Loch Rannoch Stunning views

I was on day 2 of my fishing trip and another bucket list tick when I fished this stunning loch. I had cycled in this area but never fished it. A days permit bought on-line from the Pitlochry site cost £8 which is reasonable. The weather forecast was good so with a good Scottish breakfast inside me off I went.

The 1st bay looking south

Loch Rannoch is a big water about 10 miles long and about 1 across. There is not a great deal of fishing information on-line, most recommend fishing by boat with the hope of getting a monster deep lying ferox trout. But I was fishing the bank so it was a case of stopping and trying my luck. Brown trout was my quarry but it is a known pike water so would try to spin for them as well.
I went across the bridge at Kinloch Rannoch to start on the south shore and head west. Just over the bridge a few pike guys were settled down playing their waiting game, not really for me.

Bay 2 looking north note some snow on hills

The first bay I stopped at looked perfect. The water was gin clear. There were old camp fires so probably used by some pike guys. I waded out for a distance. cast all round and waded down the water but never saw or touched a fish. I tried spinning for 10 minutes but the bay was too shallow and rocky which the lures kept snagging on. Still the views were stunning, absolute peace and tranquillity I was in heaven.

The rocky bay

I moved a couple of miles to another glorious bay and started again. It looked an even better spot that the first but exactly the same fishing outcome but even better views looking east with Schiehallion's top peaking over the top of the smaller hills. The wading was trickier in this bay as although the water was still crystal clear there were many large boulders that needed careful manoeuvring up and/or around.
Decided to move over to the other side of the loch. At the most southern part of the loch a pair of golden eagles flew over from Rannoch moor area, circled about then went up in a thermal to disappear, just breathtaking. I found what I considered to be a cracking looking bay to fish just past Bridge of Gaur. Again more evidence of fires and the parking areas were trampled. Sadly there was litter lying about despite an empty council rubbish bin less than 10 metres away. I cannot understand people who will take the time to travel to lovely spots like this and leave their litter and mess. No wonder the Loch Lomond park area are trying to ban irregular camping to clamp down on the rubbish.
Rant over I waded into the water. For over an hour a great insect hatch was on but I only saw one fish rise and it was way to far out. I couldn't believe it. I fished up and down the bay, dries and wets but nothing was moving or taking. Unbelievable. A nice chop on the water it should have been perfect. It was great wading with an excellent sandy bottom and no rocks here. Still the views were stunning and I spotted a red throated diver on the water. Quite a while since I saw one of them so another bonus.

Schiehallion peaking above the hills

Decided to go up to Rannoch Station for a snack, always worth a visit, remote and rugged and great baking.
Back to the same spot for another bash. An hour of fly followed by an hour of pike spinning still saw nothing move in the water. A local came down who told me that the trout here were notorious for not rising to feed whilst snow remained in large quantity on the hills. This bay I was fishing had magnificent views of the snow clad Glencoe hills. An old wives tale or not it was true for today.
As I was having my final casts I noticed some shapes on the hills opposite. Had they been there all the time? No they moved. At the car I got out the binos to confirm a red deer herd about 40 strong. Great to watch. Just as I was packing up some German tourists arrived in a camper-van. Being a friendly native I pointed the deer out to them and his originally broken English became a lot more fluent. Excited they were but I was not expecting his next question which was 'Are they farmed'? They were more happy when I told them they were wild. Got waves as I left the parking area.

Red Deer herd

Overall not a fish caught and only one sighted but paradoxically I had a great day. The views were stunning at every part I fished. The traffic, particularly on the south side was non existent. Peace and tranquillity. The wildlife was a bonus. I was on a high for my drive back to the hotel.
Just needed the fish!!

Perfect bay looking towards Glencoe

Perfect bay looking towards outward activity centre (I think)

Loch Ceann a'Bhaigh South Uist

It was planned early in the year that my good lady and myself would go to South Uist for a weeks holiday which would incorporate some fishing for myself. She would indulge in her outdoor artistic work whilst I fished. All the best of intentions but the weather in the West of Scotland has been awful for most of April, May & June so far. I fished last week in Loch Rannoch (see post) where the snow was still on the hills, June dammit.

The narrow gap looked a nice spot

The slightly choppy ferry crossing from Uig in Skye to Lochmaddy in North Uist indicated that the high winds were not going anywhere and so it proved. For he whole week there were constant 25-30 mph westerly winds with regular gusts well exceeding that to make the fishing a no go this trip. Speaking to some guys who had taken a weeks holiday and paid to fish the estate waters their days on the waters were endurance tests with little fun and few fish. There was no insect life in the air so no rising fish. I was told that the trout were still deep lying and the only real option was to get down into the depths and make very fast retrieves, not my ideal fishing.

The 30 seconds of blue sky makes it look good!!

I had the OS map all highlighted with the smallish waters I wanted to fish in between tourist stuff with the wife, frustration. I probably could have fished but the good lady could not have done her outdoor work.
However, on my last night I decided to give it a bash. Although this water was not on my list we had walked some of the area the other day. I noted that I could bank fish reasonably well here. My only concern was that it had a salmon farm further up and as I had not seen any fish move, was it barren water? 
I parked my car in a small lay-by and as soon as I got out I was having second thoughts. The wind was howling through at a rate of knots but I was here so half an hour anyway. The wind conditions dictated the bank I was fishing from as it was blowing left to right, my right handed casting meant the dangerous hooks were being blown away from me. Kitted up so at least I was not cold I put the rod together. I heeded the advice and put on my sinking line and a bibio up top with a small black pennel on my only dropper, in this wind only 2 flies.
Beside the car parking area the loch narrowed for a stretch with 2 foam lines right down the middle with the waves looking like the sea. The edges were heavily weeded, green slimy stuff but the middle looked deep water. Trying to cast straight was impossible as the wind immediately took the line at right angles. To get out to the middle I had to resort to casting from the water itself rather than casting through the air and this did work better, better being a relative term. I was moving with every cast but was having to clean the weeds from the hooks regularly.

Back to the grey/windy reality, looking up to the salmon farm

Still not seen a fish yet I managed to find deeper water with some shelter at my back which eased casting. I changed flies and went with an orange dunkeld, more of a sea trout fly to act more as an attractor. Within 3 casts a good tug from the dark waters and a decent fighting brownie surfaced and tried somersault its way off the hook but I got it in, weighed 3/4lb it will do, back to fight another day.

The 1st broonie nice fish

Sadly I was now back in the stormy winds again, this is not really a lot of fun. I heard barking which surprised me as I am a reasonable way away from crofts but wind does make the sound travel. More barking closer this time and then the rod bent, another fish was on. Just as I raised the rod I heard a splash close beside me and 2 rather large red deer, one stag and one hind, leapt the burn beside racing across the moor towards the hills. Thank god I had not been in their path as it would have been a nasty accident in the making. I got the trout in, smaller than the first and released safely. I then heard an owner calling and 3 dogs appeared on a hillock then careered back towards the road. No doubt them that spooked the deer.
The rain was now on and the wind was worsening so I called it a day. I had been out a couple of hours got 2 fish so better than blanking. Considering the estate boat guys were only catching about 4 in a full day I was content.
On the way back I passed this mud patch with this print in it. I know otters a very common up here, was this a print, the rear one shows 5 clear nails? I will pretend it was as it makes for a better story.

Otter or not?

Time for a beer or a dram and warm up.
I will be back for a full weeks fishing soon.