Redds in the Riverbed
Something to stimulate the brain cells after the festive season- how to spot places in the river where salmon have spawned- a “redd”. Bob Laughton and Billy Forrester were out on the Lossie in December and saw numerous redds- areas where the riverbed gravel is clear because the female salmon has stirred it up to cover her eggs after fertilisation. The salmon make the redds at night and it can take them up to three nights to scrape a hole in the substrate, lay and fertilise the eggs, and then swim upstream to stirr up gravel to cover their eggs.  The redds can be seen until the next high water flow event changes the riverbed. Salmon spawning season is November on the Lossie so keep your eyes open when you are walking along riverbanks at that time of year.
Bob has annotated some of the photos to show the redds.

 

 

 

 

Source: Findhorn, Nairn and Lossie – Redds in the Riverbed