Trout Fishing

One of the great joys of exploring the small remote lochs of a particular part of the Highlands or islands is that of 'discovering' a real gem. There are many such lochs, often unnamed and without any sort of reputation, which in the right conditions can provide an unforgettable day's fishing. Having stumbled upon such a gem, anglers tend to guard their exact location rather too enthusiastically!

Whilst the fish populations of the majority of Highland lochs are dominated by trout of 8oz or less, they are usually free-taking. Such lochs can provide children with an ideal introduction to angling. There are also a great many lochs where the feeding is better and the average weight is considerably more, with the occasional trophy fish between 2lb and 6lb (sometimes even heavier).

The deeper lochs of the Highlands usually contain small populations of ferox trout, a strain of slow-growing heavy brown trout often with cannibalistic tendencies, which can grow to great weights (up to 20lb or more). They are most prevalent where there are healthy numbers of char and their capture requires the use of highly specialised tactics such as lures trolled at considerable depths.