The Best Places to Fish for Trout in Scotland

An Introduction to Scottish Trout Fishing with maps and information on Scotland’s fly fishing lochs and rivers

There are more than 31,000 freshwater lochs and lochans in Scotland, most numerous in the Scottish Highlands, for example in the counties of Sutherland, Caithness, Ross & Cromarty, Invernessshire and Argyll, with more than 7,500 located in the Western Isles alone. Lochs, though, are widespread accross the whole of Scotland, varying in size from the largest such as Lochs Ness, Lomond, Tay, Maree, Shin, Rannoch, Awe, Lochy and Arkaig to the thousands of smaller lochs and nameless lochans, almost all holding wild brown trout. Some have populations of Arctic Char as well as the large Ferox trout which hunt them. In addition, there are countless miles of rivers and burns with trout in varying sizes and numbers. In recent decades, particularly in the more highly populated central locations, lochs and water supply reservoirs have been adapted as commercial and club fisheries, and entirely new man-made fisheries have been built to satisfy the growing demand for fly fishing in these areas, many of them stocked artificially with rainbow trout, bred specifically for that purpose. But it is the wild brown trout of Scotland, and the wonderful fishing locations in which they are to be found, which will form the subject of this website.

Brown Trout Fly Fishing

We will focus here on fly fishing for wild brown trout in Scottish rivers and lochs. Wild brown trout (Salmo trutta) can be found all over Scotland. Indigenous to these islands, brown trout thrive in a whole range of locations, from the smallest burn to the biggest lochs, from the largest rivers of the east and south to the remotest highland lochans of the north west Highlands and Islands. Indeed, there are very few pieces of freshwater in Scotland where you will not find trout. The Scottish trout fisherman and the many visiting anglers are truly spoilt for choice, with almost unlimited opportunities for fly fishing sport on thousands of lochs and streams up and down the country, from Lerwick to Lockerbie, from Stornoway to Stranraer, and often at very little cost, sometimes none at all.

This site aims to give an introductory guide to the wild brown trout fishing available throughout Scotland, in the north, central and south Scottish Mainland and on the Scottish Islands, with notes and detailed maps of the fishing lochs accessible from the main Scottish trout fishing centres complemented by links to further information on the major Scottish trout rivers and lochs, advice on trout fly fishing tackle, flies and tactics and some information on where to stay and where to enquire about fishing permits, with the focus very much on wild trout loch fishing.

The Scottish Trout Fishing Season

The trout fishing season in Scotland begins on March 15th and ends on October 6th. This is the statutory trout season, outwith which it is illegal (a criminal offence) to fish for brown trout. In addition to the national statutory season, trout fishing may be governed by local bye laws and regulations which may further restrict the length of the trout fishing season. Then there is the question of whether or not it is permissible to fish for trout on the Sabbath. Well, while it is a criminal offence in Scotland to fish for migratory salmonids, i.e. salmon and sea trout, on a Sunday, brown trout are bound by no such statutory prohibition. While trout fishing on a Sunday, along with other similarly dubious pursuits, is frowned upon in some parts as an affront to Christianity, and disallowed in others in the name of conservation, fishing for brown trout on a Sunday does not constitute a criminal offence in Scotland. Indeed, I can think of no pursuit more spiritually uplifting, more restorative to the soul, more environmentally sound or more socially beneficial. If there is a healthier recreation than trout fishing, I have yet to find it.

So we may fish for brown trout in Scotland for a good six months of the year. Some months will , of course, be more favourable, more productive and more comfortable than others. Fly fishing for Scottish trout in March, although character building, can sometimes be more of an ordeal than a pleasure and, although we may face other difficulties in later months (think midgies), trout will be more generally responsive to a well presented fly as the season progresses and those seeking wild brown trout can look forward to excellent sporting prospects on river and loch throughout much of the season.

Scottish Trout Flies

Fly fishing is now the most popular method of fishing for trout on Scotland’s rivers and lochs. Most fishermen fishing in Scotland will be familiar with many of the beautiful classic loch flies, very old patterns whose origins are lost in the mists of time. Most renowned among our Scottish fly patterns include, Greenwell’s Glory, Grouse and Claret, Mallard and Claret, Bloody Butcher, Kingfisher Butcher, Black Pennell, Woodcock and Yellow, Blae and Black, Black Zulu, Red Palmer, Kate McLaren, Peter Ross, to name but a few.

Where to Fish for Trout in Scotland

We may choose to fish on river or loch, large or small in any of a great variety of splendid locations throughout Scotland. We might cast a team of flies in front of a drifting boat on one of our larger Scottish lochs, such as Loch Tay, Lomond, Ness or Shin; or we might fancy a trek over a west highland moor in search of a remote lochan, which may never have seen an angler’s fly in years; we might stalk the specimen trout of the Don, Tummel, Clyde or Tweed; or fish an upstream spider for the quick trout of a highland burn. Whatever our preference, there is some great fishing to be found all over Scotland – north to south, mainland or island. The purpose of this website is to show the wide variety of fishing available, particularly on our hundreds of wild trout lochs, with detailed maps of the main trout fishing areas throughout Scotland. The drop-down menus at the top of the page show convenient links to pages focussing on each location.

Trout Fishing in the North of Scotland

When it comes to trout fishing, there is something to suit everyone in Scotland. Whatever the fisherman’s preference, there is great sport to be had in most parts of Scotland, either on the mainland or on one of our many islands. In the Northern Counties of Caithness, Sutherland, Inverness and Ross and Cromarty, there are thousands of lochs, all holding wild trout and most accessible at reasonable cost. The north also has many superb salmon fishing rivers.

Trout Fishing in Central Scotland

South of the Great Glen and north of the Forth and Clyde lies the area I have defined as Central Scotland, offering a great variety of fishing opportunities, whether it be on the famous Loch Leven, the beautiful lochs of the Trossachs, the wildness of Rannoch Moor, or the grand river fishing on rivers such as Don, Tay, Tummel, Deveron and Spey, many of which are renowned for their salmon fishing.

Trout Fishing in Southern Scotland

In the South of Scotland from Ayrshire through Galloway to the border counties, he will find fly fishing sport on wild lochs and unrivalled trout river fishing on the Tweed, Clyde and Annan. The salmon and sea trout fishing is also excellent in many of the rivers in the south.

Trout Fishing in the Scottish Islands

Nor should we forget the wonderful trout fishing available on the Scottish Islands, the splendidly unique sporting experience to be found in the Outer Hebrides – Harris, Lewis, North and South Uist and Benbecula; on Orkney or Shetland; or on the Isles of Mull, Islay, Jura and Skye. On some of the islands, the sea trout fishing loch is unmatched, in particuler Lewis, Harris, North and South Uist and the Orjney Islands. Salmon are also caught on the Hebridean lochs.

 

Trout Fishing Tackle and Tactics for Scottish Lochs and Rivers

Having made the all-important decision on where to fish for wild Scottish brown trout, we can then begin to consider the fishing tackle, tactics and flies which might be most successful in outwitting the wild Scottish broonie. I hope that this website will help those planning a trout fishing trip in Scotland, by providing detailed maps of some of the major Scottish trout lochs and rivers. Further information and complementary pages relating to Scottish trout, salmon and sea-trout fishing may be found on our sister website www.trout-salmon-fishing.com devoted to tackle, tactics , flies and fly tying, along with articles relating more generally to salmon and trout fishing in Scotland.

For further information specifically on Scottish trout fishing locations, tackle, tactics, and flies, see Scottish Trout Fishing