions offers snorkeling excursions via kayak that start at nearby Playa Santa Maria, hug the coast and arrive at Chileno by water. For younger kids and anyone who prefers more time in the water, there’s a guided two-hour tour that visits both beaches by car ($95 to $130 per person, including equipment).

Among the roughly 50 species of fish that snorkelers might encounter along Chileno’s rocky outcroppings and coral reef, there are large tuna, sea turtles, puffer fish, Panamic green moray eels, Cortez angelfish and blacknosed butterflyfish — among many other colorful creatures. The coral here is less vibrant than some places, but the number and variety of fish are thrilling.

Freda Moon, a frequent contributor to the Travel section, lives on a boat in San Francisco Bay with her husband and two kids. Her upcoming National Geographic book with the coauthor Ashley Harrell, “100 Beaches of a Lifetime,” will be published next year.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

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6 Great Beaches for Families:  For families with children, we found half a dozen beaches in the United States and Mexico , each tailored to a particular summer activity.

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