FISHING

Dunnet Head Outdoor Activities,
Brough, Caithness, KW14 8YE
Tel: 01847 851774
Email: [email protected]

Walking, Fishing, Wildlife & Bird Watching

at the most northerly point of the UK mainland!

This is one of a series of brochures was produced by the Dunnet Bay group in conjunction with the Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise. They have been updated to the best of our knowledge and included on our site to give you further information about our area.

The Dunnet Bay area offers some of the best fishing in Scotland. It affords excellent sea angling from beach, rocks or boat and quality fly fishing for wild brown trout, which is the equal of any in Britain.

This, coupled to the natural scenic beauty of the surrounding countryside and warm hospitality of the local people, makes the area the answer to an angler’s prayer.

Details such as lochs available, size and bag limits, where permits can be purchased, and other contacts ... read on....

Fishing on this group of lochs has been controlled since 1980 by the Dunnet Head Fishing Club. The lochs are stocked regularly and offer some excellent sport with fish averaging around a pound.

Stocking takes the form of introducing the fish at the fry stage and this ensures that they are, to all intents and purposes, wild fish. Fishing is from the bank only and a cautious approach is recommended. Stealth and stalking brings their rewards on these lochs.
Season 1st May to 6th October
Limits Min. 10 inches

Permits Dunnet Head Information Point, Brough. We can also offer B&B or self catering by arrangement. Tel: 01847 851774. Email: [email protected]. Call at the door of the house next door, Windhaven, or we may be around the back of the property

St. John’s is one of the most famous lochs in the north and offers some of the most spectacular fishing one could wish to find. Being a shallow loch, with a marl bottom, weed can sometimes be a problem when landing a heavy fish.

Access is very good and you can drive right to the harbour area, parking only yards from your boat. Fishing from a boat is the norm, although bank fishing is available on certain areas, and can be very productive. Specialist boat facilities are available for disabled anglers.

St. John’s fish are renowned for their fighting and eating qualities. They are beautifully formed fish with bright pink flesh. Average size of fish in the 1996 season was just over a pound, with many specimens several times that weight caught.

St. John’s is managed by the St. John’s Angling Association, who stock the loch with fish reared from their own hatchery in order to preserve the quality of the trout.
Season April - October
Limits Min. 10 inches
Permits Northern Sands Hotel, Dunnet
Tel: 01847 851270

It is said that St. John’s was stocked originally from Loch Heilen, and it is true that the quality of the trout in both lochs is the same. Heilen is managed by the Loch Heilen Improvement Association who introduced 14,500 fingerlings into the loch in 1995. These were reared from eggs taken from fish from the loch, and it is the intention of the Association to preserve what they regard as a special strain of fish.

Each year, fish in the four to six pound category are caught and fish well into double figures are taken in the net while collecting eggs at spawning time. A minimum length of fifteen inches and a bag limit of four fish is now in force.

Access is very easy with a car parking area at the lochside. The boat berthing area is some 100 yards walk from there, and an excellent anglers’ refuge is located midway along the south shore.

Only 10 permits per day are issued and, at present, one boat is available. Bank fishing is every bit as productive as boat fishing and the wading is easy and quite safe.
Season 1st April - 6th October
Limits 4 fish, min 15 inches
Permits St. Clair Arms Hotel, Castletown
Tel: 01847 821656

Good beach fishing can be experienced from both Dunnet and Murkle Beaches. Fishing from the rocks all round this part of the coast can also prove effective, but care regarding the tide and weather conditions should be exercised. Boat angling is available from Scrabster Harbour near Thurso. The area produced World record Halibut and Porbeagle Shark in addition to many huge skate.

Harper’s Fly Fishing Services, 57 High Street, Thurso, KW1 5LE. Tel: 01847 893179
Fishing Tackle, Salmon & Trout Flies, Fly Tying Materials, Government Surplus, Shooting Access, Frozen Sea Bait.
Hugo Ross, Fishing tackle & electrical repairs, 56 High Street, Wick. Tel: 01955 604200
Fishing tackle, Salmon & Trout Flies, Fly Tying Materials, Wick River Salmon Permits
C.H. Haygarth & Sons, Gun & Riflemakers, Dunnet, Caithness, KW14 8XQ Tel: 01847 851602
Fishing tackle, Sea Angling Equipment, Salmon & Trout Flies, Guns, Rifles, & Ammunition By appointment to HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.

A bit further away but of interest:
Dornoch outdoor, Wallace street, Dornoch IV25 3PE 01862 810610 fishing tackle , frozen bait,outdoor
clothing,walkingboots, shooting accessories camping mail order.

TIP: An excellent web site for finding fishing sites in the Highlands is http://fishing-highland.co.uk