Question:
I'm trying to find some information about the possibility of trout
fishing in the river or loch Etive, near Glen Coe. I'll be up doing
some hillwalking, and was wondering if the river was fishable, or the
loch? If so, any information? Who to contact for permits?
Answer:
I stayed at the King's House Hotel at the head of Glen Coe many years ago
to fish the lochs and lochans of Rannoch Moor. The burn that becomes the
river Etive flows past the hotel. Its source is the lochan Mathair Etive
(sp?) it means "Mother of the Etive". Both lochan and burn teem with wild
brown trout up to 5 or 6 oz. If you want to fish these lochs you need
ordnance maps a compass and the knowledge of their use. There are no
paths across the bogs so you follow deer hoof prints and work your way to
the loch/lochan that you are targetting. Allow up to 4 hours walking. I
found it fascinating and loved these tiny trout and the solitude of this
wilderness. I was snowed on (heavily) in June. Fish with single fly
because if you fish with a team of flies you catch three or four at once
on some casts which to me is a bit OTT.
