I do apologise for the lack of information recently, but I was away on holiday and then had to endure the hardships of a fishing break to the Emerald Isle three weeks later, life’s just a bitch.

Well then, there has been lots happening since my last entry, firstly, you will all have heard how my mooring buoy was stolen. Well, I was unable to retrieve the chain so I had to make up another complete mooring which was eventually dropped in Balmaha bay at the beginning of June.

Whilst I had been fishing for a mooring chain, Peter Lyons was doing the real thing with his fly rod along the Endrick Bank. With Mike Brady on the oars, he and Peter set off one evening late in May down the Endrick Bank. Keeping the boat drifting in the correct depth of water Mike manoeuvred the boat in order to give Peter as good a chance of a fish as any. Not letting the side down Peter rose a nice Salmon which followed his fly but turned away at the last moment. Half an hour or so later he had hooked into a sparkling 8lb Salmon which was duly netted by Mike. Contrary to what may have been stated in a separate report the fish was in fact clean and not a Kelt as may have been reported previously. So, congratulations go to Peter on his fly caught Salmon, the first for a number of years at that time of year. Credit must also go to Mike Brady for his boatmanship who kept Peter in the right depth of water and in the right area. So, for all you non believers if the conditions are right and your fed up trolling why not get the old trusty fly rod out and give it a go, you just never know what might bite.

Also getting on the score sheet have been Frank Donnelly with an 11lb fish caught in Net Bay, in fact that very same day Lenny Grant had taken his father in law, George, out to impress him with his fishing prowess. Things were looking good as Lenny, who usually gets a fish or two in the spring, hooked another Springer only to lose it at the net, George, his father in law, was heard remarking, Lenny was on the drinks if he’d landed it, so opted to accidentally loose it at the net. That must be the Aberdeenshire in him. (Only kidding Len) Euan McGrandle was another who was unfortunate to loose a big fish at Darroch. Lets not dwell on the unfortunate ones that have lost fish, but report on the happy chappies that have had one and the case of Ernie East had two fish. Ernie decided to camp up the Loch and along with Denis Hall they both trolled in what can only be described as atrocious conditions with the rain bouncing off the water. Ernie was wrapped up to the hilty and wondering what sane being would claim this to be enjoyment when all of a sudden his outside rod bent over and the reel screamed after an enjoyable tussle with the fish it was finally landed. It was a sea liced cracker of 14lbs. Well, that’s fishing for you just when you were questioning your sanity about being out in such conditions. Now, as happy as Larry, Ernie continued his delightful pastime and had an enjoyable couple of days camping whilst Denis had the comforts of his palatial cruiser to sleep in. So with a fish in the bag, so to speak, Ernie set off on the way back to Balloch and connected with another cracker of 13lb. Now that’s just being greedy. Jimmy Richardson was another lucky angler who landed a Springer of 12lbs whilst I myself skilfully caught and landed a nice fresh fish of 9lbs, some folk are just lucky but you can’t beat skill in the end. (Yes, I’m beginning to out grow my hat). News of another 7lb Salmon having been caught on Thursday last (24th June 2004) by Davie King Senior was relayed to me via young Davie who was out in his new boat.

I was talking to Charlie Anderson in the bay recently and learned that he had come through some major heart surgery over the winter, and is interested in forming a sub club based at Balmaha, called the Balmaha Coffin Dodger Dappers. To qualify for this prestigious sub club you will have to meet certain medical requirements which I’m assured Mr William Biggerstaff, with his medical background, (having visited or been admitted to most of the Glasgow and Paisley hospitals with a variety of ailments) will scrutinise all applicants. Nice to see Charlie looking hale an’ arty.

Now, I thought I was the only one to come away with ridiculous thoughts and ideas, but I’ve met my match in big Ernie, who is of the opinion that our loch slants from the bottom to the top. In other words the water level is higher up the tap than it is down the bottom end. Let me explain as Ernie explained it to me. “You know some of the rocks that should be above water at this time of year for instance the Lucky Chucky, and the groin in at Mill O Ross bay.” “Yes” I replied, “Well, when was the last time you saw them uncovered, the loch definitely slopes downwards from Balloch towards the Falloch.” I tried to explain to him that the loch will act like a spirit level and sort out its level according to how much water its holding. I gave up and contacted the men with the white jackets and padded van and told them about his condition. Obviously catching two fish has seriously affected his train of thought.

It’s about this time when a few of head up the Loch for a couple of weeks camping, with the chance of catching a Grilse or two as they enter the Loch. So I’m off to look out my camping equipment, and prepare my gear for the camp.

I’ve just heard that Frank Donnelly caught a 113/4lb Salmon on the road shore near to Tarbet on the 28th June whilst trolling a Crusader Toby, and yesterday, Wednesday 30th June, Jimmy Raeburn, landed a fine 10lb Salmon caught up at Eagle Point. Remember that saying ’always listen to your elders,’ well, I was talking to Matt Stewart and Angus MacRitchie on that same Wednesday, at Balmaha whilst setting up my trolling rods, (I did have my fly rod with me but I decided to leave it I it’s bag for the time being), anyway, the weather was beginning to look a bit vicious, and in fact it poured down. Not to be beaten by some blobs of water I got into my boat and headed off, only to hear Matt Stewart shout the words “you should leave the trolls behind and fish the fly”. Now I don’t know if Matt has a direct link to the ‘Big Yin’ who lives up in the clouds but I’ll pay more attention to his words of wisdom in future, for when I returned at 8pm after a rain soaked day trolling up the entire loch and then back down again with nowt in the bag I saw attached to my car a note left by Angus and Matt. It read as follows, “Stuart, never went out till 12 o’clock when the rain went off and fished till 4.30pm. Matt caught a 5 1/2lb Sea Trout and I had two, 1 3/4lb and 2 1/2lb all caught off the Long Point and Darroch on the Dap. That’s just the magic of the place, a 10lb fish caught on the troll by Jimmy Raeburn and 3 Sea Trout caught on the Dap by Angus and Matt, oh, and I may have just caught the cold, time will tell for that one.

Things seem to be hotting up so don’t be hanging about and miss out, and let’s hope there’s more good news to report next Diary entry, so until then Tight Lines and Happy Fishing.

In the picture below is a couple of nice fish caught between Rowerdennan and Culness in July last year.