Cog Icon signifying link to Admin page

Water Level and Tackle Choices

Roger Dowsett

Added on 03 February 2025

First published on AlnessFishing.com 21/05/12.

In an earlier Virtual Salmon Guide tip (Water Levels & SEPA Graphs - 2. Taking Behaviour) we looked at the best water levels for the best salmon taking chances. But what tackle should you use on the Alness as a spate recedes?

The diagram below shows how water levels drop off after spates of different heights, and how that affects the duration that the river level is within certain ranges. Very often an initial spate will be followed by further rain though, which will extend the length of time the river is high, and may even produce multiple peaks.

To make the most of the opportunity offered after a spate, it is important to be suitably equipped in terms of your fly fishing tackle. When the water level is high, it is possible to catch a fish on standard fly on a floating line, but you will catch far more, with the most suitable line density, and the right size and weight of fly.

While not ‘Gospel’, this diagram shows suitable tackle (conventional tube flies and doubles only) for late spring to early autumn fishing on the Alness, for varying heights of water.

Spate Water Levels v Taking Times

Salmon Fishing Leaders

First published on AlnessFishing.com 24/04/12.

Leader Length
On a small river such as the Alness, it's important that your fly settles to the target depth and starts to swing as early as possible. In addition, when casting short distances, a long leader will be unbalanced (particularly with tube flies), resulting in the fly line and leader 'hingeing', and a general lack of control of where the fly will land. This hingeing will also produce wide open loops, and it is far more likely to result in your fly ending up in overhanging trees!

For these reasons, leaders should not be too long. For low water, on a floating line, 8-10ft (2.4-3.0m) is sufficient. In high water conditions, when using intermediate/sinking/sink-tip fly lines or polyleaders, then the leader needs to be much shorter to allow the fly line to take the fly down as quickly as possible, so 4-5ft (1.2-1.5m) is much more suitable, and even 3ft (1m) can be sufficient.

Leader Material
Save your money, and avoid tapered leaders, and flourocarbon for fishing on the Alness in normal conditions. Our peat-stained water means that all you need is flat monofilament nylon as a leader material, preferably in a dark colour. We recommend Maxima Chameleon or similar, in 10lbs, 12lbs or 15lbs breaking strain depending on water conditions, and the size of flies that you are fishing. In extreme conditions (i.e. when very small or very big flies are needed), we occasionally use 8lbs or 20lbs b.s.

Add a Comment
< Water Levels & SEPA Graphs - 2. Taking BehaviourHigh Water Lies (+1 to +2 ft, +30 to +60 cm) >
^