Young Inveraray angler wins Inverawe Challenge

THIS year’s Inverawe Challenge will be one that 12-year-old Archie MacColl-Smith will remember for a long, long, time.

The young fly-fisherman from Inveraray won the shield for the heaviest fish; was runner-up for the main prize of the heaviest catch of the day and then went on to win a day’s fishing for two rods on the River Orchy.

The Lochgilphead High School pupil was taught to fish by his grandfather Donald, his uncle Colin and his mum Anne, all keen anglers themselves, and he spent most of the summer holidays fishing.

The annual fly-fishing competition is held at the popular Inverawe Smokehouses and Country Park, near Taynuilt.

Pegs were drawn at 9am for a day’s fishing the weigh-in, hospitality, and the prize-giving ceremony at the Inverawe Smokehouse Tearoom, courtesy of the Campbell-Preston family.

John Logan, winner of the heaviest catch took the Inverawe Shield back home to Troon.

The event marks the end of the fishing season on the estate; the shop and tea room are now closed but open from December 9 until December 24 for Christmas shopping.

Entry fees, plus raffle ticket sales raised £780 and all this goes to help pay the school fees of a talented young 14-year-old girl in Tanzania, whose education is financed by the Laura Campbell-Preston Trust.

John Logan, left, winner of the Inverawe Charity Shield for the heaviest catch and Archie MacColl-Smith, right, who won the Challenge Shield for heaviest fish. With Robert Campbell-Preston and Romano Capocci and runners-up, Roy Clark, left, and Archie...

Archie MacColl-Smith of Inveraray had the day of his young angling career when he won heaviest fish and the Inverawe Challenge Shield and came second in the Inverawe Charity Shield for heaviest catch. Then in the raffle afterwards he won fishing for...

The tranquillity of Inverawe Loch.

The ‘overseas competitor’, Donald MacGregor, came from the Isle of Kerrera to compete.

Robert Campbell-Preston and Romano Capocci recording the day’s catches at the weigh-in.

Gavin MacLeod, of Oban, not only competed but also donated three boxes of hand-tied flies as raffle prizes; this year he chose flies in the Galway and Orkney style.

John Duffy, of Oban, is an Inverawe regular.