5th August 2006

August should see a change in the fortunes of Loch fishers…..for some it has already!. A drop of rain and some wind has helped bring the surface temperature down and on Wednesday it was back to 19oC. Before I set off for an afternoon’s fly fishing I met Archie Dick who was also heading out. Archie deploys downriggers and tells me that the 13lb sea trout he caught recently took a DAM ( rapala type) lure fished in the deep water off the Ross Dhu Bank. There definitely seems to something in this method of fishing. I now have a ‘jet diver’ courtesy of James Kinnear which I’ll try out very soon.

Spent the afternoon fly fishing around the Darroch/Ireland area with a good steady wind trying to follow the success of Euan McGrandle. Managed to net seven ‘nebs’ in a couple of hours, the biggest about 1 ¾ lbs….great fun. I did however experience a couple of ‘heartstoppers’. Two drifts into the shallows at Darroch saw ‘big vees’ follow the flies towards the boat before turning away at the last second…….gets the adrenalin going! Not good for the weak of heart…..Grilse! I thought. For the record the flies were olive bumble, burton, turkey and gold all size 12 as recommended and tied by Stuart McMichael. That particular turkey and gold accounted for a 5 ½lb sea trout at the Luss Bank last season. When I returned to the Bay I was met by Charlie Anderson who was seemed surprised at the sizes I was using. Before heading out he remarked something about schools of thought on fly sizes…..tell me more Charlie!

Not far behind me was Walter Gilchrist……who came into the Bay with a big smile……a nice fresh 6lb grilse in his boat. His duck broken at last! Walter took the fish at the Hen Isle on a copper toby. He seemed somewhat relieved to get a fish onboard after a slow start following a good season last year. On Monday Walter saw several grilse leap out the water in Net Bay where he had been soaked by a sudden wave, the water feeling quite warm. He remarked.....‘I’ve had cooler baths!’. Better get that boiler sorted out before the winter!

Another fisher with a smile is Kenny McDonald who set out on Thursday intending to fish the dap. Due to the bright, warm, windless conditions he beached at Torrich and went for a sleep. He eventually surfaced thinking it was time to go to work but realised it was trolling time instead and went for a sail. Just about seven o’clock he passed the new jetty north of Anchorage Cottage and woke up a belter of a grilse with his outside rod. After a good fight he netted the fish, which was still sea liced and weighed in at 5 ½ lbs . This was also Kenny’s first fish of the season….no doubt celebrated with a dram…or two... and took a 28g ‘salmo’ type toby – silver, bronze and orange - which he bought in Orkney….it will require closer examination I think. Heavier lures may be the answer just now. As I mentioned recently Scott Gilchrist took a grilse and lost one recently both on a 30g copper toby…. which seems to be the popular colour. Kenny has forwarded a photo which I will post very soon. Keep me something in the bottle!

So there we have it….an encouraging start to the month. Perhaps a little more rain and some wind should really get the fish moving. Not too much rain though!

Attached photo of young Walter with his fish.

Regards J.R.