Salmon Fishing on the River Thurso
The upper section of the river, above Loch More, provides extensive and valuable spawning grounds for the Thurso salmon. It is, however, on the main section of the river, from Loch More to it outflow at Thurso on Scotland’s north coast, that the fishing interest is focussed.
This lower section is divided into 13 beats, excluding the private beat known as Lord Thurso’s beat, which he keeps for himself, friends and special visitors. Beat one is used by the Thurso Angling Association. The other twelve beats have been fished in rotation by guests staying at the Ulbster Arms Hotel in Kalkirk. There are likely to be significant changes to the management and access to the salmon fishing on the Thurso, which I understand has been offered as a ninety nine year lease to private investors.
River Thurso Map
Tap or click on the map below to view full size image
Note: the maps on this website are extracts from the Bartholomew “Half Inch” map series dating back to the middle of the twentieth century. There have been many changes since the maps were made, and much of the human detail, e.g. buildings and roads, will have changed over the period. It is to be hoped, however, that the unique character of our Scottish rivers, and the trout and salmon in them, will not have altered too dramatically over the years and that they may still offer the wonderful fishing prospects of days gone by. Bearing the above in mind, anyone planning a fishing or walking trip in Scotland is advised to equip themselves with a compass and the appropriate up-to-date Ordnance Survey map, the most useful for the angler probably being the Landranger series, scale 1:50,000. For Thurso, see O.S. map number 12.
For further information about the fishing on the Thurso see River Thurso Fishing
For information about the trout fishing in the area see Trout Fishing Scotland