On a Scottish River
The Summer weather came late in North West Scotland and, tell the truth, it only lasted for a couple of days. I was lucky enough to get out on the Inver River, upper beat, to take advantage of the conditions and, armed with my trout rod, I had a couple of good days.
What about the salmon? Unfortunately, due to other commitments in Scotland during September, there was not enough room in the car for salmon gear and I had not booked to fish for salmon anyway. Normally these first two weeks in September are very busy and when I arrived at the hotel the manager offered me the Upper Beat due to a late cancellation. The river conditions were perfect with the levels dropping back from swollen and heavy and salmon were on the move in numbers. Just my luck! On the first afternoon I counted 12 good specimens in an hour as they powered their way past Little Assynt on the last few hundred yards to the sluices at the start of the river and that also mark the western limits of Loch Assynt en route to their eventual spawning grounds.
I had both banks and stretch of river of about a mile and a half. Skies with lots of blue and small clouds. No one else fishing at all. On the right hand side towered the two peaks of Suilven and Canisp, due northwest was Ben More Assynt and to my left the brooding Quinag plus lots of other mountains, the names of which I do not know. Marvellous!
Inver River with road running alongside
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The main road from Ullapool (A837) runs alongside the loch and accompanies the Inver river for much of its meandering six mile journey to the sea. Parking is via padlocked gates to a riverside track so that cars are off road, hidden from view and safe. Not that there's any problem with vandalism because Loch Assynt and the River Inver are 30 miles from the nearest town in this remote region of Sutherland.
The Water Bailiff and Local Knowledge
Having said that, I was in mid retrieve from my fist cast when two slightly menacing figures appeared by my side as if materialising from another planet. The water bailiffs. Very correct and courteous until they checked my permit and, once everything was in order, a mine of information about local conditions, insects life, best lies, direction of approach so as not to spook any fish, where to stand and where to cast, how the clouds were moving and how to use the periods of cloud cover to advantage; all the things it usually takes ages to find out. What a thoroughly satisfying job they have.
Although a short spate river, the Inver holds lots of brown trout and, despite the short length it is in many places quite wide and deep with a strong current; not a good river for wading without due knowledge, a staff and a companion. I fished an area where the torrential flow from the loch is squeezed between rocky banks and rushes out into a wider, calmer stretch with a couple of islands - hence Little Assynt.
I used a nine and half foot Hardy with a six weight level floating line and a fifteen foot leader that ended in a three pound mono tippet. I started with a small (size 16) black and red dry fly and cast out and upstream at about forty five degrees (local knowledge). The fly was taken as soon as it touched down and a little brown trout hooked itself and then punched well above its weight to avoid capture. Most casts at least raised a fish and many were successful. The trout were gorgeous, golden and boldly spotted but none weighed more than four ounces. This got a little frustrating after a while.
Change of Tactics
I remembered a few years ago, I fished a neighbouring river, the Kirkaig, again on the upper beat. There I had enjoyed some success with a weighted gold ribbed hares ear. I was also being plagued by “tiddlers” being first to the dry fly. I changed to WF line and tried a size 14 GRHE on a long leader, cast in at the top of the pool and allowed to float down with the current through the centre and deeper water; 'trotting' the fly. I was rewarded by several good fish, i.e. over a pound, who seemed to take the fly as it swung around towards the tail of the pool and a couple at the start of the retrieve.
I changed to the weighted GRHE and the WF and cast out. There was no response from the trout until I moved position and began to work the edges of the faster current in mid-stream. Then came that thrilling tug-tug on the line and the rod bent into a hard fighting fish that was most reluctant to come to the net. It was just about one pound and felt at least double that size on the hook.
After several more trout were netted, I moved along the bank and reverted to the dry fly again because there was a heavy hatch of the local black and red flies and fish were rising freely. However, they were not interested in my version which I suspects was, if anything, too small. I tried other patterns but did not make any contact.
Change of Location
I literally crossed the road into a small car park and left the river to revisit a beautifully maintained loch just half a mile away. The local Woodlands Trust in partnership with various agencies have constructed pathways, a jetty, a solar powered toilet block and a shelter. It has been beautifully done in complete character with the environment and only costs £5 for a day's fishing in breathtaking surroundings.
Scottish loch fishing in Sutherland with lodge and jetty for disabled anglers
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The loch side is rough in places and access to the water can be difficult for arthritic old codgers like myself. A rowing boat, with disabled access, is available for £10 a day and the loch is full of wild brown trout.
Oddly enough, the same problem reared its ugly head again; small brownies being first to the fly. A local fisherman reported that it's well worth hiring the boat and getting out from the bank where there are not so many smaller fish and a good number. I put the GRHE back on and cast out a little further than I could manage with the dry fly and was once again reward with a couple of good fish that took on the drop.
All-in-all, two excellent days in warmish weather (64F, but in the far north that represents a minor heat wave) and in the most beautiful surroundings you could wish for. Next time I'll hire a boat for the lochs. Incidentally, I received first class reports about Sutherland's Loch Awe which lies about twelve miles away, is very accessible but restricts fishing to boats only to preserve the nesting grounds of a rare breed of duck.
And what better than, after a strenuous day's fishing, get back to the hotel, gratefully down a couple of cold Stellas, shower and sauna, a two rosette chef's Aberdeen Angus dinner and a large malt before retiring for eight uninterrupted hours sleep of the innocent only to wake up for another day's fishing. As they say in Bolton “ A Ding! Dang! Do!
Contacts
Tourist Information Office. Lochinver, Sutherland for loch fishing: 01571 844330
Inver Lodge Hotel, Lochinver for river fishing: 01571 844496.
