Hope For Sea-Trout
- Details
- Published on Monday, 28 May 2007 12:47
- Written by Bruce Sandison
Amidst the doom and gloom of the decline in Scottish West Highland and Islands sea-trout stocks, one loch still holds the promise of outstanding action with this most graceful of all sporting fish: Loch Hope in North West Sutherland. Upwards of 500 fish are taken most seasons and in order to preserve and enhance Loch Hope sea-trout stocks all fish of under 1lb 5oz must be returned to the water to fight another day.
The loch lies amidst spectacular scenery and is approximately 6 miles north/south by up to 1 mile wide dropping to a depth of over 180ft in Middle Bay. The west shore line is trackless and may only be reached by boat, whilst the east shore is margined by a narrow twisting, single track road from Altnaharra in the south to Hope in the north.
The fishing on South End Loch Hope is divided into four areas: Beat 1, Beat 2, Beat 3 and Middle Bay. Outboard motors are not used on South End because, to reach Beat 2 and Beat 3, boats have to cross Beat 1. It is considered that the disturbance created by an outboard engine passing overhead might put flighty sea trout “down” on Beat 1. Therefore, unless you have the services of a gillie, pack a strong, unsuspecting young friend to bend his mind to the oars whilst you get on with the business of removing fish from their natural habitat.
The no-outboard rule creates problems in less than calm weather. If you are fishing on Beat 2, or the far end of Beat 3, and the wind rises, then there can be very real problems in returning to the mooring bay at the south east end of Beat 1. Sudden storms are not entirely unknown in these airts and safety should be of paramount importance. Always were a life jacket. Never stand up whilst fishing. If in doubt, don’t go out. If you are caught on the west side of the loch, then getting back to the mooring bay involves a huge walk, up the Strathmore River, hauling the boat along the rocky shore as you go.
I have been blown off Loch Hope more times than I have been blown off any other loch in Scotland. The most memorable occasion happened a couple of years ago, when, after one drift on Beat 1 during which we moved more than a dozen fish, the wind rose and we were forced to row for the shore. We spent the next three hours sitting on the bank, fingers crossed, praying for the wind to drop, musing on the best days fishing we never had. Savage entertainment. The wind didn’t drop and we abandoned Hope for a sheltered trout loch.
It seems to me that the no-outboard rule on South End should be re-visited by the owners. I doubt if the passage of an outboard motor really does disturb fish, and, once on Beats 2 & 3, the boats remain there and are no hazard, real or imagined to anglers fishing Beat 1. Another alternative which might be considered would be to launch the Beat 3 boat, with an outboard engine, from the Middle Bay mooring point. From here it could access the whole of Beat 3, both west and east shores, without infringing upon the sanctity of the other beats.
Each of the South End beats have their own, distinctive, character and Loch Hope regulars have their own favourites. The truth is, however, that all the beats can be wonderfully productive in their own right, although Middle Bay perhaps less so towards the back end of the season. Beat 1 is relatively shallow, with an average depth of 15ft, and fish may be taken from almost anywhere on the beat, from the margins to the middle. The long, finger-like, south extension of Beat 1 is not fished, being a nursery area for small trout.
Beat 2 includes the mouth of the Strathmore River and is always exciting to fish. You just know the fish are there, smelling the fresh water flowing down from Glen Golly and the north face of Meall Garbh (752m). The outlet of the river is very shallow and over the years silt and sand has been washed into the loch forming a considerable shelve. Sea-trout and salmon congregate here, and in the bay to the west of Eilean Mor where half a dozen small streams rush in from craggy Meall Glas (300m). However, as on Beat 1, salmon and sea-trout may be encountered almost anywhere on the beat so cast with supreme confidence.
Beat 3 takes in the narrowing neck of South End, prior to where the loch opens up into Middle Bay. Both banks, east and west are included, although most rods concentrate on the west shore. The Beat begins where an old wall comes down the hill to the water and the best drift is along this shore, about 10yds/15yds out from the bank. It is virtually essential to have someone on the oars all the time, holding the boat in position. Too far in or too far out is just not good enough. You must hold the right line, always, to have the best possible chance of sport. Fish the drift right down to the sandbar at the entrance to Middle Bay.
