The
Oykel, which drains 137 square miles, rises on the southern slopes
of Ben More Assynt in west Sutherland. It has a fairly sedate pace
to Loch Ailsh; thereafter it flows down Glen Oykel for some 15 miles,
through a great variety of wild terrain including several gorge sections,
to its mouth at the head of the Kyle near Rosehall. It is an entirely
natural system with none of its waters impounded or abstracted; it
has a wealth of spawning tributaries.
The Oykel system is dominated by two sets of falls- one on the main river just above Oykel Bridge and the other a mile up the main tributary, the Einig. Both of these are temperature barriers and spring fishing is restricted to the waters downstream. Several 19th Century accounts mention the practice of using long-handled hoop-nets to scoop out running fish from the pots on the Oykel Falls.
The lower river fishes from February to September. Above the Falls, the Oykel is more confined and one would be hard-pushed, except in one or two pools, to put out a full salmon line. The upper beats are essentially a summer fishery, with excellent sport whenever good water levels coincide with the main grilse runs.
Beats in ascending order:
Lower Oykel 7 miles double bank.
Upper Oykel 6 miles double bank.
Assynt Estate 2 miles double bank.