Crocach is one of the most attractive of the Forsinard Lochs. It is more like a west coast hill loch in nature being rimmed with white rocks and shelving deeply into the peaty depths. It lies in the shadow of the Ben Griams and is accessed by a 30-45 minute walk west of the forestry track that lies west of Forsinard (the same track as for Cross). A boat is available and, because of the great depth close to the bank, bank fishing is safe as long as you don’t wade!
As with west coast lochs fish generally lie close in so drifts along banks are favoured. Crocach means “hand like” and with its many thin bays getting a good drift can be quite difficult. If the wind does not provide good drifts then why not fish the bank or, as many guests end up doing, try a combination of both to fully explore the loch. Fish can take in open water so a few drifts here are worthwhile.
Crocach fish are generally quite small but it is not really a beginner’s loch due to the effort in getting there in the first place and the difficulty in getting a good drift. There are big fish in Crocach too – a 3 ½ pounder was caught in the late 90s (on a Viva!) and fish over the pound are not uncommon. There is nothing remarkable about the fly life here and standard wet patterns work well but remember to tailor tactics for deeper water.