All,

I have a holiday booked in the Dalbeattie area commencing July 23rd and plan to combine the usual sightseeing with a spot of Trout/ Sea Trout fishing.

I hope to manage a chuck on both loch and river and wondered whether anyone would have any advice on waters, tactics, day ticket info etc.

I am usually confined to reservoir fishing for Rainbows so am really looking forward to fishing for a wild quarry for a change.

Thanks in advance,


Roger

I'm sure that many others on here will give you a full briefing on the Nith and Annan but it might be worth checking out the River Urr which flows into the Solway near Dalbeattie. It holds a few salmon and sea trout and is a delightful little river.

There is a also a nice little loch called Edingham Loch just on the north side of town. I fished and shot it many years ago when it was owned by the father-in-law of a friend of mine but you'd have to check who owns it now.

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“There is no more lovely country than Monmouthshire in early spring. Nowhere do the larks sing quite so passionately, as if somehow inspired by the Welsh themselves. There is a blackbird on every thorn and a cock chaffinch, a twink as they call him there, on every bush...... It moved me profoundly. I had been spared to see another spring, and I thank God for it.”

Oliver Kite
“A Spring Day on the Usk”
A Fisherman’s Diary

The Annan has some very good brown trout fishing although, I'm led to believe, earlier in the season is probably better. Plenty of water this year so the sea trout should - hopefully - be about in numbers by the time of your visit.

www.fishannan.co.uk has regular reports, up to date river levels and online booking for most beats.

The Urr is indeed a delightful little river, but it is very dependant on rain.
If the river is "up" you will stand a good chance of catching some Sea Trout or Herling. There will be the occasional Grilse, but they will be occasional. The Urr is most definitely a "back end" river.
Tickets and details can be had from M McCowan,High Street, the local Tackle ( toys and electrical) shop.... (01556) 610270
Edingham Loch, situated just outside of Dalbeattie, does not hold trout and any fishing is limited.
For wild Brown Trout fishing your best bet would be the Lochs round Newton Stewart and New Galloway. Sorry I don't have contact details.
I don't know if it's still available, but there used to be a publication called fishing in Dumfries and Galloway. If it's still available Patties in Queensbury street, Dumfries will have it.... (01387) 252891.
As has been mentioned there is the Annan, famous for its Sea Trout fishing, but also a good Salmon and Grayling river.
The Nith is also a very good Sea Trout river. Details available from Patties, or tickets for the Carnsalloch beat
http://www.rivernithfishings.co.uk/b...alloway_AA.htm
Also worth popping into Mcmillans tackle shop at the bottom of Friars Vennel, just of Whitesands in Dumfries ..... (01387) 252075
If you stop on the Whitesands have a look at the caul just bellow the Devorgilla bridge, you may be lucky and see a Salmon or two lying there.
Other local rivers worth a look are...
The Cairn, a tributary of the Nith. Often fishable when the Nith is in flood.
The Tarf and Dee, both near Kirkcudbright.
The Fleet at Gatehouse of Fleet. Can be good for Sea Trout
The Cree at Newton Stewart... Details from Galloway guns and tackle... (01671) 403404 http://www.gallowaygunsandtackle.co.uk/
There is also plenty of stocked stillwaters about. Among the best are...
Broom Farm near Annan ..... http://www.broomfisheries.co.uk/
Buittle Reservoir, near Dalbeattie, Details and tickets available from McCowans in Dalbeattie.
Suitable tactics are.. For Salmon and Sea Trout, floating lines and small flys... Stoats tail, Hairy Mary, Dunkeld, Silver Doctor, etc.
For Trout, any of the usual suspects on both river and Lochs.
A couple of local flys you might find useful are..
The Silver Doctor ( Variant) http://www.danica.com/flytier/dshaw/...or_variant.htm I've had
a few Sea Trout on that one from the Urr.

The Buittle Pig Pen.... Buittle Pig Pen

If I can find my copy of Fishing in Dumfries and Galloway I will scan it and send it to you, but it is an old copy so some of the contact details will be out-dated.

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Here's a sight that might be of help http://www.troutandsalmon.net/
They have quite a bit of water at their disposal .

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Castle Douglas fishing club have a nice water called Loch Roan which is in the hills near Crossmicheal. Another water near Dalbeattie is Loreburn, I've heard it is stocked with really good quality rainbows but I've never been there myself. Sorry i can't give more info but I'm sure with a bit of digging around you will be able to find out more.

I didn't mention Loch Roan because it's not a water I rate.
Where is this Loreburn you mention? The only Loreburn I know is the Loreburn Housing Association.

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ukflydressing A UK based fly tying site packed full of flyting tips and photographic step by steps. Now with added fly fishing section.

Loreburn is somewhere on the coast road maybe abount Colvend/Sandyhill area. I picked up a flyer while I was in one of the tackle shop's in Dumfries (Ghillies choice in the vennel?). That was last year but I believe it is still up and running. Origionally I believe that Loreburn was the private syndicate water near the council tip on the Locharmoss road but the landowner took the water back (complete with fish) and the club had to relocate. I assume that it is no longer private due to the fact that it was being advertised.

I think I know where you mean, there are quite a few Lochs in that area. It's not always easy to know who owns what though. There is one on the right hand side as you go past Howie's sawmill, but for the life of me I can't remember its name. Last I heard though it was expensive and not very good.
There is also Barend Loch just outside Sandyhills, but I wouldn't recommend it.

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ukflydressing A UK based fly tying site packed full of flyting tips and photographic step by steps. Now with added fly fishing section.

I thought Barend Loch was a coarse fishery? I'm sure I met someone who told me they had been recommended it as a 'nice wee carp water' and when he got there it was a strange unnatuaral blue/green colour - he described it as 'toxic looking' apparently all the septic tanks from the chalet's drain into it hence the Bloo tinge to it!

Sorry to highjack the thread, more water's in the area, Jerico Loch on the Northern side of Dumfries, the Drum fishery on the road to Thornhill, Loch Ettrick near Closeburn and one at Carsethorn which name escapes me but is run by a nice man called John McMinn.