FISHING

The Upper Shin

There is so much to discover in Sutherland. Crystal clear rivers and locks, dense forests, hiking trails, cycle routes and golf courses and so much more. All in the middle of a true wilderness wonderland.

Bring a large party, or small, the Lairg Estate has accommodation to suit all.

There is limited availability for the 2024 season, if you are interested in reserving a weeks fishing please email

info@lairgestate.co.uk

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE UPPER SHIN.

The River Shin is, with the Oykel, Carron and Cassley, one of the Kyle of Sutherland's four famous rivers. Like the Awe, Ewe and Kirkaig, the Shin has long been famous for being a small river that holds huge fish.

Unlike the others though, the Shin's water level is held up by two hydro dams, meaning the river remains at a very good fishing height throughout the summer months. The Upper Shin is split into two four rod beats that rotate at lunch time.

Every week of the season holds a chance of landing a great fish.

Guests regularly land fish in excess of 20lbs, and fish of 30lbs or more are often seen and landed.

7miles

Total length of the

Shin

3.5miles

Total length of the

Upper Shin fishing

32

Number of named salmon pools on the Upper Shin

270ft

Total fall from the diversion dam to the Kyle of Sutherland

SALMON & TROUT

FISHING SEASON

The season on the Upper Shin starts towards the end of May when the water temperature is sufficiently warm for the returning salmon to jump the falls.

The season ends on the last day of September.

Trout fishing mirrors the salmon season and is at its best from April to June. Trout fishing on the Estates water is free when taken with accommodation.

The Water.

The River Shin catchment drains some 220 square miles in to loch Shin (a vast sheet of water some 16 miles long). This was the largest river in Sutherland, at least in terms of the volume of water that it dispensed before the dams were built in the late fifties.

The River Shin benefits from the two dams by having a good compensation flow through the fishing season. when other rivers are unfishable due to low water, the Shin is always in fine shape.

The River.

From Loch Shin the river drops 270 feet in its short seven mile course; The top half is relatively calm, but there are plenty of tumbling rock-strewn sections that really established the Shin's legendary reputation as one of the most challenging of salmon rivers. The last pool on the Upper Shin is called Grief, and it lives up to its name. Just a few hundred yards further downstream are the Falls of Shin, or Big Falls, a daunting obstacle 12 foot high, which fish will generally not ascend before May.

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Pool Descriptions

The old river bed above the diversion dam.
Exposed when SSE drained little loch Shin to repaire the smolt screens covering the entrance to the diversion pipe.
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The old river bed above the diversion dam.
Exposed when SSE repaired the smolt screens covering the entrance to the diversion pipe.
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Diversion Dam in 1959/60.
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Diversion Dam with one syphon working.
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How a Borland fish lift works, these are in both Dams.
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Dam Pool.
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Playing a salmon in Dam.
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Wall Pool.
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Playing a salmon in the Ladies pool.
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The Ladies Pool.
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Aquarium.
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Middle
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Mill
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A salmon take low down Mill Pool.
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Cottage 1.
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Cottage 2.
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Cottage 4.
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Miltons.
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Christopher C with a fine June salmon. Caught in Field.
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A successfully tagged salmon in Lady Herbert.
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Head Ghilly Alick Murray in Frying Pan.
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Alick M with a good July salmon.
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Alick M with a fish caught on a skated Sunray Shadow in Frying Pan.
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Martin H low down in Broad.
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Christopher C in Frying Pan.
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James G with an old cock salmon, caught in Broad in late September.
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Fishing Grudie.
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Skating a sunray in Cliff.
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Annie G playing a fish in Fir.
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Patrick T with a very fresh grilse in Fir.
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Evening light on Fir.
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Ian L-G casting off the top platform in Fir.
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View of Fir 1, 2 & 3.
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Fir.
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Fishing the top of Cinda's.
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James T playing a lively fish in Lady Herbert's.
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Julian P playing a grilse in very high water at the tail of Lady Herbert.
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Grudie with Eleanors in the distance.
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Christopher R playing one of the very few fish caught in Gate.
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We are now taking bookings for the 2024 season.

Please go to the " Availability " page & " Find & Contact Us " page and register your interest.

The price of the Lodge is for 12 people staying, Lairg Lodge can be taken with only 4 rods

at a reduced rate. POA. Phil's is let for 6 people and Reid's sleeps 4. All prices include VAT @20%.

Catch & Release Statement

Some drone video of the "But n Ben" on Little Loch Shin shot by Nick Hill from nick@scottish.photography.co.uk and some film of the spate at the end of July 2019.