KILMELFORD

August 12th 2009

As I was writing the first draft of this report I had that de ja vu 
moment. I looked out last years report and it started like this.
'It had rained; rained some more and rained even more for, what 
appeared to be, weeks before I set off for Oban and eventually 
Kilmelford.'
No change there then, it was the same this year, of the first ten days 
of this year's summer break we had three dry days.

The Loch Melfort Hotel, our home for the next two nights, had changed 
hands since our visit last year but it still remained as good as ever. 
The view was still there from the room and dining room, the food was 
just as good and the ambiance of some yesteryear era still permeated 
through the hotel, so very relaxing and more importantly, close to the 
fishing.

After a full breakfast I waved goodbye to my wife and set off down the 
road in the car to the Post Office in Kilmelford to pick up my permit. 
I had decided beforehand to fish Losgainn Mor, nam Ban, A'Mhinn, na 
Curraigh, possibly A'Phearson, Losgainn Beg and then back to the car. 
It would make for a long day but I prefer to be on the move than get 
bogged down on one loch.

I arrived at the parking spot at the West end of Losgainn Mor to find 
it blocked off as they were using it as a turning point for the lorry 
transporting live fish from/to the fish farm nets that are at this end 
of the loch. So much for fishing along the bank from here, so I kept 
going to the next parking spot at the narrows. The route to Loch nam 
Ban starts on the other side of the road from here. It goes up the 
gully that follows the tree plantation fence so it isn't easy to get 
lost, unless of course you take the gully on the left, as I did 
because it looked an easier climb. I knew where I was going, and I 
also had it way marked on the GPS, but it is quite easy to by-pass it 
and miss it altogether going this way.

I had been informed that the loch was well weeded up but on arriving 
it didn't look any different from my last visit some fifteen years ago 
and that was in May. The cloud at this time was high but the wind was 
strong and blowing across the loch from the weeded side to the clear. 
I dropped down intending fishing in front of the reed bed before 
venturing round the loch. I had forgotten just how shallow this area 
was so after a few casts I moved on and round to the clear area before 
the outlet burn. It was at this point the cloud came down, the wind 
increased and the rain started. I struggled to cast in the gusty wind 
managing to get three casts in every five to actually go where 
intended. I knew from experience that there should be at least some 
small fish in this area and to prove it one took hold of one of the 
wet flies. By the time I had registered the fact that it was a fish 
and not the wind I felt the tug and it was off. Fishing into the wind 
at the point wasn't an option so I moved round to fish down a weed bed 
that runs down that side. There wasn't anything doing though and I 
reached the open water between the weed bed and the lilies. I knew 
this area to be the home of some bigger fish so my expectations were 
high as I cast across it. I wasn't disappointed a fish came up and 
slashed at the dry fly, I felt it, but it didn't stick. I continued 
fishing but there were no more offers. Even moving to the other side 
and fishing off the Potamogeton weed bed and down to the reeds, which 
usually has fish, produced nothing.

I moved on now to Loch a'Mhinn. It is an easy walk down the hill and 
it gives you the choice of going left and fishing the long way round 
or right and fishing the shorter route before going to the next loch. 
The wind was still in my face here and after having lunch in another 
rain shower I struggled to get a line out having to wait between the 
strong gusts for the calmer periods. This is a big loch and I have 
seldom caught fish from this area, but I persevered to the end but 
never saw or touched a thing.

Crossing the burn, and taking time to fill my water bottle, I walked 
up the hill and over to Loch na Curraigh. Someone had said this loch 
was also weeded out but it looked no different from my previous 
visits. I was on the steep side here where there is a narrow channel 
between the shore and an arm of lilies that runs down from the 
floating bog. This is quite a deep channel and usually holds some 
half-decent trout but the casting is taxing. With a steep high bank 
behind and the wind blowing and gusting towards you it isn't easy. I 
fished down the channel without a touch. As I reached the end and the 
clearer water my expectations rose as I have always had good trout 
from this area. It didn't disappoint, a fish took one of the wet flies 
and, as they always do, dived straight into the rocks and boulders 
that litter this bank. I was too slow and he snagged me up. He 
splashed on the surface and I felt him pull a few times but I was left 
stuck to the bottom and he was off. I pulled the flies from the snag 
and carried on. One or two fish rose out in the middle between the two 
horns of lilies but too far out to cover so I continued down into the 
corner beside another weed bed. This area also holds fish but the wind 
here swirls every way but the way you want. I had seen a fish rise and 
had moved past the reeds to cover it. He came up and took the dry fly 
with a splash. This one stayed attached and I returned a nice fish of 
six ounces. I didn't manage a picture as I felt that he had been 
handled too much by the time I faffed about getting the camera out of 
the inside of the waterproof jacket so I let him go.

Time had beaten me by this time so I walked over to Loch a'Mhinn and 
had a few half-hearted casts before the long walk back to the car.

The wind had made the casting interesting, and the walking doesn't get 
any easier but it won't stop me coming back to one of the best brown 
trout fishing areas in Scotland.


-- 


Don`t Worry, Be Happy

      Sandy
-- 

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In article <4CYhm.68544$OO7.9344@text.news.virginmedia.com>, Sandy Birrell
<URL:mailto:news@ftscotland.co.uk> wrote:

> As I was writing the first draft of this report I had that de ja vu 
> moment. I looked out last years report and it started like this.
> 'It had rained; rained some more and rained even more for, what 

The classic 'It was a dark and stormy night...' :-)

> The wind had made the casting interesting, and the walking doesn't get 
> any easier but it won't stop me coming back to one of the best brown 
> trout fishing areas in Scotland.

I should hope not.

It can be hard to explain how some of the best fishing does not return the
biggest fish.  For me the nearest equivalent to your loch ramblings would be
the odd trip to Dartmoor where a 6" brownie is takeable and skinny 10" is a
red-letter catch.  I happen to live within a short walk of water where the
average takeable wild brownie is around 12" and threequarters of a pound ...
so why do I ever go to the moor?

Cheerio,

-- 
  Fishing:  http://www.fishing.casterbridge.net/
  Writing:  http://www.author.casterbridge.net/derek-moody/ 
  uk.rec.fishing.game Badge Page:
            http://www.fishing.casterbridge.net/urfg/

In message , Derek Moody 
 writes
>In article <4CYhm.68544$OO7.9344@text.news.virginmedia.com>, Sandy Birrell
><URL:mailto:news@ftscotland.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> As I was writing the first draft of this report I had that de ja vu
>> moment. I looked out last years report and it started like this.
>> 'It had rained; rained some more and rained even more for, what
>
>The classic 'It was a dark and stormy night...' :-)
>
>> The wind had made the casting interesting, and the walking doesn't get
>> any easier but it won't stop me coming back to one of the best brown
>> trout fishing areas in Scotland.
>
>I should hope not.
>
>It can be hard to explain how some of the best fishing does not return the
>biggest fish.  For me the nearest equivalent to your loch ramblings would be
>the odd trip to Dartmoor where a 6" brownie is takeable and skinny 10" is a
>red-letter catch.  I happen to live within a short walk of water where the
>average takeable wild brownie is around 12" and threequarters of a pound ...
>so why do I ever go to the moor?
>
>Cheerio,
>

Sandy works a lot harder for a sport of fishing than I ever did.  Good 
thing too, otherwise we'd never get these great trip reports.

Keep at it Sandy, more power to you elbow, and may you be well rewarded 
for you efforts.
-- 
Bill Grey