Stillwater · Acidic · Highlands / Sutherland

Loch Shin

Loch Shin venue image
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Loch Shin is a long, acidic Sutherland water, dammed at its foot, that fishes as a proper wild brown trout loch with the bonus of running salmon and the old ferox lurking in the deeps.

Fair · Trout
Greenwell's Glory · 14-18
Fairlive now
Buzzer expected on Loch Shin
Useful ripple, fishable wave. Worth a session if the wind holds.
54% confidence
What moved it
  • WindS 22 km/hModerate breeze
Today’s fly
Greenwell's Glory
Greenwell's Glory14-18
High-confidence seasonal pick
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Wind
Moderate breeze
S 22 km/h
N
S
from the south
Wave40 cm chop
Water temp—
Air temp20°C
CloudBroken
Pressure1006 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.

Moderate freshness· 6 mm in 48h

Moderate rainfall (6mm) may bring some water movement. {"preferred_state":["guaranteed_system_flow","good_shin_movement"],"negative_state":["poor_linked_opportunity_only"],"logic_comment":"This is one of the clearest cases where linked-system flow matters more than generic loch drift logic."}

How to fish it · for trout
When
The buzzer is on. Damsel Nymph may also come into play as the day warms.
Where
Work Greenwell's Glory on the bob and Waterhen Bloa on the point. Have a sedge or murrough pattern ready on a short leader for the evening rise.
The plan
Plan A

Work Greenwell's Glory on the bob and Waterhen Bloa on the point. Have a sedge or murrough pattern ready 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

Watch for Sedge towards evening — this could be the best window of the day.

Boat — at anchor

Windy conditions suit anchoring in productive areas rather than open-water drifting.

Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Murrough (Great Red Sedge)Hatch
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

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
51%
Cloud70%
Wind30%
Temp60%

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

Other water nearby · 3
Far North Limestone Lochs
47 km
Brown trout
Achilty Loch Trout Fishery
50 km
Rainbow trout
Tarvie Lochs Trout Fishery
51 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

Loch Shin is a long, acidic Sutherland water, dammed at its foot, that fishes as a proper wild brown trout loch with the bonus of running salmon and the old ferox lurking in the deeps. Most of what you'll catch are free-rising wild browns — modest, beautifully marked, and willing in a wave. The loch is big and can feel daunting, but the trick is the same as on any large water: ignore the vast deep middle and concentrate on the productive margins, the drop-offs and the bays where the fish find their food. Pick a day with a steady breeze and broken cloud, drift broadside, and work a team of traditional flies through the wave.

  • Loch
  • Acidic
Why this score
  • Wind conditions (windy) are not ideal for this water.
  • Buzzer is in its seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Related guides
Scotland Playbookloch & river fishingThermal Layers & Troutreading depth and temperatureEuro Nymphingsubsurface methods
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