Caithness limestone loch — sister water to Watten. Shallow and fertile with excellent wild brown trout. Traditional wet-fly from boat. Good olive and sedge hatches. Smaller and more intimate than Watten.
- Loch
- Limestone
How to fish it · for Trout
When
Through the open trout season — 15 March to 6 October. Buzzers from April through June; sedges through summer evenings; small dark flies into autumn close.
Where
Drift lines along the broad Caithness open water. St John's is a shallow limestone-influenced loch — fish on and around the weed structure.
Method
Drifted team of three on a floating line — traditional Caithness wet-fly. Soldier Palmer, Loch Ordie, Bibio, Black Pennell. Drogue on the bigger drifts.
Kit
10 ft #6/7 boat rod, floating and slow-intermediate lines, 6 lb fluoro tippet. Drogue and a long-handled net.
The plan
Plan A
Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point. Keep a sedge-style dry or emerger on a short leader for the evening rise.
Plan B
If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.
Watch for
Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.
Boat — at anchor
Windy conditions suit anchoring in productive areas rather than open-water drifting.
Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface
Hatch predictions
Top nymph shown — see all 3 guilds with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey
Hatch predictions
Top prey shown — see all 5 with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Through the year
0–3 scale · August highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Lake OliveHatch
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Silverhorns & LonghornsHatch
1
2
2
2
1
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Ranked for today
Trout fly box
Still traditional loch-style, but with slightly more room for olives, upwings, lighter attractors and surface-oriented fishing when conditions suit.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
65%
Cloud70%
Wind65%
Temp60%
A reasonable day here, though temperature isn't quite in the sweet spot.
Other water nearby · 3
Gallery · 2
St John's Loch near Dunnet Head, Caithness, a well-known trout loch. Terrain map
About this water
Water quality (WFD)
- Ecology: Moderate
- Chemical: Unknown
SEPA (Scotland) · UKSC100014
Why this score
- Daddy Longlegs are in their seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Directions
Seasons & zones
- Trout 15 March → 6 October
Related guides
Booking & contacts
Clubs & associations
St John's Loch
Caithness limestone loch — sister water to Watten.
How to fish it · for Trout
When
Through the open trout season — 15 March to 6 October. Buzzers from April through June; sedges through summer evenings; small dark flies into autumn close.
Where
Drift lines along the broad Caithness open water. St John's is a shallow limestone-influenced loch — fish on and around the weed structure.
Method
Drifted team of three on a floating line — traditional Caithness wet-fly. Soldier Palmer, Loch Ordie, Bibio, Black Pennell. Drogue on the bigger drifts.
Kit
10 ft #6/7 boat rod, floating and slow-intermediate lines, 6 lb fluoro tippet. Drogue and a long-handled net.
The plan
Plan A
Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point. Keep a sedge-style dry or emerger on a short leader for the evening rise.
Plan B
If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.
Watch for
Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.
Boat — at anchor
Windy conditions suit anchoring in productive areas rather than open-water drifting.
Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface
Hatch predictions
Top nymph shown — see all 3 guilds with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey
Hatch predictions
Top prey shown — see all 5 with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Through the year
0–3 scale · August highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Lake OliveHatch
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Silverhorns & LonghornsHatch
1
2
2
2
1
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Ranked for today
Trout fly box
Still traditional loch-style, but with slightly more room for olives, upwings, lighter attractors and surface-oriented fishing when conditions suit.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
65%
Cloud70%
Wind65%
Temp60%
A reasonable day here, though temperature isn't quite in the sweet spot.
Other water nearby · 3
Gallery · 2
St John's Loch near Dunnet Head, Caithness, a well-known trout loch. Terrain map
About this water
Caithness limestone loch — sister water to Watten. Shallow and fertile with excellent wild brown trout. Traditional wet-fly from boat. Good olive and sedge hatches. Smaller and more intimate than Watten.
- Loch
- Limestone
Water quality (WFD)
- Ecology: Moderate
- Chemical: Unknown
SEPA (Scotland) · UKSC100014
Why this score
- Daddy Longlegs are in their seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Directions
Seasons & zones
- Trout 15 March → 6 October
Related guides
Booking & contacts
Clubs & associations