The Duke of Richmond and Gordon's salmon fishings on the Spey extend on both sides of the river from the Boat o' Brig, where the Highland Railway crosses the stream between Keith and Elgin, to the sea, a distance of about nine miles.

The river here varies in breadth from 50 to 140 yards, and in depth from 2 feet, where the stream is broad, to about 10 or 12 in some of the pools. Its course is rapid, the fall being about 16 feet to the mile, and its volume is quickly increased when there is much rain, or when snow melts in the Monadhliadh and Grampian Mountains.

There are many excellent pools for salmon fishing with the rod on the Gordon Castle water, and in them large numbers of fish are usually taken with the fly every year during the month of September and the first half of October.