Getting the measure of Loch Laro

Loch Laro is a tricky place to fish. It’s very exposed and when there is any sort of easterly wind, you can struggle. A very slight breeze down in Strath Shin, can be a howling gale at Laro. Not what you want after a stiff half hour hike over the hill to the water.

Session 2: Broken (again) but not defeated

Day 2 of my Laro fishing started with a overcast day but it was dry and the easterly breeze was slight. We went up for an afternoon to take us up to dinner time. Trying a dry fly along the same area as the evening before got no reaction so I swapped to a Klink and dink approach with a Okey Dokey buzzer under a brown Klinkhammer. The Klink popped under on a few occasions but there was nothing there when I responded.

Moving round the corner onto the point with a black Klinkhammer on it’s own though got an immediate rise , I struck and connected. Unbelievably it broke me off again! 2-0 to Laro.

Encouraged if a little fed up I put on a dry sedge and fished the bay beyond the western point. Sport at last, landing 2, lost 2 and  countless missed and turned fish. All small but great fun. I retired satisfied.

Session 3: Very tired and emotional

Decided to have a very early start and get a few hours in. Started in the bay at the east end and after about an hour with different lines- starting near the bottom and working shallower using wets I started getting tugs just below the surface. No firm takes though. As morning wore on the wind got stronger until it was blowing very hard and casting became hard. I decided to move to the south shore and try some of the bays where I could get the wind behind me. I was getting lots of pulls but not a single solid take bar one where a small fish took the Claret Bumble right off the top but then got off.

After 6 solid hard hours and several fly changes I had not a single fish landed to show for it.

I trudged over the hill despondent.

Session 4: Blow as hard as you like I am not leaving without a fish!

It was a couple of days before I returned due to the winds,  at ground level it was fine but up the hill it was hammering in, but one evening I went up for a couple of hours. The wind was still hard from the east and I tried the south bank again. I was again getting tugs and the odd swirl at the fly but eventually near the reeds I hooked a fish and it was a decent half pound brown on the Grouse and Claret. Very satisfying.

What I had learned was to be mobile – you get fish almost right away if what your doing is right. If you miss or lose a fish move on they rarely come back.

Session 5: Laro, not many days a year like this

On our last day we went up to the loch it was a fantastic day, warm, fairly still and not too bright- perfect. It started quietly with a single lost fish on the dry sedge. I swapped to a wet trio and at last had a fish on the Olive bumble.  I fished covering rising fish on the dry and landing a couple but over the rest of a lovely afternoon I managed to get 7 to the net on bumbles and other trad wets.

Wet fly fishing is not something I do much though its where my early experience (and lack of success in fly fishing) lies and I tend to steer clear of it, but here its perfect and in the windy choppy conditions in particular with fish high in the water, I doubt there is a better method.

My wife and son had a go too and enjoyed the fine weather and walk- finding a large adder (snake) in the grass near the bank- and lots of frogs and toads.

A great day. A great trip. In total I think I caught 10 fish at Loch Laro, no whoppers but the sport is good, and challenging at times , especially on light tackle.

Some tips to fish Loch Laro

Near the shore its pretty shallow with huge boulders. In the book I have it states no bank fishing but the fishing provided withthe cottage does not make allowance for use of the boats belonging to the local angling club, so in this instance I can only suggest you can bank fish, certainly bank fishing is easy. However in high winds, wading is going to get you into a better position with the wind in your favour. Be aware though:  use a wading stick, it can be treacherous with the large submerged boulders, and big holes. I doubt you would drown but a wet 40 minute trudge over the hill would be dismal. I would not wear integrated welly boot type waders as you need ankle support- wear breathables with wading boots- studded for grip.

A broken ankle would be worse.

You can walk the hill in breathables comfortably.

You will find fish all round the loch but they rarely come twice, so keep moving if you miss a fish try once or twice and then move on, the saying “there are plenty other fish in the sea was rarely more apt” except this is fresh water!

Be prepared to try different methods, a single dry fly and traditional wet flies worked best for me. Especially in wave- the wets were good. There are a lot of small fish so you might get a lot of tugs, the bigger fish do seem to stick better! The fish are not far out so start close in- a few rod lengths at most and work out, if nothing move a few paces and start again, keep moving.

Near the shore a sink tip and a floater is all you really need, maybe an slow intermediate if the wind is causing issues with drag. Anything deeper you will be on the bottom and snagging on the rocky bottom, and losing flies.

Fish light- I had most fun on a 4 weight river rod, but be prepared for the high winds, I also took my 6/7 weight rod and it coped with the worse conditions though you are not going to get much of a fight from a 3 to a pound brownie on a seven weight!

Best flies (for me)

Deer Hair Caddis, Black and Brown Klinkhammers: Claret and Olive Bumble, Grouse and Claret.

Useful links:

Lairg Angling Club

Achinduich House (Highly recommended)