The Deveron Fish and Catch Records 

Catch Statistics

The numbers of all fish caught (including returned fish) are submitted to the Board at the end of each season and are collated by the Clerk. The Board and Trust consider catch figures for individual beats are a matter for the beat owners to disclose on a beat by beat basis.

The returns for the 2007 fishing season submitted to the Board showed an overall catch of 4,281 Salmon and Grilse (3,268 in 2006) and 593  Sea Trout (922 in 2006).

Atlantic Salmon

They return from their feeding grounds in the North Atlantic to spawn in their natal burn. Mature Deveron salmon of around 11lbs to 15lbs are common and fish of more than 25lbs are reported annually. Fish enter the river throughout the year with around 200 springers being caught by June, summer fish run in good water whilst autumn salmon are abundant from September to the end of October when the season closes. The main grilse run, like many other rivers, are appearing in numbers in late July- August which is 6 weeks later than the traditional mid summer timing.

The average annual catch is around 3000 fish with recent highs of over 4000 in 2004, 2007 & 2008.

Sea Trout

A fighting fish often considered a more exciting catch than a salmon. It migrates annually to the sea and is frequently caught at dawn or dusk. Five pound Deveron sea trout are common with fish upto 10-12lbs not uncommon. Sadly, catches have declined from a high of 3500 to under 500 which is mirrored in many east coast rivers.

The Trust is actively engaged in trying to identify the reasons for this decline and is now a member of the Moray Firth Sea Trout Project (MFSTP).

The 'Brownie' or brown trout

The same species as the sea trout, but it stays in the river all year. The brownie is a classic 'breakfast fish' but can grow to more than 3lbs with specimens of over 5lbs caught regularly.

Record breaking catches on the River Deveron

61lbs Salmon

Mrs 'Tiny' Morison's 61 pounder wasn't weighed until 24 hours after it was caught and so some weight was certainly lost. Mr Harper, who attended to the catch, reckoned on a weight loss of 'a pound or two'. It was caught on a 1.25''  'brown wing killer'. She also caught 2 fish of 16lbs and one of 12lbs on the same day!

On the day of her 'big catch', Mrs Morison had already caught other sizable fish - two of 16lb each. She wrote to her friend Lt. Col. W. Keith reporting the drama: 'I rushed down put my hands in his gills and dragged him up onto the bank. He looked enormous lying there - a huge male fish, well hooked but a beautiful shape and coloured. I had no idea what a prize he was. We sent him to Aberdeen to get a cast made'.

Charles Middleton was the Morison's chauffeur and although he was only 11-years-old when the big fish was caught he remembers the excitement.; 'The fish was enormous. They had to get a horse and cart to take it back from the river. It was smoked and we all got a piece'

A full description of its capture features in Fred Buller's 'Doomsday of Giant Salmon'.

56 lbs Salmon

Featured in The Illustrated London News on 11th November 1922 and is also in the 'Doomsday Book of Giant Salmon' by Fred Buller, this fish was caught by Colonel A.E Scott on 31st October 1920 with a size 1/0 'Brittania' fly. This large fish was 50'' long with a girth of 29''. The beat on which it was caught is not known. 

10lb 2oz Brown Trout

A 10lb 2oz brown trout caught by John Sheard of Keith in May 2005 on the River Isla - he also caught a 4lb brown trout during the summer. The larger fish could be a record brown trout caught in a river (as opposed to still water).