River Fruin

The River Fruin is a typical west coast spate stream which originates in the western end of Glen Fruin and enters the west shore of Loch Lomond near the old Midross quarry. The Fruin is a challenging river for a number of reasons and is only lightly fished. Anglers also have the option to fish the Endrick or the Leven which are both covered by the same permit, not to mention the loch and estuary.

The Fruin can be unfishable when the river is too high and when too low it provides cover where fish can hide due to its high banks, large boulders and inaccessible stretches. The river is renowned for running off quickly after a spate, so the window of opportunity can be short - often only a few hours. Despite this, or maybe because of this, the Fruin can be a magical place to fish. The river provides a true salmon and sea trout spate stream fishing experience in a wild and panoramic setting where the chances of encountering another angler are low.

If you have never fished the Fruin before it can be advantageous to spend a day scouting the river before you intend to fish. Certain pools and stretches are off the beaten track and the route is often not immediately apparent. Stealth is required and timing is critical. The Fruin has 28 named pools according to the LLAIA map and many more unnamed holes, runs and likely spots. Fishing is fly only.