South-East Sutherland |
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South-East Sutherland |
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Sutherland is famed for its wide expanses of wilderness, stunning scenery and myriad of lochs and rivers welcoming the game angler. This south-east corner is the least remote part, much of it within an hour or so drive of Inverness, but nevertheless, there is some excellent salmon and trout fishing to be had. The best and most easily accessed of the trout lochs in this area lie in a broad belt running north-south from Beannach, about 4 miles north of Lairg, past Loch Craggie, down to Loch Migdale at Bonar Bridge. There are also additional lochs in the foothills along the coast from Dornoch to Brora. Many of these lochs experience a mayfly hatch, typically for a month or so from early June. The local angling clubs (Lairg, Kyle of Sutherland and Dornoch) have boats on most lochs, offering permits from local outlets. There is a variety of trout fishing on offer suiting the most discerning fly fishers to family holidaymakers. Loch Craggie Loch Craggie Craggie is recognised as the cream of the lochs in this area, indeed one of the best in the Highlands. It is famous for both its mayfly hatch and the quality of its trout. Brown trout average around the 1lb mark, with many better fish in the 2-3lbs range caught each season. The loch is about ¾ mile in length, and fishing is by boat only with only electric motors permitted. Loch Craggie lies above Lairg at an elevation of 545 ft (166m) and is accessed via a forestry track. The fishing on Craggie is controlled by Lairg Angling Club. Loch Beannach Loch Beannach Loch Migdale Brown trout are abundant, often resulting in large catches of trout, typically small at 6 to 10oz in size, but fish up to 1lb and over are caught each season. Loch Migdale Migdale is rich in natural food throughout the season, though the highlight is the mayfly hatch which peaks in June. Permits are available from Kyle of Sutherland Angling Association (KoSAA). Loch BuidheLoch Buidhe is a sizeable hill loch, 1¼ miles in length lying at 538 ft in the hills above Bonar Bridge. Buidhe is the most easily accessed of all the smaller lochs in the area with roadside access. The loch reaches depths of 30-35ft and both boat and bank fishing are permitted. Trout can be caught all over the loch and average ½lb, with occasional fish caught to 1lb. Boat hire and permits are available from Kyle of Sutherland Angling Association (KoSAA). Loch Buidhe Loch Lannsaidh Loch Lannsaidh Loch Laiogh |
* These images © Colin Riach
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