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Fishing
Holidays Shop: Tackle, clothing, rods, reels Weather
for fishing
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'A
Touch of Awe'. Fishing on Loch Awe.
County Argyll
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Big Fish Loch Awe has produced plenty of mammoth fish in the past and will undoubtedly do so in the future. The loch has as good a prospect of producing a record brown or rainbow trout as any of the Scottish waters. A brown trout of 39 lb was caught in 1866 by W. Campbell Muir, who lived at Inistrynich.Unfortunately, the preserved fish was destroyed by fire at Hayfield House some years ago. Never reknowned for its salmon fishing, the loch nevertheless produced two salmon of 56 lb during the 1800s. We always read of great fish which where caught aeons ago , yet large fish are still caught each year. Each month during the season, the whisky company Ballantines sponsors a competition for the heaviest fly-caught fish in Scottish waters. Their records show that out of 72 winning fish in the brown trout category during 1987 and 1988, four came from Loch Awe. The heaviest , caught in July 1988, weighed 7lb. 12 oz. During the same two years in the rainbow trout category, 13 fish were winners out of a possible 72. One of the heaviest weighed 14 1/2 lb and was caught near Ford in May 1988. If this is not enough to encourage you, a splendid rainbow, weighing 17 1/2 lb was caught by Allan Neil in 1986. The most recent large fish was caught in August 1987 on the Bloody Butcher fly by Derek Graham. This monster weighed 21lb 4 oz. |
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CHAPTER 2 . BOAT FISHING - TROLLING
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The side rods need to be quite long - preferably 10 to 12 feet. Rods
longer than this become unwieldy when trying to net a fish. I prefer to
use soft spinning rods which are built as double handed rods. An 11 ft.
grilse or sea trout spinning rod is ideal. Make sure the rod has a
screw-locking reel seat. The ideal trolling reel is a multiplier because
of its smooth drag control and large line capacity. A fixed spool reel is
very much a second choice but it is vital the reel has a good drag
control. The centre or poker rod can be much shorter if you wish. A rod of
six feet is quite adequate. For all trolling, I use a good quality 10 lb.
monofilament line. One benefit of trolling is that if you connect with a
monster fish you have plenty of room in which to play it. As long as you
have enough line on the reel you can afford to allow a large fish to run. Always tie in a good quality swivel about three feet above the lure. The ball bearing type swivels are best. If you are using any spinning lure (such as a mepps - type lure) it is vital that you use some form of anti kink device such as a wye weight: this is tied in place of the single swivel about three feet above the lure. See diagram below: |
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| Trolling for Brown and
Rainbow Trout. You should usually try to make the boat travel as
slowly as possible without stalling the outboard engine. Start with one
of your side rods and let the line out until the lure is travelling the
appropriate distance behind the boat. I always let the side rods' lures
work approximately 30 yards behind the boat, but it's a good idea to
experiment with distances between 20 and 30 yards. If you are not sure
how much line to let out then try stripping line off when on dry land
and mark or remember the depth of line left on the spool of the reel.
With multiplier reels estimating the distance is easier if your reel has
a level wind device which travels across the reel as line is released.
