Hooking the salmon of a lifetime has landed a Lochaber man a prestigious angling award.
John MacIsaac, a gillie from the River Lochy, has been announced as winner of the FishPal Malloch Trophy 2016.
The trophy is awarded for one of the largest salmon caught by an angler on a fly and safely returned during the year in Scottish waters.
Mr MacIsaac caught the salmon, estimated as weighing between 38-41lb, in the River Spean (the Lochy tributary) on September 29. It was just under 47ins long.
The River Lochy, known as the Queen of Scottish salmon rivers, has a longstanding reputation for big fish. Mr MacIsaac hooked and lost a similar sized fish several years ago in the main river.
Mr MacIsaac said: “I was on the point of going home at the end of the day when I decided to try a cast on the Spean as I had not fished there this year.
“My first cast splashed into the tail of the Long pool. The heavy fly I was using brought the fish to the surface where he hit the fly, turned and rolled. “Now attached, the fish took a couple of runs during which I had the chance to see its belly – I then knew at once that it was very big fish. However it was only when it came closer to me that I realised I was going to need some help. Fortunately the fish then dived and stayed deep, hardly moving, until assistance came.”
He added: “When Joe, my fellow gillie, arrived 25 minutes later with his net, I told him immediately ‘we going to need a bigger net!’
The fish was returned quickly and safely back into the River Spean. To be eligible for the trophy a salmon must be caught on a fly in a sportsmanlike manner and be released back into the water.
John Wood, chairman of the Tay Foundation and a member of the FishPal Malloch Committee, said: “We are delighted to have such a worthy winner. John McIsaac’s success underlines the fact that the west coast rivers in Scotland can be worthy equals of the bigger rivers and well worth a visit.”
