River Tweed Fishing: Salmon, Trout and Grayling Guide

What makes the River Tweed distinctive?

Short answer: The Tweed supports Atlantic salmon and sea trout alongside a notable wild brown trout and grayling fishery. Its salmon season extends from 1 February to 30 November, while the river changes from more intimate upper water to broad lower beats where fishing from a boat is common.

Upper, middle, lower and bottom Tweed

The River Tweed Commission divides the salmon river into four broad sections. The upper river runs to the Ettrick confluence; the middle continues to the Teviot; the lower reaches the Till; and the bottom river runs from the Till to the sea.

Upper river

Upper Tweed and its tributaries can offer a more contained setting for casting and wading, although flow and bank access still vary. The area is also important for trout and grayling.

Middle river

As tributaries add water, pools broaden and salmon fishing becomes increasingly prominent. Longer casts and more systematic coverage may be useful.

Lower and bottom river

The river is broad enough that boats are frequently part of salmon fishing. A boatman manages the boat, explains the pool and supports safe, efficient fishing. Visiting anglers should not assume that boat fishing removes the need for competent casting or movement on uneven banks.

A mixed salmonid fishery

Fly-fishing approaches

Salmon fishing may use single- or double-handed rods depending on river width, height and bank. Lower beats often favour two-handed casting and controlled swings across large pools. Trout fishing can include dry flies during hatches, upstream nymphing, wet flies and streamer methods where permitted. Grayling are commonly approached with dry flies or nymphs, with winter methods adapted to cold water and deeper lies.

Spey casts are useful, but the method must fit wind direction and available space. On smaller trout water, single-hand Spey casts can reposition line without repeated overhead casting.

Different calendars for different fish

Salmon fishing runs from 1 February to 30 November and is closed on Sundays. The wild brown trout season is 15 March to 6 October, although many clubs limit it to 1 April–30 September. Grayling may be available all year, but some clubs stop at the end of September or publish separate winter arrangements.

The Tweed angling code also imposes seasonal method rules for salmon, including artificial-fly-only periods early and late in the season. Always read the current code rather than relying on a general summary.

Written permission and winter responsibility

Permission is not optional. Protection Order provisions mean written permission must be carried where required, and every association or proprietor can set additional rules. For winter grayling, give salmon anglers precedence where instructed, avoid obvious spawning areas and never “shuffle” the gravel to dislodge food; knowingly disturbing spawning beds may be an offence.

Return fish with minimal handling, use barbless hooks where required or recommended, and contribute catch information when associations request it. Angler logbooks help the Tweed Foundation assess trout and grayling stocks.