Stillwater · Limestone · Orkney, GB-SCT

Loch Harray

Mirror-calm water of Loch of Harray on a still morning, reflecting the sky and distant Orkney shoreline.
Good · Trout
Bibio · 10-12
Goodlive now
Daddy Longlegs expected on Loch Harray
Glassy and bright — hard work without a breeze. Take your time — read the water before you cast.
69% confidence
What moved it
  • WindSE 37 km/hFresh breeze
Today's fly
Bibio
Bibio10-12
Fish it in the film
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Wind
Fresh breeze
SE 37 km/h
N
SE
from the south-east
Wave80 cm wave
Water temp14.1°C
Air temp13°C
CloudOvercast
Pressure1019 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

No gauge on this water — readings are regional estimates from weather, not a live gauge.

Head to
Wind driftSE wind
South-eastern end

A southeasterly has held for 16 hours, running colder than the water (10°C air against 14°C water). The end it blows into is taking that chilled surface water, so try the sheltered south-eastern end instead — off the back of the wind, where the undertow returns food along the bottom. That chill sits in the top of the water, though, and the bed is slower to feel it — on a bottom bait it is the undertow, not the temperature, that puts you at this end. Treat it as a tiebreaker between good swims rather than an override — features and angling pressure usually count for more.

How to fish it · for Trout
When
May to September
Where
With limited drift, anchor or fish static from sheltered positions. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.
The plan
Plan A

With limited drift, anchor or fish static from sheltered positions. 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

Keep an eye on changing conditions — wind shifts and cloud breaks can trigger short feeding spells.

Bank, sheltered shores

Strong wind makes boat fishing difficult — sheltered bank spots near lee shores will fish best.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 3 guilds as a supporter.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 5 as a supporter.

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Through the year
0–3 scale · September 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
Hawthorn FlyHatch
2
2
Claret DunHatch
1
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
Fly box · Trout
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 · 1
Gallery · 2
  1. Mirror-calm water of Loch of Harray on a still morning, reflecting the sky and distant Orkney shoreline.
    Loch of Harray on a calm morning
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Moderate
  • Chemical: Unknown
What this classification means

SEPA WFD 2022 — Loch Harray: Moderate status. Corrected 2026-06-18 (was recorded Good). Source: SEPA WFD 2022 classification (spatialdata.gov.scot / SEPA Aquatic Classification Hub).

SEPA (Scotland) · UKSC100008

Why this score
  • Wind conditions (strong) are not ideal for this water.
  • 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