Sea Trout Fishing in Scotland River Border Esk

O.S. Map 79, 85

The Border Esk is formed by the meeting of the Black Esk and White Esk near Bailiehill. On its way to Langholm, the Border Esk is joined by tributaries Meggat Water, Ewes and Wauchope and, just downstream of Langholm, by the Tarras Water. Just below Canonbie, the Esk is joined by its major tributary, the Liddle, a good salmon and sea trout river in its own right. At Scotsdyke, the Esk, hitherto a Scottish river, enters England and flows on past Longtown to meet the Solway Firth near Gretna. Renowned as one of the best sea trout rivers in the country, the Border Esk also has a good run of salmon through the latter part of the season.

Interactive Map of the River Border Esk

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Salmon and Sea Trout Fishing on the Border Esk

The Border Esk is one of the best sea trout rivers in southern Scotland. Much of the available fishing on the Border Esk and Liddle (known as the Esk and Liddle Fisheries), extending to some twenty miles, is owned by the Buccleuch Estates and managed by Buccleuch Sportings Limited, with much of the fishing available to both local and visiting anglers on a day, weekly or season permit. Best known for its sea trout, the River Esk also has a decent run of salmon in the second half of the season. The Esk and Liddle Fisheries beats include some of the best fly fishing water on the middle Esk and the middle and lower Liddle. At one time the Esk and Liddle fishery beats might produce around 5000 sea trout in a season, many of them taken on the night fly during the short summer nights of June and July, with the added bonus, towards the end of the season, of up to 500 salmon. For reasons that are not clear, catches of sea trout on the Border Esk, like those of other Solway rivers, have declined in recent seasons, with the Buccleuch Estate beats now producing somewhere between 500 and 1000 sea trout per season and around 200 salmon. Given the right conditions, though, June and July can still provide some excellent night fishing. Permits are available from the head bailiff, Iain Bell at Buccleuch Sportings, Ewesbank, Langholm and various other local outlets.  For more information see Fishing the Border Esk

Border Esk at Byreburnfoot	Burns's Stream, Border Esk
Meggie's Ford, Lower Liddle	Swing Bridge, River Liddle

View more photographs of the Border Esk and River Liddle on the following pages:

Border Esk Photographs

River Liddle Photographs

It is perhaps worth noting here the ongoing controversy over the recent attempts by the English Environment Agency to impose an English rod licence on anglers fishing the Scottish beats of the Border Esk. In protest at this wholly inappropriate, and legally questionable, action by the Environment Agency, many Esk fishers, to their credit, are refusing to take permits on the river, much to the detriment of the river and the local economy. It is to be hoped that a reasonable compromise can be reached on the matter and that normality might soon be restored to this lovely river.

Angling Clubs and Associations

Esk and Liddle Fisheries Association

See  website

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