North Inverness-shire
North Inverness-shire is defined here as the area drained by the River Ness system and its neighbouring River Beauly catchment, both of which pour into the Beauly Firth.
The Ness catchment is the largest in the Northern Highlands, extending to 812 square miles and reaching 60 miles to the south-west. The system is dominated by Loch Ness into which the Moriston and Oich (& Garry) and some minor tributaries drain. With no migration barriers in the system, these upper tributaries are the main spring salmon fisheries.
The River Ness itself flows from Loch Ness to the sea; a short distance of just 6.5 miles. While the spring run passes through the prime lower beats of Dochfour & Laggan, Ness Castle and Ness-side, these beats are most productive in summer months.
To the north, the Beauly catchment reaches more than 40 miles to the south-west with 2 main tributaries, the Glass and the Farrar, meeting about 12 miles from the Beauly Firth.
Both river systems were harnessed for hydro-electric power in the 1950s and ‘60s, with the development of several dams and power stations, which have a major effect on the fishing today.
On the Ness system, there are 4 large, dammed reservoirs: Quoich, Garry, Loyne & Cluanie and 2 power stations on the Garry and Moriston, which create significantly variable river flows downstream. There is currently one existing pumped storage scheme on Loch Ness, with 2 more in planning. Flows in the River Ness are regulated by automated sluices at Ness Weir to mitigate for fluctuations in Loch Ness water levels.
The Beauly system is dominated by hydro-electric schemes that influence both the fishing and salmonid migration. In the upper tributaries are 4 large, dammed reservoirs: Benevean, Mullardoch, Monar & Beannacharan.
Below each of these impoundments there is a power station, and there are 2 more dams/power stations (each with Borland lifts), on the main stem of the Beauly. Increased water storage on both systems means that water levels are generally good, even in periods of low rainfall.
In contrast to the Ness, the spring fishing on the Beauly is restricted to the Lower Beauly, as salmon are held back by the Aigas and Kilmorack in-river dams, typically until mid-June.
Loch Knockie slide show images © Colin Riach.
Both catchments have long arms stretching to the west such as Glen Garry, Glen Moriston, Glen Cannich, Glen Affric and Glen Strathfarrar. Each of these site large lochs, many enlarged further by impoundments such as lochs Garry, Cluanie, Beannacharan, Mullardoch and Benevean.
Although all these lochs contain brown trout (and often ferox), they are also home to pike, and many are also quite deep, so not best suited to fly fishing for trout from a drifting boat.
There are some excellent lochs though in the hills between the catchments, and above Loch Ness on its south side along its watershed with the Nairn catchment, including Loch Ruthven and Loch Knockie.
More Intel for North Inverness-shire (HiFly Fishing members only)
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