It took me 25 years to get to this wee loch. I remember this loch being described to me by a guy called Bill Murdoch whom I spoke about in my post regarding fly tying boxes. Bill had described how to get to it like this
“You walk around loch redacted, and then follow a burn up the hill. When it disappears keep walking and then just after you think you have went the wrong way you will be at the loch ,big trout are in their”
As a young boy I thought about this wee loch a lot however never got around to giving it a bash until today. I found myself with a free day so agreed to meet Alex and Paul at a car park before the 45min walk into the loch. We had a lot of discussion about this as the forecast was for low temps and a howling gale. Obviously we chose a hill loch that we knew would be madness to fish!
We were heading towards the loch when unfortunately, at a fork we took the wrong way and that is how we decided to just keep on walking until we got the the wee loch of my youthful dreams. It was a bit of a slog at times however it is always shorter the second time we mused dodging ankle breaking holes.
Of course none of us had a map other than on our phones and up here the signal went from none to crap every 10 minutes. Eventually we got to the loch and after a quick dram we were soon fishing. It was off dishing this wee loch that I had known about all these years, I am glad it provided a reasonable account of itself.
We each caught some fish and I swore I spotted a trout the size of a grilse jump clear of the water.
Of course the wind picked up causing some rather intimidating white horses on the water – Paul managed to keep his line on a straight line long enough for a wee beauty on the wee loch.
After a while though we had covered the whole loch and it was time to head back to the bigger loch for the rest of the day. We walked back through bogs and over treacherous ground and eventually managed to settle the nerves with another dram. Paul then proceeded to catch a whopper of a trout…
After this the action was fairly solid for the rest of the day, at one point I caught three trout on consecutive casts and also a mythical double perch hook up which I now regret not getting a photo of. The wind was blowing a hooley as well as rain on and off all day.
All in all a thoroughly awesome day – obviously we had to drag Alex away from the loch but the day was getting darker and colder and quite frankly one more trout was not going to make much of a difference at this point.
Firm plans have been made for a pollock,wrasse and thornback ray trip in a few weeks time.
Glad I got to finally try out the wee loch though!
Congratulations on your 25th year. Maybe in 2019 we’ll get together and fish again. By the way, seen “James” Bond at all lately?
Chuck
Great, I really enjoyed the blog post here. It’s really amazing. Thanks.
Fewer blogs, but just as much quality and humour Alistair. You inspired my blog, The Urban Fieldsportsman, which continues with viewers around the world. I have tried to get improvements on my club’s River Whitewater in Hampshire, but trying to get changes past a trio of bailiffs, who run it as their own private fishery, only interested in the brief Mayfly season, has been difficult. I’ve watched the river go from prolific with plenty of wild browns and coarse fish, to a shallow overgrown drain, with few members to fish it. I am now on the committee of the controlling club and hope it is not too late to turn it round. All the best Ken.
Never too late Ken! Maybe I can come down and fish it next year 🙂