River Alness
River Alness - click for large version
Through the upper beats, the river flows through open moorland with conifer plantation and birch woodland, first over gravel beds where feeder streams provide significant spawning areas, before descending more rapidly through deeply bedded schists with more clearly defined pools.
The River Alness typically produces rod catches of 500-700 salmon & grilse per year of which about two thirds are caught on the private Novar Estate fishings. TroutQuest has full access to the Novar Fishings. There are six rotating beats on Novar's water, allowing rods to fish a different beat each day of the week.
The average length of each beat is 1.2 miles (1.9 km), with typically 15 to 20 named pools per beat allowing for 4 rods. Both banks are included; however most of the fishing is from the southern (right) bank. Many of the rods are syndicated, or let out for the season with holiday accommodation, and are fished only a few weeks a year.
Follow the links below for information on the individual Novar beats:
The Alness is not a particularly wide river, and a 12 to 13 foot double-handed rod is generally sufficient. In summer months, great sport can be had with a 10 to 11ft single-handed rod.
Our favourite flies for low water conditions are shrimp patterns such as Ally's Shrimp and Cascade Shrimp, Stoat's Tail (and variants), Munro Killer, Willie Gunn, Alness Thunder and Collie Dog (and variants). Towards the end of the season and in higher water conditions, 1" to 2" tube flies such as Willie Gunn, Garry Dog and Ally's Shrimp are preferred.
Total catches on the Novar beats in 2007 were 432 salmon & grilse resulting in a 5-year average up to an including 2007 of 303. The grilse generally range from 4 to 7lbs, and the salmon from 7 to 15lbs.
Junction Pool - Beat 2
The River Alness also has good runs of sea trout in summer months offering exciting night-time fishing, though the Novar beats have been very lightly fished in recent years.
A 3lb Alness Sea Trout
Novar Fishings Regulations and Salmon Conservation Policy
2008 Pricing
Permits to fish for salmon are £26 per day until the end of May, £32 per day in June, £60 in July, £70 per day in August, £75 per day in September and £70 per day in October until the 15th. After the 15th salmon fishing is priced at £60 per rod per day.
