Background Information | The Fishing | Other Conditions | Contacts | Pricing
The Thurso is among the best salmon rivers in the north and often coupled with the Helmsdale and Naver. It enjoys a long productive season, from 11th January to 5th October, and fish can be caught during every month. Currently the river fishes best from March to October with the larger catches occurring from July to the end of the season.
The river produces around 1,000 salmon per year. Fishing is by fly only with no obligation to return fish. In recent years the catch has been rising and, as can be seen from the chart below, numbers of early running fish are increasing. This is of interest in that, historically, the Thurso offered some of the earliest and best spring fishing in Scotland.
Some heavy fish have been caught on the Thurso with fish of 47 lbs, 44 lbs and 36 lbs being taken during the 1920's. Nowadays, the vast majority of spring fish exceed 10 lbs and in 2006 fish of 27 and 28 lbs were taken.
From mid-March to the end of May the Upper Beats tend to be most productive. The grilse can provide tremendous sport from early July onwards and sea liced summer salmon enter the river, given the right water conditions, right through to the end of the season.
Two rods fish on each stretch moving downstream by two beats each day allowing both Upper and Lower water to be fished in one week. The beats provide a wonderful variety of fishing and whilst many parts of the river have a fine running character, some beats, particularly 3, 6, 7 and 12 are long and deep. These pools are invaluable for the conservation of fish stocks in hot, dry weather conditions and with a good wind to ruffle the water they can be very productive.
The beats vary in length from just under one mile to three and a quarter miles, each having a variety of pools. For more detailed information on the beats, you can click here.
Letting Agent
Roddy Willis Savills 12 Clerk Street Brechin DD9 6AE Tel: 01356 628 600 Email: rwillis@savills.com
River Superintendent
Eddie McCarthy Braal Road Halkirk Caithness KW12 6XF Tel: 01847 831 591 Email: eddiemccarthy@supanet.com Or Ask Eddie!
Fishing Rents - 2007 Season Rent / Rod / Week ex VAT Season - 11 January to 5 October Week No. Start Date End Date Price 1b 15 Jan 20 Jan PoA 2 22 Jan 27 Jan PoA 3 29 Jan 3 Feb PoA 4 5 Feb 10 Feb PoA 5 12 Feb 17 Feb PoA 6 19 Feb 24 Feb PoA 7 26 Feb 3 Mar PoA 8 5 Mar 10 Mar PoA 9 12 Mar 17 Mar PoA 10 19 Mar 24 Mar £450 11 26 Mar 31 Mar £450 12 2 Apr 7 Apr £450 13 9 Apr 14 Apr £450 14 16 Apr 21 Apr £450 15 23 Apr 28 Apr £450 16 30 Apr 5 May £450 17 7 May 12 May £450 18 14 May 19 May £450 19 21 May 26 May £450 20 28 May 2 June £450 21 4 June 9 June £450 22 11 June 16 June £450 23 18 June 23 June £450 24 25 June 30 June £450 25 2 Jul 7 Jul £450 26 9 Jul 14 Jul £450 27 16 Jul 21 Jul £450 28 23 Jul 28 Jul £450 29 30 Jul 4 Aug £500 30 6 Aug 11 Aug £500 31 13 Aug 18 Aug £500 32 20 Aug 25 Aug £500 33 27 Aug 1 Sep £550 34 3 Sep 8 Sep £550 35 10 Sep 15 Sep £550 36 17 Sep 22 Sep £550 37 24 Sep 29 Sep £550 38 1 Oct 5 Oct £460