Angling season kicks off as Malloch trophy is presented to John
THE 2016 winner of the FishPal Malloch Trophy, John MacIsaac, has received his trophy.
The successful angler is a gillie from the River Lochy in Lochaber, who caught the fish of a lifetime in the River Spean last September. The salmon was estimated as weighing between 38lb and 41lb and it was just under 47 inches long.
John was presented with his trophy last Friday from the previous year’s winner, Tom Buchanan.
John 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.’
John’s name will be engraved on the Tay Foundation’s trophy, joining an illustrious list of previous winners which stretches back four decades.
And last weekend the Inverlochy Angling Club blessed the river with a quaich of whisky for the start of the 2017 season.
Secretary of the club Andy Donaldson handed over the reins to new secretary and chairman Chris Cairns. Andy, who has been in the role for the past 20 years, was given a bottle of whisky and thanked for his service to the club.
Chris told the Lochaber Times: ‘I have been involved with the club since I was a boy really, the past 20 to 30 years. I have been on the committee and the secretary before, but becoming chairman is a whole new job for me.
‘The club will fish salmon, mainly on a catch-release basis, from now until mid October.’