All Comments and Fishing Reports

I am finding this site a very interesting read and have only managed to work my way through some of the pages so far :)

Having fished up in this area, for years, I have always found it to be a hit or a miss in terms of catching anything. However, it has always been the mecca for me as far as fishing goes, which includes the stunning views as part of the deal.

My only criticism (if it can be called that) is regarding the deer fencing. Last year, I wild camped just off the road at Clashnessie and headed off for a days walking and fishing in the hill lochs behind the waterfall - my path took me from the falls along to meall nan garbh loch, round Loch Poll Daidh and back along the peat road onto the main road and then back into Clashnessie. A good walk on a good day - about 16k in total.

This distance might have been shorter if it wasn't for the deer fences....! I had my 2 dogs with me - and the first fence I came to, I spent an age trying to find a way across it - I could have climbed it, but had to find a gap under it to let the dogs through - however we managed it, until after another short walk we came to the fence again - now maybe I was very unlucky and just happened to choose the wrong direction each time, but at my last count I had to cross the fence 4 times in total..... I take it the fence zigzags its way across the area?

Anyway a small criticism and quite likely a pointless one :)

Other than that - spent years fishing at poll daidh ans catching good size half pounders to a pound, in the narrow inlet between the two main lochs, but of late have caught nothing but tiddlers.

Great to read the comments :)

slàinte - RSM

I would appreciate more information with the permit for the Assynt crofter's area. For example - where to park, and how to get into the lochs and whether wading is possible or advisable. Lets start with Lexy's loch, which one fisher was unable to find, and the response was "use an OS Map". The OS map shows a road with a graveyard beside it. But there are three roads each with a graveyard. Its the middle one, and about 50 yards along it there is plenty of parking space - that little bit of information would be helpful. Another example is the Manse Loch - I looked at my OS map and it showed a track near Torbreck house. I guessed at what was Torbreck House, but could find no track. So I just followed through pretty rough territory until I found the loch. Then I found that access for wading around its perimeter is not particularly good. I know that some of this info is now present on the Assynt Research Website, but it really should be present on the leaflet that accompanies the permit.

I fished the north end by the road side for about an hour in the evening in early September (2011). Not a nibble! I suspect that end, close by the road side is overfished.

The OS map shows a road beside a graveyard as the starting point - but there are three roads, each with a graveyard! By trial and error I found it was the middle one. I drove about 50 yds up the road and parked at the graveyard entrance (lots of space). Its a walk of about 15 minutes up to the last croft, and someone has helpfully placed signs "Loch Lexie" to direct you on a path up the hill, which takes you to the east end of the loch in about 5 minutes. I fished the south shore of the loch for about two hours, one evening in early September (2011). Initially there was not much happening until I got up to the east end, and I switched from the usual flies to size 12 long shank lures. With a Sweeny Todd I hooked and landed a 12 oz trout at long casting distance, then followed this with a larger trout of about a pound and a quarter to a pound and a half, much closer in. I finished with an 8 oz trout which took a long shank Teal Red and Silver. All of the fish were released from debarbed hooks, so weights are only estimates. Definitely the best loch I have fished so far in Assynt.

On the following evening, I visited Lexy's Loch again, and fished the north bank, where access is easier - but I caught no trout, so I headed up the hill to Loch Poll an Droighinn - and I have filed a separate report on my (successful) visit to it.

I have stayed for a week at a nearby cottage at the beginning of September (in 2009, 2010 and 2011), so Loch an Ordain was a venue for an odd hour's fishing with a light telescopic fly rod at the end of the day on several occasions. I have noticed in other lochs that the stock of small trout has been greatly reduced over the past two years (2010 and 2011), and I suspect the two harsh winters is to blame. But Loch an Ordain still has a good head of small fish. Choose your spot according to the wind - but I usually end up on the far bank at the north end. And try a variety of flies - one evening this year they were interested in black and red bushy flies, and woudn't look near an invicta, then a few days later, they couldn't get enough of an invicta! Fish with a light rod and debarbed hooks - and you'll have some fun. But don't expect a fish for the pan.

