wild about fishing

Ben McCallum manages the broad educational programme for the Tweed Foundation, the body dedicated to protecting and improving the natural environment of the River Tweed. An avid flyfisher, he shares his go to fishing spots for springtime.

Name: Ben McCallum

Day job: Education Officer, Tweed Foundation

How long lived in the Tweed Valley? 7 years

Specialist subject? Fly Fishing and introducing young people to angling through the TweedStart initiative

Favourite fishing spots for springtime? With so much great water on our doorstep, it’s hard to pick just one spot! When it comes to fly fishing for trout in the Tweed Valley, a great place to start would be to visit the Peeblesshire Trout Fishing Association website to find out about permits, regulations, and other useful information. For a great family day out, it’s hard to beat Kailzie Trout Fishery just outside Peebles where you can hire rods and fish the well-stocked trout ponds. 

What makes fly fishing in the Tweed Valley so special? The Tweed Valley has so much to offer for both visiting and local anglers - the fantastic fishing opportunities, combined with the surrounding scenery and chance to spot incredible wildlife like otters and kingfishers makes it a very special place to fish and explore.

Who would you most love to spend a day on or in the water with and why? I’m planning to take my daughter (who is only three!) on her first fishing experience this spring. She is already very excited about it and looking forward to catching her first fish together.

Dream fishing destination if ever enticed away from the Tweed Valley? It would have to be a road trip across the American northwest to fish the legendary rivers of Montana and Idaho.

Further info

  • For details on when and where to fish, river levels, beat reports and more, check out the Tweed pages on Fishpal and information at Tweedbeats. For fly-fishing guiding and instruction, FishWild specialise in wild trout, grayling and salmon fishing in the Upper Tweed and other locations across Scotland.

  • Follow River Tweed News for updates, insights, and stories that highlight the ongoing initiatives and events to protect and celebrate the extraordinary River Tweed Catchment.