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Fishing in Scottish Borders

Scotland · 111 mapped waters · Scottish Borders
104 Rivers 7 Stillwaters Scotland
104
Mapped rivers
1493km
Total river length
48
Fish species
77
Good water quality

Fishing in Scottish Borders

Scottish Borders offers 111 mapped fishing waters on PiscaMaps, including 104 rivers, 7 stillwaters. Species found across Scottish Borders's waters include Brown trout, Sea trout, brown trout, sea trout, Grayling, Trout, Salmon, Eel.

There is no rod licence requirement in Scotland — instead, access rights under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 grant anglers the right to fish most rivers and still waters, providing they act responsibly. Most fisheries are managed through riparian owners, angling clubs or estate beats.

Unlike England and Wales, there is no rod licence requirement in Scotland — however, most waters require permission from the landowner or angling club.

7 stillwaters listed

Featured Rivers in Scottish Borders

All Rivers in Scottish Borders (104)

Click a river for species information, close season dates, access notes and a location map.

Ale Water
River · 50.5km · Trout, Salmon
Armet Water
River · 8.5km · Brown trout, Grayling
Atton Burn
River · 5.3km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Bells Burn
River · 5.3km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Biggar Water
River · 9.5km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Billie Burn
River · 5.1km · brown trout, char
Blackadder Water
River · 38.2km · Brown trout, Atlantic salmon
Blackhope Water
River · 6.3km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Blythe Water
River · 7.7km · Roach, Rudd
Boonraw Burn
River · 5.5km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Borthwick Water
River · 24.4km · brown trout, sea trout
Bothwell Water
River · 6.7km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Bowmont Water
River · 32.2km · Grayling, Trout
Brunta Burn
River · 5.1km · Brown trout, sea trout
Caddon Water
River · 14.7km · brown trout, sea trout
Capehope Burn
River · 6.7km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Catlee Burn
River · 5.3km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Cockholm Burn
River · 6.2km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Douglas Burn
River · 15.5km · Common Carp, Crucian Carp
Dye Water
River · 21.6km · brown trout, grayling
Earnscleugh Water
River · 12.5km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Eddleston Water
River · 16km · brown trout, sea trout
Eden Water
River · 31.3km · Roach, Dace
Ettrick Water
River · 49.7km · salmon, sea trout
Eye Water
River · 35.7km · roach, bream
Flemington Burn
River · 6.5km · Brown trout, sea trout
Fruid Water
River · 8km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Gala Water
River · 36.4km · brown trout, salmon
Games Hope Burn
River · 5.1km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Glenkinnon Burn
River · 5km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Halter Burn
River · 5.7km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Hareford Burn
River · 5.4km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Harehope Burn
River · 7.7km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Hawkshaw Burn
River · 6.5km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Headshaw Burn
River · 8.1km · brown trout, grayling
Hearthstane Burn
River · 5.1km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Heriot Water
River · 15.3km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Hermitage Water
River · 13.5km · Trout, Salmon
Holms Water
River · 10.6km · Brown trout, Rainbow trout
Hoscote Burn
River · 5.7km · brown trout, sea trout
Howpasley Burn
River · 6.5km · brown trout, sea trout
Jed Water
River · 31.8km · brown trout, sea trout
Kale Water
River · 33.3km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Kelphope Burn
River · 6.6km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Kershope Burn
River · 15km · Trout, Salmon
Kill Burn
River · 5.4km · Brown trout, Bullhead
Kingledoors Burn
River · 9.2km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Kirkhope Burn
River · 5.7km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Kirkstead Burn
River · 5.8km · Brown trout, Grayling
Lake Burn
River · 6km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Lambden Burn
River · 15.7km · Trout
Langside Burn
River · 6.8km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Langton Burn
River · 12km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Lauder Burn
River · 7.2km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Leader Water
River · 27.3km · Atlantic salmon, sea trout
Leet Water
River · 18.2km · Brown trout, Grayling
Leithen Water
River · 17.5km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Linghope Burn
River · 5.4km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Linhope Burn
River · 5.6km · Trout
Long Gill
River · 14.1km · brown trout, grayling
Long Sike
River · 6.4km · Brown trout, Grayling
Lugate Water
River · 9.2km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Lyne Water
River · 28.2km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Manor Water
River · 17.7km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Megget Water
River · 6.7km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Middle Burn
River · 12.5km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Monynut Water
River · 12.5km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Newmill Burn
River · 10.7km · Trout, Salmon
North Grain
River · 9km · Roach, Rudd
Oxnam Water
River · 23.7km · brown trout, grayling
Pease Burn
River · 7.1km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Peel Burn
River · 5.7km · Trout, Salmon
Philip Burn
River · 5.8km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Pier Burn
River · 5.2km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Quair Water
River · 8.4km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Rankle Burn
River · 14.9km · brown trout, sea trout
River North Esk
River · 79.7km · brown trout, Atlantic salmon
River Teviot
River · 61.4km · salmon, sea trout
River Tweed
River · 132km · Trout, Salmon
Rough Syke
River · 5.6km · Trout, Salmon
Roughley Burn
River · 5.6km · Trout, Salmon
Rule Water
River · 11.9km · brown trout, sea trout
Skelfhill Burn
River · 5.4km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Slitrig Water
River · 11.9km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Soonhope Burn
River · 13km · brown trout, sea trout
South Grain
River · 5.8km · Brown trout, Roach
Stanhope Burn
River · 12km · Trout, Salmon
Sundhope Burn
River · 6.6km · Trout
Talla Water
River · 6.3km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Tarth Water
River · 10.1km · Brown trout, sea trout
The Stank
River · 6.6km · roach, bream
Tima Water
River · 9.1km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Tinnis Burn
River · 5.9km · Trout, Salmon
Todrig Burn
River · 7.4km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Turfford Burn
River · 7.1km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Tweeden Burn
River · 7.1km · Trout, Salmon
Watch Water
River · 5.9km · Brown trout, Rainbow trout
Wauchope Burn
River · 7.9km · Brown trout, Sea trout
West Grain
River · 7.4km · Trout
Wester Burn
River · 10.1km · Brown trout, Grayling
Whitehope Burn
River · 5.6km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Whitrope Burn
River · 6.6km · Trout, Salmon
Winterhope Burn
River · 6.4km · Brown trout, Sea trout
Yarrow Water
River · 23.3km · brown trout, grayling

Stillwaters in Scottish Borders (7)

Fish Species in Scottish Borders

48 species recorded across Scottish Borders's rivers, lakes:

Brown trout61 waters
Sea trout51 waters
brown trout20 waters
sea trout20 waters
Grayling19 waters
Trout18 waters
Salmon17 waters
Eel14 waters
Minnow14 waters
Dace11 waters
grayling11 waters
Roach10 waters

Carp are a popular target across Scottish Borders's waters — always use a landing net and unhooking mat and return fish promptly.

Brown trout are present in Scottish Borders's rivers — many are catch-and-release only and may be subject to game fishing close seasons (typically 1 October to 14 March).

Salmon are present in some of Scottish Borders's rivers. A migratory salmonid licence is required in addition to the standard rod licence.

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View all rivers, stillwaters and canals across Scottish Borders on the interactive map. Filter by species, water type and access.

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