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CAITHNESS
North Sutherland and Caithness have small waters flowing east, including the Berriedale, the
Dunbeath and the larger Wick. These small waters have some good sport to offer,
particularly in summer, although the Berriedale has the reputation of running some spring
fish from March onwards.
The Wick has had some excellent summer sport recently. Indeed, the smaller northern rivers from the Wick round to Cape Wrath have had some
strong runs of fish, almost certainly the first fruits of the closure of the
Icelandic and Faroese nets and long-line fisheries.
Caithness, sometimes called the Lowlands beyond the Highlands, is a moorland county with
excellent trout lochs, including Watten, St Johns, Calder and inland a myriad of fine small
stillwaters, particularly in the Altnabreac region.
The Thurso river dominates the north. This
fine moorland river flowing from Loch More, has a gentle flow and provides good late spring
and summer fishing for its salmon. It can be fished from local hotels in Halkirk and
elsewhere and it can be productive and interesting water. There is club water available on its
lowest beats. The Thurso is well known for its so-called 'dead water' - that is moorland
reaches with little obvious flow. These unusual, virtually still sections of water depend on
wind for their best fishing and they are sometimes 'backed up' with considerable results. The
open moorland character of the course of the Thurso and its fairly flat landscape is in great
contrast to the highland waters immediately to the south. The river is, however, often highly
productive and its visiting fishers return year after year to its waters. The river is fished in a
rotation of beats and a great spectrum of water is covered in each week.
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