Lochan Carn Thearlaich
Argyll and Bute, Scotland
Lochan Carn Thearlaich is a very small, very shallow lochan lying close to the Argyll coast, barely a mile and a half fr ...
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Loch nan Eilean
Water managed by Ardlussa Estate
Type
Lake
Species
Brown trout
Moderate alkalinity
High alkalinity indicates water fertility and can signal the presence of larger trout. Fish in alkaline waters have a wider variety of invertebrates to feed on.
Shallow
The depth of a lake has significant impacts on its ecology. Reduced heat and light in deep lakes inhibit algal growth.
Low shoreline complexity
A lake with a high shoreline complexity will have numerous bays, points and peninsulas.
Low elevation
Lakes at a higher altitude can take longer to warm up during the season and may not fish well until summer.
Very small
Larger lakes with good spawning often contain lots of smaller trout. Smaller lakes with limited spawning can produce larger trout.
Loch nan Eilean lies close to the western coast of Jura, in the low ground of Argyll and Bute. It is a very small loch of roughly 5 hectares, compact and simply shaped, with a short fetch across its sheltered surface. The water is of moderate alkalinity, and the geology of the surrounding ground gives it a productive character uncommon in these parts.
The loch holds wild brown trout and carries a certain literary distinction — it was a favourite of George Orwell, who fished here in 1948 while living at Barnhill and completing Nineteen Eighty-Four. In letters to friends he described it as having plenty of fish, though he noted he had caught nothing above half a pound, while suspecting larger trout were present. He never landed one. Those bigger fish have since been confirmed, and the loch's record stands at 4 lb — a remarkable specimen for so small a water.
