Near-drought conditions have left many Galloway anglers high and dry – but not at Loch Roan near Crossmichael.
The former reservoir is full to the brim with excellent fishing in contrast to others elsewhere.
Low oxygen levels have already forced Dalbeattie and District Angling Association to temporarily close Buittle Reservoir.
Meanwhile, their Castle Douglas counterparts can carry on fishing because Loch Roan is unaffected by the dry spell.
“The loch used to be part of the public water supply,” Castle Douglas and District Angling Association (CDDAA) chairman Kenny Irving told the News.
“In years gone by in a summer like this the water would have dropped away down.
“Our boats would have been high and dry.
“Then Scottish Water decommissioned the loch and no longer drew water out of it.
“Because it’s not being used for the supply it’s still full to the spillway.
“Natural springs feed Loch Roan and the water table was already high going into this dry spell.
“In other lochs algal blooms have been a problem but our water quality and clarity this year has been fantastic. Touch wood it is still crystal clear.”
CDDAA has stocked the loch with rainbow and brown trout.
No coarse fishing is done but the water carries healthy populations of pike, perch, roach and rudd.
Mr Irving, 58, a farm worker with Douganhill Farms, said: “The fish are lying in deep cold water full of oxygen.
“You have to fish deeper and on Sunday me and my partner reached our boat limit of eight fish.”
With some nearby fisheries suffering, Mr Irving was aware that Loch Roan could be a popular alternative.
But he said: “We have not got a huge capacity for members or visitors.
“Until the last couple of years boats have been quite hard to come by.
“We only allow four boats on the loch and all permits have to be bought through McCowan’s in Castle Douglas.
“People must go through the proper channels.
“You can’t just go up there and fish and it’s fly fishing only.”
He added: “When there are so many other fisheries shut down you have to be wary of being over exploited.
“It’s quite a remote loch and we don’t want landowners getting hassle from too many people being up there.
“We have to rely on people being sensible and doing their bit.
“We can’t have somebody standing up there all the time checking what’s going on.”
The association pays rent to the owner for the use of the loch.
