Sea Trout Nights - a new sea trout fishing book by John Gray

Abernethy Angling Association

Superb Salmon and Sea Trout Fishing on the River Spey

The Abernethy and Aviemore Angling Association manages ten miles of prime salmon and sea trout fishing on the River Spey

The Abernethy Angling Association has a limited membership. Applications will be considered when vacancies arise. Please direct enquiries to the secretary (see below) for further information.

The best of the sea trout fishing on the River Spey is to be found above Grantown on Spey, on the seventeen miles of water managed by the two main angling associations on the upper middle river - the Strathspey Angling Improvement Association, centred on Grantown, and the Abernethy and Aviemore Angling Improvement Association, based at Boat of Garten and Aviemore (Abernethy Angling Association and Aviemore Angling Association recently amalgamated to form one association). Day and weekly permits are available for both associations. The Spey sea trout run normally begins in late May, with stocks increasing throughout June and into July. The best of the night fishing on the association waters is to be had through June and July, with daily and weekly permits available to all.

Abernethy Angling Association Beats

The main stretch of water controlled by the Abernethy Angling Association comprises six miles of double bank fishing on the River Spey, stretching from the Miller's Pool above Boat of Garten to Broomhill Bridge, below the outflow of the River Nethy, with 15 named pools and arguably the best sea trout fishing on the river system. A few miles upstream, separated from the Abernethy water by the Kinchurdy fishings, the club's Aviemore beat stretches for a further four miles of single bank fishing on the left bank of the River Spey in and around Aviemore. Below are maps and photographs of both the Abernethy beat and the Aviemore beat, including the main fishing pools. We'll start at the top of the Abernethy beat upstream of Boat of Garten and work down to the bottom of the beat at Broomhill bridge.

Abernethy and Aviemore Angling Improvement Association

Abernethy Beat Map

Click on pool number to view pool photograph

Abernethy Angling Association Map

Fishing Pools

1 Miller's Pool 5 Croftmore Island 9 Tomdhu 13 Frankie's Corner

2 Bathing Pool 6 Lackghie Bend 10 Upper Railway Pool 14 Nethy Pool

3 Boat Pool 7 Bulwark 11 Lower Railway Pool 15 Broomhill Pool

4 Croftmore Pool 8 Lackghie Pool 12 Croftnahaven

Abernethy Angling Association Pool Photographs

Salmon are the main quarry in the higher flows of spring and autumn, the main salmon fishing months being April to June and again in September, with good fly fishing water in the faster pools such as the Miller's and Nethy, while other pools are more suited to the spinner. When the river level drops towards the summer months and temperatures rise, attention turns to the superb night fly fishing for sea trout, which arrive in numbers from May onwards, the runs (and catches) peaking in June and continuing through July. Together with the Grantown Association water downstream, the Abernethy Angling Association beats offer some of the best sea trout fishing in the whole of the UK, with fresh run silver sea trout averaging around 2 1/2 pounds and fish of five to seven pounds not uncommon, with an occasional sea trout into double figures. Daily and weekly visitor permits for the Abernethy water are available at Boat of Garten Post Office.

Photographs of the main fishing pools on the Abernethy beat are shown below.

click on images to enlarge


Looking upstream over the Miller's Pool	Miller's Pool looking downstream


Allie's Corner Pool looking upstream	Run into Allie's Corner


Allie's Corner Pool	Allie's Corner Pool Tail


Looking upstream towards Allie's Corner	Looking downstream to the Bathing Pool


Looking up from the bridge towards the Bathing Pool	The Boat Pool


Croftmore	Looking downstream to Croftmore Island


Croftmore Island	A nice pool tail above the Lackghie Bend


Stream at top of the Lackghie Bend	Looking from the Bulwark upstream to the Lackghie Bend


The Bulwark	The Lackghie Pool


Tomdhu	Upper Railway Pool


Lower Railway Pool	Railway Pool Fishing Hut


Looking Down to Croftnahaven	Looking upstream over Frankie's Corner to Croftnahaven


The Nethy Pool with casting platforms on the far bank	The Nethy Pool


Looking upstream to the Nethy Pool	Looking downstream to Broomhill

Abernethy Sea Trout

One of three sea trout taken on the Abernethy Angling Association water of the River Spey on a simple one inch needle tube fly, between 11pm and midnight, 29th May 2017

The Aviemore Beat

The Association also manages the salmon and sea trout fishing further upriver on the Aviemore stretch of the Spey, from the Old Spey Bridge above the village downstream on the left bank as far as the Alder Bend opposite Pityoulish, which lies on the right bank. This stretch of the Spey, with 16 named pools, was formerly managed by The Aviemore Angling Association, which has now merged with the Abernethy Angling Association. This part of the river is generally slower flowing than the lower beats and is bordered by heavy tree cover. In many places it is most suited to spinning and worming but there are also some nice fly pools, particularly for sea trout night fishing. Permits for the Aviemore Association water are available at Cairngorm Mountain Sports.

Abernethy and Aviemore Angling Improvement Association

Aviemore Beat Map

Click on pool number to view pool photograph

Aviemore Angling Association Map

Fishing Pools

1 Old Spey Bridge 5 Temperance Pool 9 Muriel's Pool 13 Sandy Banks

2 Druie Pool 6 Crankies Corner 10 Dalfaber Flats 14 Alder Run

3 Stoney Beach Run 7 Butcher's Burn Pool 11 Island Run 15 Grassy bank

4 Stoney Beach Pool 8 Pike Pool 12 Bob Campbell's Pool 16 Alder Bend

Photographs of the main pools on the Association's Aviemore beat of the Spey are shown below.

click on images to enlarge

Looking over the Spey near Aviemore The Old Spey Bridge

The Druie Pool Tail end of the Druie Pool

The Stoney Beach Run The Stoney Beach Pool

Tail of the Stoney Beach Pool Looking down towards the Temperance Pool

The Temperance Pool Looking down to Crankies Corner

Crankies Corner The Butcher's Burn Pool

Looking over the Butcher's Burn Pool Bottom of the Butcher's Burn Pool

Looking Down towards the Pike Pool The Pike Pool

The River Spey at Aviemore The Spey near the Golf Course

Muriel's Pool, AAA The Spey at Dalfaber

Dalfaber Flats Bob Campbell's Pool

The Sandy Banks The Alder Run

The Grassy Bank The Alder Bend