Strip off enough line so that the level wind bar makes one pass across
the reel and judge how many yards of line you took off. You then have a
fairly good idea how much line you are releasing when you count the
number of passes the bar makes as you let line out from the boat. As soon as you have released enough line, engage the reel clutch. You have to set the clutch pressure so that when you hook a fish, the tension is hard enough to set the hooks but at the same time soft enough to allow a strong fish to strip off line without breaking it. A method I often use is to hold the rod still for a few moments and then strike quite hard. I set the clutch so that line is just stripped off a little under this extra pressure; the boat is, of course, moving all the time as you are now trolling. Once the first side rod is working, the angler should keep the rod at right angles to the boat and parallel with the water. This ensures that you keep the lures as far apart from one another as possible. Let the other side rod out and finally the poker rod. I always work the poker rod as little as 10 or 15 yards behind the boat. Fish do not appear to be shy of taking a lure quite close to the boat. Always try to release the lures slowly, by letting the line slowly through your hands or against the drag of the reel, as you motor ahead without making any changes in direction. This reduces the chances of the lures becoming tangled from the start. Another reason for releasing the line slowly is to prevent a rapidly sinking lure plummeting to the bottom and promptly hooking itself on to a rock or sunken tree. One further hint: before letting the lure out to its full distance behind the boat, check the lure is working correctly alongside the boat. I am sure many anglers troll for hours, blissfully unaware that their lure is upside down or tangled, and all the time curing the paucity of fish. This is also a useful way to check that you are trolling at the correct speed for the desired swimming action of the lure. Now you are trolling! You should troll the bays and shoreline where the water is seven to 20 feet deep. In high summer the middle of the Loch fishes quite well. In both cases, you should vary the direction of the boat quite often. As the boat turns, the lures will swing round some seconds later, causing the outer lure to accelerate and the inner to slow down. This sudden change in pace and direction frequently induces a taking fish to hit the lure. |
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When a fish takes.
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Using a Landing Net
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| Trolling with the Fly The word `fly' is rather a misnomer because you usually use `flies' which are of the lure type, representing small fish. This is the most exciting form of trolling. I always troll with at least one fly rod and usually this is the poker rod in the centre. I use a standard trout fly rod and a sinking line to avoid leaving a wake from the line. The line must have a good length of backing (50-60 yards) correctly spliced on to it. A single fly lure is attached to a cast of 8-lOlb nylon which is at least one metre long. Once the side rods are working on the boat, check the fly lure is swimming correctly and then strip line off the fly reel until most of the fly line is out. It is a good idea to check the line is submerged and that the fly is not skating along the surface behind the boat. The reel check should be set fairly stiff and the rod laid down so that it is pointing directly behind the boat. When a fish takes, the rod is not in a position to absorb any impact and line will be stripped off the reel quite easily. There is nothing to beat the sound of a fly reel screaming when a fish takes! Immediately lift the rod and hold it steady until the side rods are cleared and you can then play the fish in the way described above. One of my most memorable days fishing on Loch Awe was a few years ago on a scorching hot July day. I was trolling on my own with two fly rods - one on either side of the boat. Conditions were impossible for brown trout but the rainbows were feeding hard. Every single fish behaved just like sea trout that day - as soon as a fish was hooked it would make a series of spectacular jumps. The fish spent as much time out of the water as in it. I can still recall the reel-sizzling runs and bouts of tail walking. I landed a dozen fish that day - all were over 21b - but I must have lost between 15 and 20. Fly Lures for Trolling Long shank size 8 hooks are best, in the, following patterns: Jersey Herd, Alexandra, Green Awesome, Fiery Brown Awesome, Squirrel and Orange, Muddler Minnow. For Salmon Loch Awe is not particularly well known for salmon but every year a few are caught. The main difference between trolling for salmon and trolling for trout is the speed of the boat. The engine should be adjusted so that you are travelling at a brisk walking pace. If you have extra spools for your reels, it is prudent to use stronger line, around the 151b mark, but many folk use their standard trout trolling outfit with a length of 15 lb line for the last metre of line after the swivel. Apart from one or two deep-water areas over which salmon travel, the best places to troll are in quite shallow water. The fish will lie in water which is between four and 12 feet. |
