
DUE TO COVID-19 WE HAVE HAD TO POSTPONE OUR EVENTS PROGRAMME UNTIL 2021
Welcome to the start of your fly-fishing journey.
Fly fishing has huge amount of benefits, from enjoying nature and the outdoor life, learning new skills, improving health and wellbeing and of course… catching lots of fish.
The Dee Board has been running angling development events since 2014 and since 2019 has created a new programme called Aberdeenshire Fly Fish 50. AFF50’s vision is to introduce and encourage at least 50 new people each year, from across all ages and backgrounds to take up fly fishing in Aberdeenshire.
AFF50 is delivered by a group of volunteers, including professional instructors, Dee ghillies and a beat owner, who have been pivotal to the success of the programme, which would not be possible without them. The programme has received support from Loop tackle, which has provided trout and salmon kits and has also funded a website, which will go live in late autumn of 2020.
We run events on the river and have now developed a teaching syllabus for still water trout and salmon fishing.
On the River Dee we hold three main events:
Introduction to Salmon Fishing
This is held each June at Invery & Tilquhillie. Participants have a full day of professional instruction and fishing. All equipment is provided.
Ladies Day
This popular event takes place each September on Invery & Tilquhillie and the neighbouring Lower Blackhall and Banchory beat. Ladies fishing has grown on Deeside and this event is a great opportunity to meet other like minded people such as the River Dee Damsels who run their own ladies only angling events throughout the year. Participants have a full day of professional instruction and fishing. All equipment is provided.
Big Fish, Little Fish
Big Fish, Little Fish, is a days fishing where an adult brings a youngster (strictly 12+) to a beat for the day to share a cast together. It is an ideal introduction to the Dee for young anglers. All equipment is provided.
Stillwater Trout & Salmon lesson Blocks
The still water trout lessons take place over three evenings at one of the many excellent trout fisheries in the region. The block costs £50.
The first session is a full of great tips and advice to get you started as a fly fisher. Our instructors and assistants will walk you through the basics.
The second session focuses on casting with a single-handed rod. Our instructors will break down the basic casts and demonstrate the correct technique to help you get the most out of your fly fishing.
The third session looks at the trout's varied diet, which changes throughout the day depending on the time of year and weather and many other factors. Our challenge is to develop our understanding of what they eat and how imitate that with artificial flies.
The salmon syllabus follows a similar pattern with three sessions beginning with the basics of salmon fishing tackle and flies. It also introduces some of the cast we use. The second session focuses on casting. Finally we do some fishing on the Dee. This will be run as a pilot in 2021.
For Further information contact Ross Macdonald, Fisheries Development Officer
tel. 01339 880411/07979878971
Also keep an eye on the AFF50 Facebook Page for the latest news and events.
Smolt migration through the River Dee and Aberdeen Harbour
April 06, 2020
The Results of the 2019 River Dee Smolt Tagging & Tracking study have been published
A Million Trees to Save Our Salmon
January 30, 2020
The River Dee Trust has announced plans to plant a million native trees in one of the biggest nature restoration projects in the Cairngorms. The project will recreate areas of landscape that have been lost for 2000 years.
All Change on the Riverbank
January 20, 2020
There have been several personnel changes along the Dee during the close season.
Hatchery Factsheet
November 15, 2019
The Dee Dsfb has produced a short facsheet detailing its position on enhancement stocking
Upper Dee Riparian Scheme: 2019 Electrofishing Results
November 08, 2019
The River Dee Trust has published the results of the 2019 UDRS Electrofishing
Scale Report 2015-2018
November 08, 2019
The River Dee Trust has published the findings of its scale reading study
Callum Mackenzie Cup 2019
November 01, 2019
The Callum Mackenzie Cup is awarded by Ballogie Estate Enterprises for the most notable fish, of any species, caught by a youngster within the Dee catchment, including Rivers Cowie and Carron or one of the many trout fisheries in the district.
River Dee Review 2018-19 now published
October 10, 2019
The new Annual Review highlighting the work of the Board and Trust is available to read.
Return of the King- the reintroduction of salmon in the Culter Catchment
October 07, 2019
One of the Dee’s most exciting projects got underway in 2014 when a fish pass was installed on the Culter Burn in the autumn of that year.
Smolt Production in the Dee 2016-2019
October 03, 2019
Since 2016 the River Dee Trust has been engaged in a major piece of work to find out more about smolt production on the lower Dee.
Fisheries Protection
September 24, 2019
With the season coming to a close Fisheries Officers are still working hard to protect salmon from poachers. Poaching still goes on and can have a major impact on fish stocks, particularly when numbers are down across the country.
Culter Parr Show Strong Growth
August 15, 2019
The Culter catchment is an ideal breeding ground for salmon
Return of the Pink Salmon
July 03, 2019
As expected, the first pink salmon has been caught on the Dee
River Dee Conservation Series River Muick
May 22, 2019
This short film showcases our new project in the Upper Dee Catchment
Improving Habitat for Juvenile Salmon
November 23, 2018
Join River Operations Manager Edwin Third, as he introduces a new project to boost juvenile salmon salmon on the Dee.
Managing Smolts on the River Dee
June 26, 2018
Join the River Dee team as we continue our work to protect our most precious resource, Atlantic salmon smolts