Loch Watten - Trout Fishing, Watten, Caithness

Trout fishing in the Scottish Highlands in the far north of Scotland

Loch Watten, trout fishing loch in Scotland
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Loch Watten is a Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC) due to the nature of the flora on and around the loch. Loch Watten has been a favourite trout fishing loch for many, with fisher folks coming from all over to fish the loch in spring through to the end of the season in October. It is a fly only loch and it is advisable to hire a boat rather than bank fish although you can wade out a fair distance in many areas of the loch as it is relatively shallow. Sunday fishing is not allowed.

Loch Watten is known as a kettle hole loch that was formed due to glacial movement, possibly during the last ice age around 22-35,000 years ago. At the south-east end of the loch near the village of Watten there is evidence of a Crannog, now mostly submerged, as the loch was damned in the past. A crannog is The overflow from Loch Watten flows over a small damn into Wick River. While this river is a well-known salmon river most of the salmon move further up the river to spawn although a few salmon have been seen in the loch.

To stay in this area for trout and salmon fishing the local hotel – The Brown Trout, welcomes visitors to the area. A number of caravan and campsites are nearby. Fishing permits can be arranged locally through Hugo Ross, or by taking a daily or weekly membership of the Dounreay Fly Fishing Association. When using boats on Loch Watten you are required to wear a suitable life jacket, as weather conditions can change rapidly on the loch due to the prevailing wind.

Loch Watten

Loch Watten is an ideal highland loch for trout fishing, fish around 1.4 Ibs are common and larger fish of 4 Ibs or heavier can be caught.

Loch Watten is surrounded mostly by farms and agricultural land

Loch Watten is surrounded by farms and croft land. The north-west end has wilder, non-agricultural areas with natural reed beds and trees.

Swans on Loch Watten

Swans on Loch Watten. There are resident mute swans on the loch and during the winter months the loch is often home to thousands of migratory swans and geese.

Loch Watten

Reed beds can be found around much of the freshwater loch.

Pictures of Loch Watten

Birds on Loch Watten

Trout Fishing on Loch Watten

Trout Fishing on Loch Watten

Boat on Loch Watten

Boat on Loch Watten

Picture of swans

Picture of Swans on Loch Watten

Crannog on Loch Watten

Crannog on Loch Watten. Most of the crannog is now below water as the loch was damned in the past to raise the water level.

Loch Watten Trout Fishing Location Map

Loch Watten Trout Fishing Loch - Location Map

Watten map - old 1908 map of Loch Watten (Copyright National Library of Scotland)