Friday 16th Sept. Tonight proved that sometimes it's just worth a punt even in the most unlikely conditions. Had a couple of hours from about 6pm and nearly didn't bother as the wind and rain lashed against the car windscreen. Wandered up to Cul Fraioch from the Raffin side and fished the south shore. Tricky casting in strong gusty winds, cold and darkening skies. But a belting two hours fishing!

6 caught all around the pound mark (kept one for the table as these trout taste great and clearly a very healthy population in here). Five caught on a small bibio-like muddler on the point wobbled through the waves on a figure of 8. Moved every few casts and nothing for the first half hour... then regular powerful takes. Probably just as well as it pretty tricky to see the fly in the gloom - one fish appeared to jump right out of the water and dive down onto the fly. Sometimes they do give you a hand!

It was a bit of a tatty fly anyway and was really coming to bits after 5 fish had chewed it but this may have helped - it looked more like a hopper by the end the amount of 'legs' trailing a wake. One on middle dropper claret bumble.

Given how tricky this loch can be to fish, this was probably the most productive two hours ever had here. A great way to end the season.

Had couple of hours in the evening on Loch na Claise when the rain finally stopped. It's getting increasingly reeded over which is a real shame as it is a lovely loch and has some good fish. Lots of fish rising, some top and tailing, though most looked small. Best trout was a pound and was very fat bodied indeed. Spooned it and it looked like it had been feeding on some kind of small fry...

We started at 14.30 and fished until 19.45. Each used wet flies, soldier palmer top, kingfisher butcher middle and pheasanttail at the bottom. Total catch was 3 6oz trout and a very small fish - at least two were on the butcher. There were a number of nibbles. Trolling was more successful than casting. The weather was dry alternating between sunny and overcast. There was light wind and casting was sometimes difficult although we are not regular or very experienced fly fishers. We explored the margins of the whole loch during this session. There were no other anglers.
The gentleman who hired us the boat says that mornings and late evenings are sometimes better but we cannot verify this.
A fantastic location to spend a day.

Many thanks for your comments which we will pass onto the Assynt Crofters Trust and will feed into the research. Feedback from anglers is really useful and it is disappointing you were not able to find the loch you wanted to fish.

Part of the purpsose of this website is to provide some of that information - including directions to about 80 lochs. Did you have a look at the page on this site for Lexy's (Loch Leathed a'Bhaile Fhoghair)- this gives directions, grid references and lat and long. Try:
http://assyntanglinginfo.org.uk/?q=ptf_127

Also, would you be so kind as to email me - adam@substance.coop ?

Thanks again for your feedback.
Adam Brown
Assynt Angling Research
Substance
Adam

My father and I used to fish Loch Crocach when I was a kid and the Culag Hotel had a boat on it. I particularly remember a wonderful day catching lots of small fish up to 1/2lb in blazing sunshine drifting between the islands and along the south shore.
Another time, and we're talking more than 25 yrs ago now, the one that got away thing happened. Dad was rowing back us from the far east bay of the island part of the loch. I was trolling my flies. We were between the northerly island and the shore, heading out the bay. A small fish took, I started to bring it in, then a big fish took. It headed off into the bay taking loads of line. Then it just sat there. We had to go after it with the boat to get any line back from it. I remember it spent a fair bit of time sitting solid as a rock (which it wasn't, I can assure you!) between short powerful pulls. We never saw it. We never got any line back from it other than by rowing the boat at it. After about 15 mins it had been on a short line for some time (maybe a bad move on my part), it was sitting solidly, and we seemed to have reached some kind of stalemate. Then there was a powerful side to side movement through the line and it was gone. Then up came a small fish on the middle dropper, absolutely knackered! The tail fly - mallard and claret - was quite chewed up.
I have always wondered if it was possible a salmon got in there. But it seemed likely it was a very big, sulky trout.
We're going back to Crocach for the first time in years next week. I doubt anything like that will happen again, but it's a beautiful place and I can't wait! Mike W

I'm new to fishing but enjoying it hugely. Fished here in August and the only interest i received was one at 20inches. An absolute beaut and a real pleasure. It is back in the loch- so there are certainly fish in there.
cjm

I've been up to the loch twice now and have not blanked yet!

http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/blog/rewrite/2011/08/george-anderson-th...

My main advice would be fish something big and dry on the surface and leave it a good long while.