Spate · Sandstone · Sutherland

River Brora

Photo of River Brora
Marginal · Atlantic Salmon
Hairy Mary · 8-12
Marginallive now
Marginal — persistence required
River dropping into shape after a lift. A short window. Work the obvious lies and move on.
50% confidence
What moved it
  • Level0.85 mDropping after lift
  • Water temp16.2°C
  • ClarityVery colouredColouring up
Today's fly
Hairy Mary
Hairy Mary8-12
Canonical Sutherland summer-grilse pattern — added as regional default 2026-04-30 per QA roadmap D14. Particularly effective on Helmsdale, Naver, Borgie, Halladale, Brora when fish are in low summer water. Single-handed rod compatible.
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Level
Steady
0.85 m
Dropping after lift
Water temp16.2°C
ClarityVery coloured
Weather15°C
WindW 19 km/h
Pressure1017 hPa
Rain · recent5.8 mm
Rain · ahead0.6 mm

The nearest gauge doesn't record temperatures, so we've estimated it — defer to the river keeper's advice.

Water temperature for Atlantic Salmon
Warm — slow
16°C est.ideal 10–14°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Atlantic Salmon
When
Morning into early afternoon.
Where
Pool tails, steadier runs, and any water with pace.
Method
Fish a sensible line-and-fly combination for the height and pace of water.
Kit
13 ft #8/9 double-hander in spate, 10 ft #8 single in low water. Floating line plus a fast-sink tip. 12–15 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Poor — barometric pressure is working for you, but time of day is the limiting factor today.
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 6am

Hatch predictions

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Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

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Evidence
Survey-backed · regionalHigh confidence

Backed by regional invertebrate surveys; no sampling on this exact reach yet.

Through the year
0–3 scale · August highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
March BrownHatch
2
3
2
GrannomHatch
2
2
Large StoneflyHatch
2
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Atlantic Salmon fly box
Beats · 3

Brora is a Sutherland system around Loch Brora that splits cleanly by access: the lower town/association water sells visitor day tickets (£15, 1 April–15 October), while the upper river and tributaries stay estate-controlled. The river is graded Good for 2026, so a limited harvest applies under the conservation code — but most fish are still returned. Loch Brora is a separate boat/permit fishery.

Brora town / association waterDay tickets
The ordinary-access anchor — town/association water giving the realistic visitor route onto the lower Brora.
Loch Brora (context)Enquiry
The loch that splits the system — Loch Brora buffers flow between the Upper and Lower Brora and offers more accessible salmon and sea-trout fishing than the controlled main-river beats.
Upper Brora estate waterEnquiry
Private/estate water above the loch — the Upper Brora and the important Blackwater tributary.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Fishing better nearby · 5
River Alness / Averon
42 km
62
Salmon · Sea trout · Brown trout
Oykel
33 km
50
Brown trout · Salmon
Helmsdale
20 km
Brown trout · Salmon · Sea trout
River Shin
28 km
Brown trout · Salmon
River Alness / Averon
42 km
Salmon · Sea trout · Brown trout
Gallery · 2
  1. Photo of River Brora
    River Brora
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Why this score · for Atlantic Salmon
  • Temperature5330% weight
  • Flow6025% weight
  • Clarity1520% weight
  • Feeding Time1015% weight
  • Pressure8510% weight
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones

Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026)

Related guides
Scotland Playbookloch & river fishingAtlantic Salmonsalmon tacticsYorkshire & SpidersNorth Country methods
Booking & contacts