River Tweed

Description of the River Tweed

The River Tweed is a major river running for almost 100 miles and is one of the classic salmon rivers. It is particularly well known for its autumn or back end fishing and its season is extends into November, which is unusual. The river also boasts some excellent sea trout fishing as well as brown tout and grayling.

Most of the Tweed is in Scotland, but nearer to the see it forms the border with England. It rises in the hills in the Borders near the Lanarkshire boundary at Tweeds Well on the watershed with the Clyde and flows in a generally south easterly route to Berwick-upon-Tweed where it enters the North sea. On its way it passes through Peebles, Galashiels, Melrose, Kelso and Coldstream.

The Tweed is a massive river system an its tributaries include the Blackadder, Eden,  Eddleston, Ettrick, Leader, Leithen, Lyne, Quair, Teviot, Till, and Whiteadder.

Young Tweed at Tweesmuir

River Tweed at Stielburn below Peebles

Rainbow over the River Tweed at Melrose. Lower Pavilion

Salmon fishing on the Tweed. A boatman with a client are on the famous Junction Pool on the River Tweed at Kelso. The Junction Pool, where the River Teviot and River Tweed meet, is one of the finest beats on the River Tweed.

River Tweed from Coldstream Looking upstream from Henderson Park, past the confluence with the Leet Burn at a time of low water levels.

Photo © Copyright Richard Webb and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

The River Tweed from the Union Chain Bridge a few miles upstream from Berwick

River Tweed Estuary from Royal Border Bridge

Jock’s Tips and Advice on the River Tweed

Tweed catches in recent seasons have been excellent and Spring salmon are present in the lower Tweed beats from opening at the beginning of February. Like the other rivers cold water keeps salmon at the lower end until usually somewhere in late March when things start to warm a little then these fish will ascend up through the rest of the Tweed system. Summer salmon & sea trout fishing on the River Tweed can be very productive as thousands of fish enter this prolific Scottish lowland river each season. Like other famous Scottish salmon rivers the River Tweed tends to be fly only with the exception of high water levels where some of the River Tweed beats permit the use of a spinning rod. Fly fishing from a boat on the river is also an accepted an traditional method of presenting your fly. The popular River Tweed salmon flies are the Eternal Optimist, Junction Shrimp, Willie Gunn, Sir Richard, Cascade, Stoats Tail, Akroyd, Blue Elver & Green Highlander. The River Tweed opens each season on the 1st of February and closes on the 30th of November. When most other Scottish salmon rivers are closed during late Autumn the Tweed remains open. Huge numbers of salmon are present in the Tweed in the Autumn and early Winter months and the Tweed can be costly to gain fishing access to during this period. On famous and highly productive Tweed beats like Lower & Upper Floors, Tillmouth, Bemersyde, Lower & Upper Pavillion access can sometimes be difficult during the later months as annually returning salmon anglers usually fill the allocated rod availability.  Although the River Tweed can be an expensive salmon river to fish in the Autumn months in my opinion it is well worth a visit if access can be obtained. Late Spring & Summer Tweed salmon fishing is more readily available and salmon & sea trout sport is usually good. The Tweed is the second largest salmon river in Scotland and it produces more fly caught salmon than any other river in Britain. The river is 98 miles long and the greatest part of it lies on Scottish soil with some of its headwaters crossing over into England. Click here for information on guided fishing trips on the River Tweed.

Fishing Links for the River Tweed

• Blanerne House Blanerne House sits on the banks of the Whiteadder River, a tributary to the River Tweed, with 560 yards of double-bank river frontage with fishing for salmon, sea trout and brown trout. The recently converted apartment sleeps up to six people and is fully self-contained, with three bedrooms, its own kitchen, shower and bathroom, and lounge.
• Dryburgh The day ticket salmon fishing beat is well situated close to the beautiful Eildon Hills, where the River Tweed loops around Dryburgh House and park.
• FishTweed Comprehensive site which provides extensive information on the Tweed, Ettrick, Teviot, Till and Whiteadder. Part of the Fishpal network.
• Jedforest Angling Association Around 5 Miles of the River Teviot, one of the major tributaries of the famous River Tweed, is available for salmon, sea-trout, brown trout and grayling angling.
• Monteith Salmon Fishing Services Scotland's leading salmon fishing guiding service covering all Scottish Salmon rivers including the River Tay, River Dee, River Spey and River Tweed.
• Pedwell Day ticket salmon fishing Beat on the River Tweed is approximately 1½ miles long and lies immediately above and below Norham Bridge. As for other beats below Coldstream, the fishing excels in low water conditions.
• Peebleshire Trout Fishing Association Offer excellent fishing for brown trout and grayling in Scotland, in the very heart of the Scottish Borders with fishing on approximately 23 miles of the River Tweed and 5 miles of the Lyne Water in Peeblesshire .
• St Boswells Angling Association St Boswells Angling Association was formed between 1920 and 1922. The club was re-constituted in 1938 to include Newtown and District Anglers. The club offers wild brown trout fishing on 8 miles of the River Tweed.
• The Roxburghe Hotel Country house hotel in the Scottish Borders offering fantastic food, a championship golf course, world-class fishing and shooting and the warmest of Scottish welcomes. Has four fishing beats on the River Tweed and River Teviot.
• Tweedhill A day ticket salmon fishing beat on the River Tweed which fishes particularly well in low water.
• Upper North Wark Upper North Wark salmon fishing beat is situated on the north, Scottish, bank of the Tweed and consists of nearly one mile of left bank fishing for 2 rods Depending on the height, fishing from the two boats and wading.
• Whiteadder Angling Association Whiteadder Angling Association controls a large tract of Brown Trout fishing from the Whiteadder source at Clints Dod in the Lammermuirs to below Chirnside.