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Scottish Pastimes - Tweed on the River Tweed
There is no better place than Scotland for outdoor pursuits and we are going to explore just a few of our favourites in our Scottish Pastimes series over the next few months. With our HQ located in the Scottish Borders a mere 10 miles from the River Tweed we welcome many keen fishermen and women to the area every year to enjoy a few days on the river.
Stewart from Alba Game Fishing popped into our Edinburgh shop last week to tell us a bit more about just why fishing on the River Tweed is so special. Of course this river is not only special for fishing, the textiles industry the Borders is so famous for relies on the beautifully soft water flowing through the area to produce some of the world's finest wool and cashmere.
The stretches of salmon fishing rivers in Scotland are divided into individual lengths known as beats and you must either own the land and have the fishing rights to fish there, or be part of a group such as Alba Game Fishing, who have their own beat on the River Tweed and usually fish the middle Tweed in Melrose and near Galashiels. Alba can offer superb accommodation on the beat, if you want to really enjoy a country estate experience and be perfectly placed riverside. You can stay all the year round and the fishing varies each season, wild brown trout in the Spring, wild trout, grayling and sea trout in the Summer months, the famous Scottish salmon in the Autumn along with grayling, and if you are keen to brave the elements in Winter grayling (pictured above) is the top catch. Jon Gillespie visited from California with his son and told us:
Fishing the River Tweed ranks as one of the most memorable and iconic fishing experiences we have had in the world, and we caught our first Grayling, including one specimen of over 3lb.
Your fishing trip with Alba is not just about catching the biggest salmon. Hot gourmet lunches and top notch hospitality ensure your holiday is very special and they even have a professional photographer available to capture the special memories from your experience. No need to worry about a thing; Landrovers will drive you to the river from your accommodation, professional fishing guides and casting instructors are on hand to perfect your technique and premium Orvis fishing tackle to guarantee that equipment is not the cause of any missed catch. MD Stewart told us:
Alba Game Fishing have fished various beats of the River Tweed system for over 18 years, and it always produces surprises and special memories for our guests. Understanding the river and its cycles and patterns is crucial to success. This is a very special river.
As you know we are all about family and history so meeting the Fishing Guides at Alba Fishing was a highlight as we learnt what has brought them to the sport, and explored their passion for fishing and the water and the Scottish landscapes they inhabit. Bill Drew is the perfect example, now a Guide in his retirement, with his initial interest in fishing sparked by his Dad and in turn, he has passed on his passion for fly fishing to his children and grandchildren and happy clients from every corner of the globe. If you go out with Stewart Richmond, you get the best of both worlds as Stewart loves his food and is creates some amazingly, imaginative lunches for his guests to fuel long days on the trout lochs around Scotland. Members of the Gordon clan needs to go out with Scott Baillie as he was a Ghillie on the Gordon Castle beats of the Spey and can share some history as he teaches you to tie the perfect fly. These are just a few of the talented Guides available to look after you and make sure you make the most of your fishing trip in Scotland. Head over to the Alba Fishing website to learn more.
So what are you waiting for? Don your finest Scottish tweeds and come and join us for a fishing holiday in the very beautiful Borders.
