April 2026 trout & salmon report
April 2026 regional report: early-season trout & salmon
Overview
April fishing across the United Kingdom shows a classic spring divide. Southern chalkstreams (Test, Itchen, Hampshire Avon) are running clear and cold at 6–9°C with low flows; northern rivers (Tay, Dee, Spey) saw fresher water after March spates. Scottish lochs (Awe, Lomond) and Lake District waters (Windermere, Ullswater) hold trout in 7–10°C layers, often 4–12 ft deep.
Top beats and stillwaters
For rivers, early-season beats on the Test’s Kimbridge and Itchen’s Southampton stretches reward long leaders (14–18 ft) with size 16–18 dries and a upstream nymph dropper. The Hampshire Avon and Wye produce good runs when edges warm; target tailouts and seam lines. Stillwater picks include Loch Awe sheltered bays and Windermere south basin: try slow retrieve nymph rigs and an intermediate tip, probing 6–10 ft.
Techniques and tip‑offs
Use 4–6 wt rods for most trout work, 6–7 wt on larger lochs. Early mornings and dusk are most productive; fish shallow margins as sun warms. Flies to favor: PT nymphs, Diawl Bach, CDC emergers, Bibio patterns. For Atlantic salmon keep an eye on coloured pulses—Tay and Dee beats favour swinging wets or single flies on a sink tip when flows rise.
Recommended: PT nymph fly pack