Alder Stream and Nine Maidens

These have historically been seen as two entirely different pools, but the changes wrought by Storm Babet have melded them more or less into one, for now at least. Alder Stream is effectively now the head of one long pool which stretches some 150 yards through the heart of Finavon’s woodland and is the archetype of a South Esk salmon pool.

The pools are accessed by turning right off of the track through David’s wood at the strimmed junction, this brings you in near the top of Alder Stream, but anglers should really wade another 30 yards or so upstream, and edge into the middle of the river to begin fishing the streamy water and deep channel which sits tight underneath the south bank. As the pool broadens slightly and you approach the area where you entered the water, anglers should edge their way back into the north bank to cover the main deep lies in the pool. This deep hole produced an 18lb sea-liced fish in the height of the terrible 2025 Spring and summer drought.

In low water, this is the extent of the fishing in this area, but with good water conditions, anglers may carefully wade a good 100 yards further downstream covering the full width of the pool and expect to pick up a fish anywhere along that length.