Brown Trout Beats

For over 170 years the area surrounding Scourie Hotel has been renowned for offering some of the finest wild trout fishing available anywhere in the UK. Back then accessing these exceptional fishing opportunities required catching a steamer from Glasgow to Badcall and from there to the Hotel either on foot or via pony and trap. Whilst it is now significantly easier to reach Scourie Hotel the trip is nonetheless still just as worthwhile, which is why we remain the home of wild brown trout fishing.

Since the 1900’s the brown trout fishing at Scourie Hotel has been allocated to our guests in a somewhat unique way. It is controlled by the guests themselves, one of whom with knowledge of the fishings, is designated as Board Master for the week.  As a fishing guest arrives, his or her name is listed on a blackboard in the lounge on arrival, and in the evening after dinner the Board Master goes round the guests to make up the fishing list for the next day.  An angler has the choice of all the fishing available bearing in mind the beats which have already been taken by names above him or her on the blackboard.  When the list is completed the names are moved up a place for the next evening’s allocation.  It has the great advantage that the fishing guest knows that it is entirely fair and that there are no “hidden agendas”.