Fishing holidays in Perthshire and Angus

If you’re a fisherman or -woman, fishing holidays in Perthshire and Angus have a lot to offer: some of the best salmon and trout fishing in the world, challenging sea angling from cliffs or boats, or peaceful coarse fishing at one of the numerous lochs or fisheries all await you.

The River Tay is, of course, world famous for its trout and salmon.  Indeed it still holds the world record for a salmon, caught by Miss Georgina Ballantyne in 1922 and weighing 64 lbs.  While you may not match her achievement, you can find plenty of beats along the river to test your skills.

Exciting salmon, grayling, brown trout and sea trout fishing can also be found on the Shee Water and River Ericht, the North and South Esk, the Rivers Tilt and Earn, and on the Lunan Water when the water is high enough.

If your idea of the perfect fishing holiday involves being out in a boat, there’s excellent rainbow and brown trout fishing on the many lochs in the area.  The best-known lowland lochs are Rescobie, Lintrathen, Monikie, Butterstone and, most famous of all, Loch Leven, which also has a ruined castle that non-fishers can visit.

Good hill lochs in Perthshire and Angus include Rannoch, Earn, Tay, Lee, Laidon, Ericht and Kinardochy.  Lochs in the hills are wilder and more scenic than lowland ones, and the smaller ones are usually fished from the bank.

Most of the hill lochs have plentiful stocks of brown trout, some have charr – and then there’s the ferrox trout which can grow to double figures in the larger lochs.  On Loch Tummel you may also catch salmon, while Loch Rannoch has perch and also large pike.

Coarse fishing holidays in Perthshire and Angus are also easily arranged.  Pike and perch can be found at Clatto Reservoir near Dundee, as well as roach, bream, rudd, tench and eels.  You’ll find quality roach at the western end of Loch Tay, too, as well as in Dunmore Loch at Pitlochry, which also boasts carp, perch, crucian carp and tench.  Kingenny Fishery near Dundee offers specimen carp fishing.

Piperdam fishery is also near Dundee, and you’ll find other fisheries near Perth, Crieff and Gleneagles in Perthshire, and in Glen Clova (Angus), among other places.  Mainly stocked with brown and rainbow trout, some fisheries also offer blues and goldies.

If you prefer sea angling, there are popular marks all along the cliffs between Arbroath and Montrose and lower ones further south, towards and in the Tay estuary.  You may catch cod, saithe, pollack, whiting, haddock, wrasse, and occasional bass and mullet.

Several sea angling charter boats operate out of Arbroath, offering trips lasting from a few hours to a whole day.  One popular trip takes you out to the notorious Bell Rock, some twelve miles out to sea and site of one of Scotland’s first lighthouses.

Fishing holidays in Perthshire and Angus offer something for everyone.  Whatever variant of the sport you prefer, you’ll find it close by and, unlike on some of the Highland estates, most of it is readily available.

Centrally situated for fishing holidays in Perthshire and Angus, The Red House Hotel has years of experience of looking after fishermen and -women.   We can help you find ghillies, obtain permits, book beats on local rivers and boats on lochs, direct you to the local tackle shop, and even cook your catch, so get in touch today and make your next fishing holiday a reality.