South-East Sutherland
Sutherland is famed for its wide expanses of spectacular wilderness scenery and a myriad of lochs and rivers welcoming the game angler.
The south-east corner is the least remote part, much of it within an hour or so drive of Inverness. There are fewer lochs than other parts of Sutherland, but nevertheless, there is some excellent trout fishing to be found, and the area boasts some of the very best salmon rivers.
Four of the region’s most famous salmon rivers drain to the Dornoch Firth via the Kyle of Sutherland estuary. The Kyle of Sutherland is the tidal estuary for the rivers Carron, Oykel, Cassley and Shin, beginning at Inveroykel and flowing for about 12 miles before pouring out into the Dornoch Firth at Bonar Bridge.
Each of these rivers has a large catchment extending to near the West Coast and is a renowned salmon fishery in its own right. Collectively they rival Scotland’s ‘Big 4’ salmon rivers - the Spey, Dee, Tay & Tweed.
To the north of Dornoch lies Loch Fleet, a sea inlet and the last of the 'firth' type estuaries on the east coast.
It's fed by the River Fleet, a small spate river rising east of Lairg and running to the tidal lagoon behind the Mound, before pouring into Loch Fleet.
Heading north the coastline becomes more rugged, and the remaining east coast salmon rivers, including the Brora and the Helmsdale, discharge directly to the open sea.
Both rivers are famed for their spring and summer salmon fishing.
Access to all these rivers can be difficult for visitors, as most beats are let with accommodation, on a weekly basis to returning guests. Permits are readily available however, to fish the estuary at Bonar Bridge, through which all Carron, Oykel, Cassley and Shin salmon must pass, from the Kyle of Sutherland AA (KoSAA).
Until 1997 there were as many as 5 netting stations operating on the Kyle of Sutherland, from just upstream of the mouth of the Carron, to the lowest station a mile downstream, with total catches of up to 10,000 fish per year!
Salmon fishing is also available on the estuary beats of the Brora and Helmsdale through local angling clubs.
Some of the best and most easily accessed of the trout lochs in this area lie in a broad belt running north-south from north of Lairg, down to Bonar Bridge. Lochs Beannach, Craggie and Dola are the cream of them, with boat hires available through Lairg AC.
The Kyle of Sutherland AA and Dornoch & District AC offer boats on several lochs near Bonar Bridge including Loch Migdale.
There are also additional lochs in the foothills along the coast from Dornoch to Brora, including Loch Lannsaidh, which is managed by Dornoch & District AC and stocked with rainbow trout.
Further north near Kinbrace, at the head of the Helmsdale catchment, there is some exceptional wild brown trout fishing. This is the start of the 'Flow Country' - an extensive area of blanket bog and a unique mix of peatland and pools. There are several superb trout lochs here, with excellent access provided by local estates.
Many of the lochs in South & East Sutherland experience a mayfly hatch, typically for a month or so from early June.
Craggie slide show images © Colin Riach. Ruathair, Coire nam Mang & Lucy images © Euan Myles.
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