Stillwater · Mixed · Isle of Bute

Loch Fad

Loch Fad venue image
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Loch Fad sits in the middle of the Isle of Bute, which is the first thing that makes it unusual — you catch the ferry at Wemyss Bay and fish an hour later, which shouldn't feel as much of an adventure as it does.

Fair · Rainbow
Kate McLaren · 12-14
Fairlive now
Buzzer on Loch Fad
Useful ripple, fishable wave. Worth a session if the wind holds.
55% confidence
What moved it
  • WindSE 22 km/hModerate breeze
Today’s fly
Kate McLaren
Kate McLaren12-14
Retrieve, in the film
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Wind
Moderate breeze
SE 22 km/h
N
SE
from the south-east
Wave40 cm chop
Water temp
Air temp16°C
CloudBroken
Pressure1018 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.

How to fish it · for rainbow
When
The buzzer is on. Murrough may also come into play as the day warms.
Where
Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.
The plan
Plan A

Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.

Plan B

If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.

Watch for

Watch for Murrough towards evening — this could be the best window of the day.

Boat — at anchor

Windy conditions suit anchoring in productive areas rather than open-water drifting.

Through the year
0–3 scale · July highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Daphnia SwarmHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Lake OliveHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
2
Silverhorns & LonghornsHatch
1
2
2
2
1

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Rainbow fly box
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
60%
Cloud100%
Wind30%
Temp60%

A reasonable day here, though wind isn't quite in the sweet spot.

Other water nearby · 5
Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

Loch Fad sits in the middle of the Isle of Bute, which is the first thing that makes it unusual — you catch the ferry at Wemyss Bay and fish an hour later, which shouldn't feel as much of an adventure as it does. The loch itself is a long, shallow, fertile stillwater with a reputation for growing very large rainbows and blues, and for hosting more or less every stillwater fly fishing international Scotland has been asked to run. The boats drift the traditional way, the fish come to the right fly presented with the right drift, and the scenery — low hills, Arran in the middle distance, the occasional red deer — is a quiet bonus. It is not a wilderness experience. You are fishing a managed venue. But it is one of the best managed venues in Britain and very much worth the ferry ticket.

  • Loch
  • Mixed
Why this score
  • Wind conditions (windy) are not ideal for this water.
  • Cloud cover (cloud) suits the fishery well.
  • Buzzer is in its seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Directions
Seasons & zones
  • Troutyear-round → year-round
Related guides
Booking & contacts