Fishing The Fly Scotland Forum

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Loch Insch Fishery - What's it like?
« on: 27/03/2011 at 14:59 »
Some info please for a wayward S. England fellow! Stop cursing me Mike, I know this is your opposition but:  :z13

With luck, a following wind and a new bank loan to pay for the diesel, I'm hoping to get to Scotland again this year and tour round the North before heading back South down the East coast.  :z15

What is Loch Insch like now it is under new management? I've fished it a couple of times in the past when I've been up in Scotland and found it very good. Is it as good now as it was once? I managed some 20+ a couple of times an a C&R ticket - this by drifting small flies around rather than dragging lures, (which also worked - I did try them)! There were some good sized fish in the bags too.  :z4

There was obviously a good head of fish in the water at that time, as the Ospreys came in low over the campsite morning and evening for their meals - and didn't have to stay long.

Also: I'm told that the chances of getting a 23 foot, (expensive), motorhome down the track undamaged, and parking at Haddo are a bit slim. Is this true or am I being mislead? I would love to have a look at the lake there sometime.   :z16

Kev Danby

Re: Loch Insch Fishery - What's it like?
« Reply #1 on: 28/03/2011 at 12:30 »
Loch Insch was ok last time I fished in Feb this year, the fish were somewhat subdued but there was still ice on most of the loch's. I ended up catching on a black spider pulled in the top ft of water.

Might seem a bit odd that for the time of the year but it has been discussed on here a couple of times that Insch has suffered from a weed problem and some areas are shallower, even in Feb there were visible clumps of weed. If you like pulling a lure then you will not like it too much, small stuff is fine.

I dont mind the weed you need to adjust how you fish. I like Insch and the fish I had were nice fish and had been in a while.

My own observation is that I dont think the stocking density is as high as it used to be and I would say the number of biggies has reduced. There are still fish to be caught.

Note this is based only on a couple of visits in the last year I also think angling pressure has also reduced.

If you are fishing in summer then the weed could be a real challenge I dont think weed control chemicals are in use, I think were banned and at present no replacements (I could be wrong about this).

Let me know when you are going to be up here I live in Insch, if you are stopping at Loch Insch and I'm free I'll take you over to Haddo, if you dont mind sharing a boat or have bash in a tube.

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Re: Loch Insch Fishery - What's it like?
« Reply #2 on: 29/03/2011 at 19:13 »
Thanks for the info, and the offer of a Haddo visit. I'll try and contact you through the members list nearer the time rather than post contact details for every scammer to see here. With luck I intend being there early May. I'm not sure whether I will be allowed a float tube and wet gear this year, as the dog walker reckons it stinks badly until fully dried out - I reckon its no worse than the wet dogs, but was over-ruled! I virtually only ever fish from a float tube unless I can sit down on the bank seats somewhere - hence another reason for going to Loch Insch.

There was a fair amount of weed at Loch Insch the last time I fished it too - and it was also in the middle of a howling gale, so everything was a bit tricky then as well. I'm pretty adaptable, and am just as happy floating dries or just sub-surface flies as any other method, so I'm sure I will cope. Is the long narrow lake at the campsite end weeded up badly too?

Your comment about the 'top of the water' spider is very interesting. We've noticed a trend for huge early season high in the water buzzer hatches here in middle England this year as well. Much more so than in years I remember in the past, (I've only been fly fishing for about fifty years though)! I hope this isn't a forewarning of a massive Scottish midge hatch for this year.

Mike Barrio

Re: Loch Insch Fishery - What's it like?
« Reply #3 on: 29/03/2011 at 19:38 »
Hi Tony :z16

If you give us some indication of when you can fish, nearer the time, we could arrange a float tube gathering when you're up here, a saturday or sunday would be best. I'll have a tube and waders etc that you would be able to use.

Cheers
Mike

Kev Danby

Re: Loch Insch Fishery - What's it like?
« Reply #4 on: 30/03/2011 at 12:37 »
No worries let me know nearer the time

The top end of the long pool where the hut is located is one of my favourite area to fish it quite often gets overlooked and i have had great sport there. In early may you might bo ok but later on I think the weed will be too much to fish

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Re: Loch Insch Fishery - What's it like?
« Reply #5 on: 05/04/2011 at 18:49 »
Hopefully chaps there is now a forum members email winging its way to you through the ether.  If not I've got it wrong again. (I was running the computer on its battery and it did cut off without warning, so that will be my excuse for failure)!  :z14

Kev Danby

Re: Loch Insch Fishery - What's it like?
« Reply #6 on: 05/04/2011 at 23:46 »
Hi Braken hopefully you have a reply I'm not sure it sent as it just vanished from my screen

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Re: Loch Insch Fishery - What's it like?
« Reply #7 on: 07/04/2011 at 19:05 »
Hi Kevlard,

Have had a reply from you, many thanks. I must get your number written down before I 'clean it up' from my inbox without thinking.

Tight lines!

 




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