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| Lures for Salmon Toby-type lures. Best size: 18gm. Best colours: copper, copper/brown, black/gold (sometimes called tiger or zebra), gold. Rapala. Best size: lOcm and 13cm. Best colours: black/gold, flourescent red/gold, black/silver, blue/silver.Kynoch or Minnex-type lures in the smaller sizes. Mepps-type spinners in the larger sizes - size 2 or 3. I have never caught salmon on the trolled fly but I have no reason to suppose it would not be successful. Most folk trolling for salmon will use toby-type lures because there is always the chance of picking up a trout in the absence of a salmon. |
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| Trolling for Char This beautiful little fish is well worth catching and there is a considerable population in the loch. Char are deep-water fish but can be caught at between three and 10 feet below the surface from June onwards. The middle stretches of the loch are best, preferably where the bottom shallows up. Normal trout-trolling tackle is used but you should use one, two or three wye leads linked together so that the lure works deeper. I use about 1'/a oz of lead. Do not expect to catch large numbers of char - the best day I had was to catch six (along with brown trout) in one day. The char do not run to a large size, averaging ½ to ¾ lb, but they make delicious eating! Lures for Char Mepps-type lures. Smallest sizes. Best colours: silver, gold. |
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| BOAT FISHING - Fly Fishing Fly fishing is by the traditional method where the boat drifts slowly downwind while lying sideways to the waves. Tackle and Techniques: Use a rod of between 10 and 11 feet. The longer the rod the better - but remember, it has to be light enough for you to cast single handed all day! My own favourite fly rod is a carbon rod of 11½ feet. The rod should have quite a soft action. The reel should be a standard fly reel with room for at least 35 yards of backing. It is a good idea to use a reel which has .its side plate exposed - this means you can use your hand pressing gently against the exposed rim as a brake when a fish makes a powerful run. I tend to use a slow-sinking line for most of the season but many people use a floating line for their wet fly fishing. A fast-sinking line can be useful for the first six weeks of the season and for back-end fishing. Use good quality monofilament for the fly cast; 61b line is about right. A 4 lb line can certainly be used but it is rather light for boistrous fish on a windy day. Use three flies, two flies on short droppers and a tail fly. See diagram below. Cast out enough line, hardly more than twice the length of the rod, so that when you retrieve the cast, the first dropper - the bob fly - skips through the waves towards you. To increase the time the flies stay in the water for each cast, most anglers shoot about a yard or so of line. This means that after casting, about a yard of line is slowly drawn in by hand and the rest of the retrieve is finished by continuing to draw the rod upwards to the vertical. |
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False casting and standing up in the boat to try to hurl your flies ever greater distances results only in the fish being scared yet further away from the boat. In all conditions other than a flat calm, fish are surprisingly unalarmed when close to a boat and will enthusiastically snap at your proffered fly even when alongside the hull. The only time it is worth considering casting a greater distance from the boat is on a flat calm day or if you want your flies to swim a bit deeper. Many anglers are unaware that every bump and knock with their feet or tackle scares away fish. The best tactic is to sit quietly in the boat and cast gently.
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Dapping Anyone who has not tried dapping has not lived! This is one of the most exciting forms of fishing and because no casting skills are required, it is easy for beginners to try. There is one huge snag, however: although you may see many fish rising to your fly, hooking and landing the fish is more difficult than with most other methods of fishing. You can dap with your ordinary fly rod if it is long enough, but most people prefer to use a rod designed specifically for the purpose. The rod should be between 12 and 17 feet. Telescopic rods are best, to overcome the problem of storing such a long rod in the boat. Your standard fly reel should have plenty of backing and the main line consists of 25 yards or so of dapping floss. The cast consists of a yard or two of 61b or 81b monofilament to which the dapping fly is attached. Many people advocate knotting the floss every few feet or so to prevent the floss catching and fraying on anything it comes into contact with. My advice is not to bother as knotting only impairs the sail-like function of the floss. If the line becomes frayed, chop off the offending piece and continue fishing - you actually use only the last six or seven yards of floss when fishing anyway. The technique works only when there is a reasonable breeze and the weather is warm. The best months for dapping are from June onwards. Strip off a rod length of line and allow the wind to catch the fly and the floss. The fly is blown ahead of the sideways drifting boat in such a way that it bounces enticingly on the waves. You work the dapping fly over the surface of the waves from left to right across the water in front of you. If the wind blows the fly too far ahead, let out more line until you can