Stillwater · Limestone · Caithness

Loch Watten

A winter's day at Loch Watten, Caithness, with fishing boats laid up on the shore awaiting the new season.
Contributor photo

Loch Watten in winter

Portal01 - CC BY-SA 4.0

Caithness limestone loch — one of Scotland's finest wild brown trout fisheries.

Marginal · Trout
Bibio · 10-12
A patient day, if you fancy it
Good wave on — drift country. Take your time — read the water before you cast.
37% confidence
limited data
What moved it
  • WindNW 10 km/hLight breeze
Today’s fly
Bibio
Bibio10-12
Fish it in the film
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Wind
Light breeze
NW 10 km/h
N
NW
from the north-west
Wave20 cm ripple
Water temp—
Air temp11°C
CloudOvercast
Pressure1021 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.

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. Caithness wind drives the fishing — settled-wind days are precious.
Where
Drift lines along the loch's broad open water. Watten is a shallow Caithness limestone-fed 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, Black Pennell. Drogue is essential on Watten's wide open 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

Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.

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 — drift

A gentle ripple is ideal for drifting — broadside drift covering the wind lanes should be productive.

Through the year
0–3 scale · July 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
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
54%
Cloud70%
Wind65%
Temp25%

A reasonable day here, though temperature isn't quite in the sweet spot.

Other water nearby · 2
St John's Loch
16 km
Brown trout
Far North Limestone Lochs
37 km
Brown trout
Gallery · 4
  1. A winter's day at Loch Watten, Caithness, with fishing boats laid up on the shore awaiting the new season.
    Loch Watten in winter
  2. Loch Watten in a snowy winter scene, Caithness, the broad flat landscape framing the loch.
    Loch Watten
  3. The eastern shoreline of Loch Watten, Caithness, with woodland fringing the water's edge.
    Loch Watten's east shore
  4. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

Caithness limestone loch — one of Scotland's finest wild brown trout fisheries. Shallow, fertile, rich in fly life. Excellent olive, sedge and buzzer hatches. Fish average 1lb with specimens to 4lb+. Boat and bank. Caithness Fishing Association permits.

  • Loch
  • Limestone
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Moderate
  • Chemical: Unknown

SEPA (Scotland) · UKSC100022

Why this score
  • Lake Olive is in its seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout15 March → 6 October
Related guides
Scotland Playbookloch & river fishingThermal Layers & Troutreading depth and temperatureEuro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts