For the 2023 season the Club is delighted to offer members fishing on the two rivers that flow through the village and on 3 local brown trout lochs. This season we offer the greatest amount of available fishing in the Club’s history and local senior members can enjoy all of it for an annual fee of only £50, juniors for £10, non-local seniors for £60 and day tickets are also available for visiting anglers.

                                                      Allt Graad (River Glass)
The Allt Graad runs for 12km from Loch Glass to the Cromarty Firth but approximately 3.9km upstream from the river mouth the 1.6km long Black Rock Gorge creates an impassable barrier to upstream salmon migration. This means that salmon and sea trout fishing is only available below the Gorge whilst the river above the George is available for brown trout fishing from 1^st April to 6^th October. The salmon and sea trout season runs from 1^st April to 31^st October with salmon likely to be present from April but very little fishing takes place till June. In recent seasons the first fish has normally been taken in July and this usually marks the arrival of the Grilse run. Grilse average about the 4-5lb mark and Salmon average about 7lb. The majority of the Allt Graad is for fly only with worming (using fly reel) permitted on the left bank from the Gorge Pool to the Tailrace Pool. The club encourages fly fishing and with the river being Grade 3 for the 2023 season all salmon must be returned. The Cromarty Firth Fisheries Board Policy under the Government’s Wild Fisheries Review is implemented.

                                                               River Sgitheach
The River Sgitheach lies to the west within the village boundary with fishing for salmon, sea trout and brown trout available on allocated banks over about 10km of the river from Swordale to the river mouth from 1^st April to 30^th September. Worming (using fly reel) and fly fishing is permitted on the river. The river is Grade 3 for the 2023 season so all salmon must be returned.

Foreshore fishing for sea trout is also available from the river mouth to 1km west of the Cromarty Bridge.

                                       Loch Bad a’ Bhathaich [ NH538788]
This loch lies at the end of the public access on the estate road that is the continuation of the Strathrusdale road. It contains lots of small trout and they tend to be suicidal if there is a bit of wind. They can be difficult to tempt when it is a flat calm but flat calms here are rare. The club has a boat on the loch and fishing is fly only. Only electric outboards are allowed but the loch is small enough to row around. The club boat is shared and we have fishing on the odd dates of the month. Two other clubs have boats on the loch but there is more than enough room for drifts even if all three boats are out (an unusual occurrence). Fishing is from the boat only and bank fishing is not allowed. The Season is from 1st May to 30th September and Sunday fishing is allowed. In 2022 season 9 anglers fished the loch recording 28 trout caught and released with a heaviest fish of 1lb.

                                       Loch Muigh-bhlaraidh [NH635831]
Access is via the service road for the Beinn Tharsuinn wind farm with parking beside the road from where there is a walk into the loch of about 1.6km. There is no track but following the 420m contour round the shoulder of the hill takes you to the boat. A map and compass should be carried and ability in their use is advised as the mist can come down very quickly in this area. The walk in takes about 20 – 30 minutes for someone of reasonable fitness. Fishing is fly only and both bank and boat fishing is available. Numbers are limited and a maximum of ten (10) rods are allowed including any rods using the boat. The loch can be dour when there is no wind but like Bad a’Bhathaich it’s unusual to have a windless day. The Season is from 1^st May to 30th September and Sunday fishing is allowed. In 2022 season 9 anglers fished the loch recording 25 trout caught and released with a heaviest fish of 2.25lb.

                                                Loch Glass [NH 530705]

Loch Glass is a huge body of water, nearly 6km long lying at an elevation of 215m, reaching depths of over 100m. Access is by the Novar Estate track that branches off the main Glen Glass Road near the end of the public access. Fly fishing for the small resident brown trout is available to members from the North bank only. Junior members accompanied by an adult can fish with fly and bubble float. The season is from 1st April to 6^th October and Sunday fishing is allowed.

                                                    Reflections   

Older members still reflect on the glory years of the 1980’s and 90’s when on seasons with high rainfall, Club anglers enjoyed prolific catches of salmon on the Allt Graad despite Netting Stations operating along the Firth. The number of returning salmon greatly benefitted from stocking of the river above the Black Rock Gorge and anglers could keep every fish they caught.   At that time the only development on the Allt Graad catchment was the Glen Glass water extraction scheme and the Club had access to fish on Novar Estates water using fly or worm. The Club also fished the River Sgitheach and foreshore courtesy of Foulis Estates and had a boat on Loch Glass.

This all led to an active membership enjoying some fine angling and whilst dry years still meant low catches the 1985 catch returns showed a record 124 salmon and 28 sea trout were caught on the Allt Graad.

Those were the days.  However, catching salmon on the Allt Graad or Sgitheach today presents the angler with much greater challenges. Despite the Government buying out all the Salmon Netting Stations there has been a 70% decline in the numbers of Atlantic salmon returning to Scottish rivers over the past 25 years. No stocking is allowed on the Allt Graad, we can no longer keep the salmon we catch, fly fishing is preferred over worming and the river catchments now accommodate several run of river hydro schemes.

Whilst all this has had a negative effect on membership the Club has survived by having a dedicated group of anglers who continue to be determined to land and return a fish and enjoy the amazing natural environments of our 2 local rivers and 3 lochs.  

If you are interested in joining the Club for the 2023 season you will be made most welcome. For further information contact:

Dave Smith 07955 035231,     Don Fraser 07716 677617,     John Campbell 01349 830219