control the fly, representing an insect struggling to break free of the water. The softer the wind, the shorter your nylon cast, and vice versa: a longer cast for breezier conditions. If it is really windy, use a two-yard cast with a dropper of about five inches. Tie a slim, fairly heavy wet fly size 6 or 8 on the tail and your dapping fly on the dropper. The wet fly acts as an anchor and will also catch fish. When using this method, ignore the wet fly and just work your dapping fly on the dropper as described. When a fish rises to your fly you must not tighten your line too quickly. Count to five and only then tighten into the fish. As you can imagine, timing this pause while the fish turn with the fly is extremely difficult. Some fish will leap clean out of the water without touching the fly, turn under water and pick up the drowned lure. You need nerves of steel to resist the temptation of striking as soon as you see a rise. If two people are fishing, it is a good idea for one to dap and the other to fish with the traditional wet fly method. The sight of a large bushy lure often excites the trout to take the wet fly and the wet fly may help draw fish to the dapping fly. Flies for Dapping Flies in sizes 6 or 8 tied on low-water salmon hooks are best. Use Black Palmer, Loch Ordie, Black and White Palmer. It is always worth experimenting with different flies. I found a yellow and black fly worked well one day but was hopeless the next. I have tried dapping the artificial and natural daddy longlegs with little success but this does not mean you shouldn't give it a try. |
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PIKE FISHING
Tackle and Techniques |
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River Green: Pike Fishing in Scotland web site |
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SHORE FISHING Spinning from the shore is not very productive, but the fly fisherman can do well, particularly early in the season and in any month at late evening, by wading quietly along the shore line. A few years ago, I watched one angler do particularly well along the shore because, unusually, he was wearing chest waders. His stealthy approach and ability to cast his team of small wet flies those extra few yards paid dividends and he enjoyed some good sport for a few hours. A word of warning to the shore-based fly fisherman: beware of sudden drop-offs, particularly at the mouths of burns entering the loch. This hazard can take you by surprise and the bottom of the loch can plummet in the distance between taking one pace and the next. WHERE TO FISH ON LOCH AWE Map of Loch Awe |
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| The maps above show some of the best areas for fishing. It is well known that rainbow trout are found in high concentrations near the fish cages on the loch. Some "anglers" spend all day bait fishing near the cages but this can hardly be called sport. If you want to be a fishmonger, it would be just as satisfying to go to a nearby fish shop and buy your trout there. Respect the fish-farm owners' requests not to fish too near the cages. Trolling in the vicinity of the cages can be productive, but you may only catch small shoaling fish here. There are numerous shallow areas which present a hazard to boat owners and you should study any of the many large charts showing the depths. The depth soundings are not accurate but the shallow areas are clearly shown. Places to Visit Many inlets and bays seldom have human visitors. Some small islands do not have safe landing areas and may be too overgrown. If you are visiting any island with a castle or ruins, please respect the area so that others may derive pleasure from their visit. Some visitors seem to have an unnecessary obsession for lighting fires and, to judge by the remains of many fires, it is amazing how many people think beer cans will burn. I always have a quick rubbish collection before leaving an area - removing our own and other people's rubbish will help keep the area beautiful. Innis Chonnell This island is accessible only by boat. The small landing site is on the side nearest the eastern shore. A huge fireplace is still standing - see how many people can stand within its area. Some of the ramparts still exist, but take care when walking on the ruins. Inverinan Forest The Forestry Commission has many forestry walks marked out in this area. Leaflets and maps are available from nearby Dalavich village and hotels on the lochside. Inishail The Holy Isle or the "Isle of Rest" looks across to Ben Cruachan and is my favourite place to visit. There is a small beach for landing on its northern shore, there are 13th and 15th Century burial grounds and some splendid Celtic cross headstones. Covered with wild daffodils at Easter - reputedly planted by nuns from a Celtic monastery which was on the island - there is an atmosphere of complete peace. Kilchurn Castle This castle is part of one of Scotland's most famous views, photographed for every tourist brochure. The castle is in disrepair and I recommend the site more for its splendid view and the backdrop of Glen Orchy than as a place to visit. |
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I now want to cover some other aspects of fishing on Loch Awe which, though not so easily
categorised, will interest the serious angler. If demand or interest is sufficient, I
would be glad to add any updates relevant to the above text.
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