Spate · Mixed · Skye / Waternish, GB-SCT

River Hinnisdal

The River Hinnisdal, a spate river running through open moorland on the Isle of Skye, Scotland.

A small but productive spate river on the Waternish peninsula of Skye, best known for its sea trout fishing.

Marginal · Atlantic Salmon
Stoat's Tail · 10-14 double
Marginal — persistence required
River lifting fast on the rain. A short window at best — fish the sure lies and move on.
40% confidence
limited data
What moved it
  • LevelProxyvia River Carron (Wester Ross)
  • Water temp15.9°C
  • ClarityVery colouredColouring up
Today's fly
Stoat's Tail
Stoat's Tail10-14 double
Regional salmon default — river-specific evidence is thin.
Conditions on the water
Proxy gauge
Level
Rising
Proxy
via River Carron (Wester Ross)
Water temp15.9°C
ClarityVery coloured
Weather14°C
WindW 26 km/h
Pressure1019 hPa
Rain · recent1.8 mm
Rain · ahead4.5 mm

No gauge on this water — conditions are inferred from River Carron (Wester Ross). The trend transfers, the absolute level does not.

Water temperature for Atlantic Salmon
Warm — slow
16°C est.ideal 10–14°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Atlantic Salmon
When
Morning into early afternoon.
Where
Pool tails, steadier runs, and any water with pace.
Method
Fish a sensible line-and-fly combination for the height and pace of water.
Kit
13 ft #8/9 double-hander in spate, 10 ft #8 single in low water. Floating line plus a fast-sink tip. 12–15 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Poor — time of day is working for you, but water clarity is the limiting factor today.
Likely species
Mayflies
  • Blue-winged oliveMost likely
    #16–18 · Dun
    Duns are up; a sherry spinner fall may follow.
  • Anglers curse mayfliesAlso possibleLower confidence
    #20–22 · Spinner
    Go tiny: 20-22 spent spinner, single fly, long tippet.
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 6am

Hatch predictions

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Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

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Through the year
0–3 scale · August highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Salmon runRun
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
March BrownHatch
2
3
2
GrannomHatch
2
2
Large StoneflyHatch
2
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Atlantic Salmon fly box

More opportunist and compact-water fishing. Small nymphs, simple dries and quick-reading of pockets and runs matter more than refined hatch matching.

Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Private beats — check Skye Ghillie or local estate for access
  • Fly only.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 2
River Snizort
14 km
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
North Uist Sea Pools & Lochs
39 km
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
Gallery · 2
  1. The River Hinnisdal, a spate river running through open moorland on the Isle of Skye, Scotland.
    The River Hinnisdal flowing through its glen on the Isle of Skye.
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

A small but productive spate river on the Waternish peninsula of Skye, best known for its sea trout fishing. The Hinnisdal is short and responds very quickly to rainfall — it can be unfishable at breakfast and perfect by lunch. Sea trout enter from June onwards and the evening and night fishing can be exceptional: warm, overcast nights with a breath of wind are the classic conditions. Salmon also run the river but in smaller numbers than the Snizort. The intimate scale of the water — pools, pockets, and short runs — makes it ideal for a single-handed rod and a stealthy approach. Day fishing for brown trout is also worthwhile. Atlantic salmon stocks are Category 3 (declining) — all salmon must be released.

Sea trout here

Summer-autumn runs, seasonal patterns vary by region

  • River
  • Mixed
Why this score · for Atlantic Salmon
  • Temperature5830% weight
  • Flow8025% weight
  • Clarity1520% weight
  • Feeding Time9515% weight
  • Pressure8510% weight
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon 11 February → 31 October
  • Trout 15 March → 6 October

Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026) — Skye spate river — west coast sea trout affected by same sea-lice pressures as all Hebridean and west-coast Highland systems. Present but on a diminished baseline. Condition-led; short windows after rain.

Related guides
Scotland Playbookloch & river fishingAtlantic Salmonsalmon tacticsYorkshire & SpidersNorth Country methods
Booking & contacts