A great salmon river, the most productive in the north of Scotland. The best of the fishing, however, is strictly preserved and inaccessible to most. The fishing is divided into twelve beats, six above the falls of Kildonan and six below, with one top beat and one bottom beat available to two rods each day, allowing a total of twelve rods to fish.
Catch statistics are not widely publicised but it was once reported that one top beat alone had nearly 600 salmon for the season, with 94 to two rods in a week. Access to the private beats is strictly limited but the occasional rod may be available in early season. Day tickets are available for the association water in the village of Helmsdale, a mile of water which can fish well throughout the season for salmon, with good sea trout fishing in the summer months.
Helmsdale Angling Association (Town water).
Visitors may obtain permits for the Town water at a cost of Â£26 per day until the end of June and Â£35 thereafter. Weekly tickets until the end of June are Â£100 and Â£140 thereafter. Family day tickets are available at Â£30 rising to Â£35 and family weekly tickets are Â£150 rising to Â£175.