This was my first Outing of the year. It came about after some of the posters on the Wild Fishing Scotland Forum decided to have another 'Argos Tent Rally' and I was able to attend.

14 05 2005 Loch Ba panorama

OS maps #41 and #50 1:50,000 series

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I drove up on the Friday night (13 May) and walked the mile or so up the side of the loch arriving at the 'campsite' about 22:00 and was met by Fred, the admin of the forum, and John his mate. After setting up the tent and getting everything put away we stood and talked till about 23:30 when it was agreed it was perishing and that we should head for bed, which we did.

Next morning saw the sun shining and the loch a flat calm, it looked like we were in for a roasting if nothing else.

There is always a magic about a campsite as it comes to life. I was first up and as I washed John emerged from his tent then a little later Fred, just in time for breakfast.

Loch Ba looking West towards the Black Mount Glencoe

We talked a bit about tactics then Davy and his mate Jim arrived and after a blether I set off round the loch to see if anything was moving and if they were in the mood to take a fly. As I fished the first point I looked back and saw the next wave of arrivals, whom I later was introduced to, Richy and Johnsd.

I fished right round the point then back again finally getting a fish on the size 14 Iron Blue Dun on the middle dropper. Around about the same time I saw someone, whom I later found out to be Davy, in a float tube taking fish from the bay in front of the tents, It was just about lunchtime so I headed for the tents to meet my fellow 'Rallyers'.

Lunch over I set off up the loch to where the deeper water came closer to the bank, I prefer not to wade, to try my luck. I fished down about 100 metres of bank and managed another six fish, two on the Dry Fly on the top dropper, three on the Iron Blue Dun on the middle and three on the Hill Loch Nymph on the tail. All the time the loch was going from flat calm to a good ripple but the wind was cold even although the thermometer was saying 20°C and the water was 16°C and I was burning to a crisp.

None of the fish were large, all in the 2-6oz size range, but they fought well. The most memorable one was one that came for the Dry Fly, I struck but it had missed the fly and I had pulled the fly about three feet. I dropped the rod tip and pulled in some line and it came again, or a different one did, and this time when I lifted the rod it was on.

I returned to the tents for some dinner and lazed about talking to Jim, the others, except Davy, had gone over to Lochan Beinn Chaorach to try their luck. They all returned with their tales to tell but it was time for Jim and Davy to go. I decided to have another half hour fishing off the point I had started at that morning. The wind was stronger now and there was a good ripple running across it. I missed a couple of fish then finally caught one on the Iron Blue Dun. I had a few more casts then decided it was time to head back home.

A flat calm on Loch Ba

The tent was already packed away and it was a case of picking up the rucksack, saying my goodbyes and heading back across the moor to the car.

It had been a great overnighter and I had fished with a great bunch of guys. I had caught fish and returned them all to fight another day.

The only downside was the amount of trash that had been left by other fishermen, beer cans, wine bottles and plastic bags. If they can carry these in full why can't they carry them back out empty? It makes me angry to think that because of their attitude to the countryside we could all end up banned from every loch and river in the country. So if you are one of them, take the empty home with you, it is a lot lighter empty than it is full.