Middle Bay itself is a vast affair, 2 miles north/south by up to 1 mile wide. Most rods begin fishing on the west side, in a large, semi-sheltered wide sweep of a bay which extends from Creag Bhreaig (100m) in the north to a point of land half a mile south. Close to this point is the feature known as “The Castle”; an underwater stack around which sea-trout shoal. Finding the location of “The Castle” requires a deal of experience. Draw an imaginary line from the top of Creag Bhreaig south down the loch. Look to your right and you will see a “notch” which breaks the horizon line of the hills. Draw a line from there to intersect the first line. Where the lines cross is the location of “The Castle”. Or should be.
The east shore of Middle Bay is tree-lined and looks very fishy; an endless delight of points and corners, shingle banks and weed patches. But I have never had much success fishing here, although I once saw Andy Walker take an 11lb salmon at the north end and the largest sea-trout ever landed from Loch Hope was caught at the Black Rock on this shore; a magnificent fish of 17lb 2oz, caught on 4th August 1959 by legendary Altnaharra Hotel gillie, Hugh Sutherland.
The remainder of Loch Hope, North End, is fished from Ian McDonald’s cottage close to where the A838 Tongue/Durness road crosses the River Hope on its brief journey to the sea in Loch Eriboll. North End is not as productive as the South End fishing’s, but still produces excellent numbers of sea-trout each most seasons. Ian McDonald is the keeper and boats, with outboard engines, are available on a daily or weekly basis at a very reasonable cost.
On North End, the wooded west shoreline is a good place to begin, drifting south to the cairn and stream mouth near Arnaboll Cottage. On the east bank, arrange a drift in the vicinity of where the Allt a’Mhuilinn enters the loch and south again into the next bay, down to the mouth of the Allt Braesgill burn. Keep the boat near the shore, approximately 10yds out, and, again, it is best to have a third person constantly on the oars in order to do so. North End also retain the right to fish one boat each day on Middle Bay, although it is a long haul up the loch to reach it. Make sure that you have spare fuel for the outboard.
As for the flies to use, I tend to stick to the same patterns, year after year, for both brown trout, sea-trout and salmon: Ke-He, Soldier Palmer, Black Pennel, Grouse & Claret, Greenwell’s Glory, March Brown, Dunkeld, Silver Invicta, Silver Butcher. However, dapping is perhaps the most popular fishing method on Loch Hope and, I am told, most fish are taken “on the dap”, almost always using a daddy-long-legs.
Bookings:
South End: Ben Loyal Hotel, Tongue, by Lairg, Sutherland. Tel: 01847 611216. Website: www.benloyal.co.uk
Mrs Heather Gow, Pitscandy, Forfar, Angus. Tel: 01307; 462437, website: www.gowsport.co.uk
North End: Ian McDonald, The Old Keeper’s cottage, Hope, by Lairg, Sutherland. IV27 4UJ. Tel: 01847 601272.
Bruce Sandison is a writer and journalist and author of nine books, including the definite anglers' guide, 'The Rivers and Lochs of Scotland' which is being revised and updated prior to republishing.
He contributed to 'Trout & Salmon' for 25 years and was angling correspondent for 'The Scotsman' for 20 years. Sandison writes for the magazine 'Fly Fishing and Fly Tying' and provides a weekly angling column in the 'Aberdeen Press & Journal'.
His work, on angling, Scottish history and environmental subjects, has appeared in most UK national papers, including 'The Sunday Times', 'The Telegraph', 'The Daily Mail', 'The Herald', 'Private Eye', 'The Field' and in a number of USA publications.
Sandison has worked extensively on BBC Radio. His series 'Tales of the Loch' ran for 5 years on Radio Scotland and was also broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and on BBC World Service. His series, 'The Sporting Gentleman's Gentleman' and his programme 'The River of a Thousand Tears', about Strathnaver, established his reputation as a broadcaster.
Sandison has had extensive coverage on television. He wrote and presented two series for the BBC TV Landward programme and has given a number of interviews over the years on factory-forestry, peat extraction, wild fish conservation and fish farming.
Sandison is founding chairman of 'The Salmon Farm Protest Group', an organisation that campaigns for the removal of fish farms from Scottish coastal and freshwater lochs where disease and pollution from these farms is driving wild salmonid populations to extinction.
Bruce Sandison won 'Feature Writer of the Year' in the Highlands and Islands Press Awards in 2000 and in 2002, and was highly commended in 2005. Bruce lives near Tongue in Sutherland with his wife Ann.