Loch Crocach

On 13/6/616, in late afternoon, I headed up the road to Loch Crochach. It was overcast with a light SE wind. Before reaching he loch, I turned off eastwards to try out the small Lochans – but this was a waste of time – after a prolonged dry spell they were unfishable. So I headed back to Loch Crochach on the South Easterly side where there is a sizeable bay. I fished around it and had a limited success – three small trout to a Black Pennel, two tiddlers, and several splashes. I gave up around 9pm.

Fished this loch twice over the last few years and caught six each time all in bright sunshine (all small)and all on a kingfisher butcher. You could see them chase the fly.I too thought for a moment I had hooked the big one, I could feel it tugging but when I tried to draw it to shore the weight was incredible, I soon realised it had taken me round a submerged branch covered in weed managed to get the whole thing to shore with the fish still hooked around three quarter pound.

Tick infested hell! Brushed no fewer than 12 of the little blighters off me during a long hike around Crocach and satellite lochans including Aon Aite among others. The fishing, in the cold north-westerly, was uninspiring - numerous troutlings with anything over the half pound hard to come by. Note - Crocach is nasty to circumnavigate with a lot of heather outcrops and steep rock cliffs. I wouldn't be in a rush to return.

I remember when fishing Crochach about seven years ago, when there were large numbers of little trout trying to catch the flies near the edge, on the retrieve. However two severe winters seemed to wipe them out, and fishing became a bit more difficult, particularly at the near, South West end. On 11/6/14, I returned to the SW end on a bright day with a strong West wind, and some cloud cover. There was no sign of rising fish, and I only managed to hook and lose a small trout on a Black Pennel. On my way back, I met two Anglers setting out for the far end of Crochach, carrying camping gear and float tubes. It would be nice to hear how they got on.
A word of warning - there were lots of ticks around. I brushed one off a hand, but two got their teeth into my legs.

Fished this one day last week. This is normally jumping with small trout but was pretty dour - it was bright and VERY windy. Got 4 in total, all small bar one of just under a pound. Also tried some of the other lochs but nothing doing.

On a cloudy afternoon, after a wet morning, I hiked up to Loch Crocach, and continued up to the far end. The path up to the shieling was much improved this year – since there seemed to be no cattle around as in previous years. The next section is hard going, but is usually worth the effort. This year I was disappointed – only two fish of a few ounces took my flies. There was boot mark evidence that others had been there recently before me. Could they have educated the trout? It would be nice to hear from them.
Posted on behalf of HD

In September 2009 I found this loch was stuffed full of small fish, but on returning in 2010 and 2011, they seemed to have disappeared. Could this be the result of two harsh winters?
I fished it from the bank this year (2011) in early September for about 4 hours in the middle of a cloudy, bright and mild day. There was nothing showing at the near end where the boat is moored, so I moved up to the narrow neck, and started to contact fish well out at long casting distance. I continued up the shore, wading close in (its difficult wading), and hooked a few more. But the density of fish seems low - once a fish is hooked (and returned), its time to move on, since there were no further offers. I had six trout, ranging from a solitary tiddler up to fish of about 8oz (an estimate, since all were returned from debarbed hooks). The highland cattle which wander around the lochside have impressive horns! On my next visit I'll try further up the loch.

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 have fished this loch from bank and boat for over 20 years and caught literally hundreds of beautiful small wild brownies. Best day 36 fish biggest about 8oz, majority about 4oz. Glad to hear someone got a decent fish here as Cathel McLeod told me that there weren't any big ones in this loch. Best amongst the islands from the boat but watch out as this loch is deceptively deep. The midges here are about the fiercest in Assynt. The views are spectacular
JW

1lb 5oz to the dognobbler today but Gspot still won 10-3 I walked the north side of C and caught a few qtr to half pounders, carried on to the 4 lochs beyond and had many tiddlers.Tried all methods but the soldier is best wet and the cul de canard on dry. danger do not attempt the first loch south bound a huge cliff nearly killed me very steep!!
it is an hour ten walk from the far loch at locch na loinne. gorm loch beag tomorrow knackered Graham
ps the thunder & lightening was amazing but scary when holding a 10ft rod