Trout Habitat and Feeding is quite exceptional in the Reay Lochs. Both are highly productive being limestone and alkaline in nature with bases of glacial shell sand, old sandstone, marl (a clay like limestone) boulder rocks and gravel. There are numerous weed beds lying over underground springs in both waters and these provide shelter and invertebrates and fish. The rich environment of the Reay Lochs produce abundant hatches of all kinds including mayfly, midges, sedges, heather fly, olives, corixia beetle and some Daddies. Snails, shrimps, caddis, pea mussel, a wide variety of nymphs and sticklebacks are also profuse.

Angling Tactics are principally based around dry fly with some wet and nymph fishing. Angling here starts on March 15 and ends October 6. If the preceding winter has been mild, good fly angling can be had from late March on and proceeds well through out the season with the better months normally being May, June, July and early September. Tactics for the lochs vary according to the conditions though note because of their shallow waters, floating line, 4lb nylon and 10ft rod is usually used. Dry fly on medium to slow retrieve is often preferred over wet. - If fish are visible on the surface try dry Green Drakes, Sedges, Wickhams Fancy, Grey Wulff, March Brown or similar. If no fish are showing use wet fly like Zulu, Bibio, Soldier Palmer, Bumbles, Silver Invicta, Red Invicta, Brora Ranger or Fiery Brown on a medium to fast retrieve. Nymphs like Hares Ear or Pheasant Tail can also be used on slow retrieve to good effect. Fly sizes vary from 10's to 16's according to the conditions.

Permits are very reasonably priced with day or weekly visitor day tickets (fly only) available either from Graham Brooks Harpers Fly Fishing, 57 High St, Thurso Tel/Fax: 01847 893179 or Lesley Crawford Caithness & Sutherland Angling Services, Askival, Reay, Caithness tel/fax 01847 811470, email lesley@wildtroutfisher.co.uk.

Tuition or Guiding is always available on these waters with Lesley Crawford who knows every inch of them like the back of her hand!