Loch of Cliff Fishing Guide, Shetland Islands, Scotland

• Overview

  The Shetland Islands entry here is Loch of Cliff, in Scotland. What surrounds it is mixed woodland. It measures some 258 acres, and wind has room to build across it. Around 6.4 miles of bank, which is a long day on foot. Lerwick sits 45 miles from the bank. Beyond it, Scalloway at 47 miles and Sandwick at 56 miles. If this one is busy: Muckle Harolds Water Loch out at 15 miles and Croo Water the better part of 15 miles. The area boundary is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Loch of Cliff

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Across Shetland Islands, recorded fish include brown trout, European eel and Atlantic salmon. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Read Loch of Cliff before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 4°C to 12°C. Spring and autumn are the strongest, but nothing is truly closed. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. Time your trip to Loch of Cliff by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. A pier or jetty stands half a mile away, which helps on a crowded bank. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. The nearest alternative is Muckle Harolds Water Loch, 15 miles out. For Loch of Cliff, the notice at the access point is the final word.