October is not the liveliest month of the season but sport can be good for the fly fisher. Angus MacRitchie had a 4 ½ lb sea trout on the dap at the beginning of the month. The Long and Short Points of Inchmoan, Inchlonaig, Pilot Bank and Luss Bank produce good sea trout if you are willing to persevere and the weather is kind. The ‘daddy long legs’ is particularly effective. Some anglers fish the natural insect on the dap while others use imitations. Some of the tyings I’ve seen closely resemble small bats!..

Most migratory fish will by now be coloured and gravid, leaving the Loch to head up the various feeder burns and rivers to carry out nature’s will. These fish should really be safely returned if caught. A few years ago I returned to the Bay …..fishless as usual……..to meet a former member who proudly showed me his day’s catch……….a ten pound cock fish which was blacker then coal. He explained ‘Wrap it in sacking overnight and by the morning it’ll be as silver as the stars’.... My reply that the ‘sacking would probably taste better’ seemed to go unheard. There’s still the odd fresh run fish to be had though. I was pleased to hear that Gerd Elsweiler, having had a lean season, finally took a 4lb grilse at Taylor’s Rock. The fish took the old favourite copper/black toby.

The Endrick and the Fruin have fished well recently. When I last spoke to Euan McGrandle he’d been out on the Endrick a few times and netted seven salmon and two sea trout keeping only one grilse. Euan’s had a good season with six salmon off the Loch. It was mentioned that an Endrick fisher had nine salmon in one day…….. hope he followed Euan’s example. Good numbers of salmon and sea trout were showing at the Gartness falls last week, giving their usual acrobatic display. The Leven is still producing a few wild fish and a good number of farm fish. There’s still few reports of escapees caught in the Loch.

James Kinnear was out a couple of times earlier in the month deploying his downriggers in the Clairinch/ Inchcailloch area. Apart from several perch and pike James had two brown trout around the 4lb mark, both returned. I’ve tried out a ‘jet diver’ on the poker a few times and it certainly takes a lure down but has yet to produce a fish. I’ll try it again in the early season. James has a very informative web site and can supply equipment to anyone interested in searching the depths. Log on to: www.trollingthescottishlochs.co.uk

The weekend saw very little activity on the Loch with few boats out. Saturday morning was particularly misty and had a definite end of season feel. Doesn’t seem that long ago since the boat slid off the trailer into the Bay……. ach well there’s always next season to look forward to….suppose I better go and get my catch return done… shouldn’t take long!

I’d like to thank all those who took the time to contribute to the Diary with info and photos. I hope to hear from you again next season.

Regards J.R.