Salmon Fishing
The River Ayr is the largest of the Ayrshire salmon rivers and it has some excellent fly fishing water. As with all the Ayrshire rivers the River Ayr is primarily a summer and autumn fishery. However, there is a late spring run with excellent quality double figure fish taken each year, usually starting in April and peaking in May. The regular summer floods can bring large runs of summer grilse and fresh fish are caught until the season closes at the end of October.
Salmon and trout fishing is available to book on line at FishPal Ayrshire.
Please read the River Ayr Code Of Practice for fishing the river.
Fishing Season
Salmon & sea trout season:
11th February to 31st October
Brown trout season:
15th March to 6th October
River Ayr Catch Data (2021)
Total Salmon and Grilse reported caught – 140
% of salmon released – 100
% Total Sea Trout caught – n/a
Historic catch data (salmon)
| year | Ayr reported catch |
| 2010 | 732 |
| 2011 | 562 |
| 2012 | 494 |
| 2013 | 347 |
| 2014 | 230 |
| 2015 | 231 |
| 2016 | 274 |
| 2017 | 284 |
| 2018 | 128 |
| 2019 | 207 |
| 2020 | 448 |
| 2021 | 140 |
Angling Clubs – River Ayr
- Ayr Angling Club
- Ladykirk Angling Club
- Annbank Angling Association
- Tarbolton and Failford Angling Club
- Mauchline Angling Club
- Sorn Angling Club
- Muirkirk Angling Club
Angling Clubs – Lugar Water
- Cumnock & District Angling Club
