Fly fishing at Loch of Tingwall, Mainland, Shetland

Loch of Tingwall is considered among Shetland’s finest lochs. It lies in the low ground of central Shetland, barely a mile from the coast. It is a loch of moderate size — roughly 47 hectares — with a moderately irregular outline that narrows sharply at its midpoint, where the promontory of Holm of Setter pinches the water into two distinct sections. The water is highly alkaline and clear, giving it a character quite unlike the peaty hill lochs that dominate much of the island.

The two sections fish differently. The north loch is relatively shallow, and fish can be found throughout its length, though the water tends to turn colour and grow weedy towards the end of the season. The south loch is deeper and cleaner, with the most productive fishing running close to the east bank.

Hard-fighting brown trout average around ten ounces throughout, with good numbers of larger fish taken regularly, and sea trout appear from August onwards.

Boat fishing brings the best results: in the north, the favoured drift runs from the inlet burn in the north-east corner back across to the mooring bay on the west shore; in the south, a drift down the east bank at around five yards out is the standard approach. Bank fishing and wading are both practicable.

Rules

Protected wildlife

Nesting birds

When fishing the shore or wading, avoid disturbing birds, chicks, and their nesting sites. Setter Holm, the island dividing the north and south of the loch, is an important nesting ground — take extra care around it during the bird breeding season.

Club rules

Boats and engines

Up to 20 boats; engines maximum 10 HP. Exceeding 10 HP breaches the association's consent and risks prosecution.

Fishery-wide rules

Fish limits & sizes

Minimum sizes

Brown trout 10 inches (254 mm); sea trout 12 inches (305 mm).
Undersized fish must be returned.

Protected fish

All wild salmon and grilse, and all Arctic char, must be returned alive.

Permitted methods

Methods

Fly fishing and spinning are allowed on most association lochs.
Worm fishing is discouraged for adults (due to the risk of deep-hooking) but accepted for juniors.

Byelaws

One rod per angler

Only one rod may be used at a time per angler.

No Sunday fishing

Sunday fishing for sea trout and salmon is prohibited across all waters, regardless of land ownership or permit.

All salmon must be released

Under the Salmon Conservation Regulations (in force since 1 April 2016), Shetland is a Grade 3 area — it is a criminal offence to kill any salmon caught here. All salmon must be released by law, regardless of condition. The exception is fish clearly of farmed origin.

Protected wildlife

Nesting birds

It is a criminal offence to disturb nesting wild birds, including Schedule 1 species. Many nest beside lochs. Avoid any loch holding Red-throated Divers. Several lochs are SSSIs with legally binding conditions of use.

Club rules

Report salmon caught

All salmon caught and released must be reported to the Shetland Anglers Association via the contact page.