What was I saying?........Grilse?? Any day now!!! And the very next day………….!! On Saturday Euan McGrandle, who has already accounted for two spring fish, decided to leave his trolling rods at home and exercise his fly rod instead……..with spectacular effect! Here’s his story…...

’I started with a drift off Darroch and after 20 minutes was close to the shore when a fish rose to and took the mallard and yellow bob fly. A great fight followed and I was rewarded with a cracker of a grilse at 7lbs. The next drift produced only one rise and a take to the silver invicta, a lovely sea trout of 2-3lbs which was quickly returned. My third drift took me past Ireland where another grilse took the bob fly – 5lbs - which was luckily landed. It was still sea liced. At lunch time I met Matt Stewart who took the attached photos. In the afternoon I rose another grilse sized fish off Darroch which didn’t connect’…..‘Great to see the grilse here in decent numbers!’

Indeed a red letter day for Euan and great news for loch fishers! Well done! Grilse should start showing up on the trolling lanes any day but why not follow Euans lead, dust down that fly rod and go hunting.

Donald Brown contacted me and confirmed that John Connolly’s recent big fish weighed in at 20lb 4oz. He mentioned that Jim Malloch of VOLDAC had a 15lb fish on his way up to the annual camp and Ray Price had a 5lb fish on Saturday. Donald himself lost a good fish recently at Botturich Rocks when the line became entangled on the handle of his reel. I’ll bet the air was blue!!! Thanks for that report Donald I’m always grateful for Loch updates to help paint the ‘bigger picture’

Well I’m away to sort out my fly boxes and see if I can tie up a mallard and yellow or two...and turkey and gold.....and..

Attached photo of Euan with his two grilse.