The Urchaidh Falls in the middle of the beat are a temperature barrier in the early season and ensure that there is spring salmon fishing in the pools immediately below the falls from late April. Fishing success in the summer months varies according to the rainfall and river level. By September and October the beat is well stocked with fish and the usual rainfall provides excellent back end fishing.
Weekly lets have access to a comfortable and spacious hut with heating, stove and running water.
The Colonel’s Pool
Park the car at the Witches and walk the short distance to where the fishing starts from the steps at the neck of this pool. In low water, most of the fishable water can be covered from the steps but, in high water, fish right down to the tail where the water falls down to the Witches.
This picturesque pool is where the road coming down Glen Orchy returns to the river bank after a detour of about a mile. There is a casting platform but start by standing above and behind it as the fish can lie tight into the falls. In bigger water you can carefully make your way down to the rocks to cover the middle of the pool. Fish lie off these rocks. In big water the tail of the pool fishes right to the lip.
A surprisingly good pool later in the season. Fish from the gravel bank right into where the water breaks. Do not be put off by the apparently shallow water and try to cover the burn entrance on the far bank.
False Black Rock, Black Rock
These two small pools are good for running fish which are taking a rest after running the main falls.
These two pools are immediately below the Urchaidh Falls. Take care as there is some rock scrambling required - they should be avoided if the rocks are slippery. The Pulpit rock is named from its obvious shape and is immediately above the iron bridge which crosses the river to the fishing hut. The bridge and falls are a well known tourist trap. These two pools are mainly fished with worm or spinner.
This is the first large pool below the falls and holds fish from April onwards as the falls are impassable at low water and at spring temperatures. Start just above the bend below the iron bridge - taking care again on the slippery rocks. Then continue round the bend, where a small burn comes in, and on down to the artificial weir which is the SEPA river level gauging station.
Yellow Flag, Oak Rock, Rocky, Little Polly
This series of small pools form steps down from Normandy to the Stream and is a good place to fish in low water and to pick up resting fish when they are running.
A very large pool which fishes at all river levels. In low water the fast stream at the neck holds fish. When the river is high the pool fishes all the way down to the rapids at the tail. At medium levels the middle of the pool can be covered by careful wading but, when the river is big, you will need to throw a long line from the bank.
A difficult pool to fish as the flow goes away from you and the banks are not easy. A challenge.
There is a long run down to the next major pool, Sovereign, and there are three pools which are rarely fished but worth a cast. The last and most obvious is Leggett’s Hole which can be covered with careful wading and spey casting.
Sovereign, Half Sovereign, Ford
These three pools run into each other and in higher water can be fished as one long pool. The tail of Ford is a ford used occasionally by the farm on the opposite bank and, if water levels allow, wade across here and walk up round the bend to fish all three pools from the right bank. The pools can be fished from rocks on the left bank in high water and when it is too low to be worth fishing the whole run. Fish a long line from the last of these rocks to cover lies opposite the trees at the ford.
The last pool on the beat is above the footbridge at Catnish where there is a picnic site. Fish right down to the bridge as the pool continues below the bridge but that is on the next beat.