The A to Z of Where to Fish For Wild Brown Trout in the Lochs of Scotland, Argyll

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Rivers | Lochs | Reservoirs

Argyll

Bruce Sandison's book 'Angling Lines' contains information about permits, access, best fishing spots, best flies, safe wading and boating, it's a must read for anglers looking to visit Orkney. Click HERE to read the review.

Loch Ascog | Loch Avich | Loch Awe | Loch Etive | Kimelford Lochs | Kintyre | Loch a Phearsain | Loch Loskin | Loch Loskin

Loch Ascog

near Tighnabruaich,offers fly fishing for brown and rainbow trout from 15th march to 5th October, contact Kames Hotel on 01700 811489 or the Post office in Kames for permits, which cost £10 per day £35 per week. I have also been informed that Ascog holds a very good stock of roach. For more details go: http://isleofbuteanglingassociation.webs.com/

Loch Avich

adjacent to Loch Awe and covered by the Loch Awe permit has good stocks of brown trout which are free rising. Best fish so far was a 7lb 5oz specimen.

Loch Awe this is a very large (26 miles long, up to a mile wide and 300 feet deep) must visit venue which has produced 4 British Record rod caught brown trout in the last 10 years. Most recent was a 31lb 2ozs trout taken (and returned) by Brian Rutland while trawling in the the north end of the loch. The fish was 39" long had a girth of 25 1/4 inches and its tail was 11 inches. The previous record stood at 30lbs 8ozs taken by Ken Oliver (please note these are not fed up stockies, they are wild and natural fish the product of long lives and natural feed). A productive spot for big fish is around the Island at the Pass of Brander end of the loch.

The loch has brown trout, escapee rainbows ( a specimen of 24lbs 4ozs was taken by Steven Pounder) which thrive and grow very large and char to 6lbs which come to the fly when the water gets warmer. Aside from the very big fish taken trawling dead bait such as rainbow trout Loch Awe has a terrific stock of wild 'real world' trout in the range 8ozs to 3lbs offering great sport for the fly fisher using traditional wet flies. Salmon up to 10 or even 15lbs are taken and the fishing can only improve as the river Awe gradually regains its former glory. The Loch Awe Improvement Association and the Argyll Fisheries Trust are working very hard to improve feeder burns by removing blockages, improving redds and protecting redds from flood damage as well as restocking from their own hatchery.

The loch and its associated waters including Loch Avich is covered by a protection order and permits must be bought before commencing fishing. Permit prices are very reasonable, £6 per day, £12 for three days and £20 for a week, there is also a season ticket available for just £60 and juveniles and concessions are half price. Permits from Loch Awe Stores, Loch Awe Boats and Awe Service Station. A public slipway situated between the Cruachan Power Station and Loch Awe Village can be used to launch boots. The fishing season is 15th March to 6th of October.

Loch Etive is a sea loch but it has good sea trout fishing, worth checking out.

Kimelford Lochshalf way between Oban and Lochgilphead , 6 hill lochs offering a variety of wild fishing opportunities for brown trout, rainbows and Arctic Char. Permits from the Culfail Hotel and the local post office in Kimelford. For boats call John McKay on 01631 563305.

Kintyre

Kintrye Fish Protection Association have fishing for salmon and brown trout on a number of rivers and loch on the Argyll Peninsula including; Auchlochy Loch, Crosshill Loch, Lussa Loch, Tangy Loch, Loch Raun and the rivers Lussa, Carradale, Glenbarr and Conieglen. Auchlochy is just outside Campbelltown offering bank and boat (2 boats) fishing for wild brown trout up to 3lbs. Traditional wet flies do well in a breeze; Loch Lussa is the biggest loch in Kintyre and hold wild brown trout supplemented by stocks of rainbow and brook trout of 1.5lb to 5lbs, there are three boats plus bank fishing; Loch Ruan is a small hill loch with lots of small wild browns up to about .75lbs; Crosshill is now a pike fishery; Congenie River is a spate river with salmon (best on a falling river) with the best pools from Keprigan downstream, brown trout up to 2lbs. There are some salmon on the Lussa, Glenbarr and Carradale rivers too. Permits from A.P. MacGrory in Campbelltown.

Loch a Phearsain

brown trout and char; Loch An Losgainn, large brown trout hard to catch; Loch na Mhinn, brown trout, rainbow trout and char; Loch na Curragh, brown trout to 3/4lb; Big Feinn, large wild brown trout; Loch na Sailm, brown trout to 1/2lb; Loch a Chaorainn, brown trout to 3/4lb.

Loch Loskin

fishing for brown trout, bank or boats, permits from Purdies in Dunoon cost £10 per which includes a boat of which there are 3, bag limit 3 fish. Call 01631 563305.

Loch Tarsan

fly only fishing for brown trout, season 1st April to 30th September, bank and boat with a 10 fish limit. Permits from Purdies in Dunoon cost £10 per day. £30 per week, boats are an additional £10 plus a £5 deposit. Call 01369 860440.