Loch Laxavat Ard
Isle of Lewis, Scotland
One of the most important lochs of the River Carloway headwaters. A shallow loch that expands over 60 acres with plent ...
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John Lucas
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Loch Lacsabhat Larach
Water managed by Carloway Angling Club
Type
Lake
Species
Brown trout, Salmon, and Sea trout
Migratory run
Salmon run from late June, peaking in July and largely over by the end of August. Sea trout run from June, building to a peak in August and tailing off through September. Spring tides every ~2 weeks bring fresh fish in from the sea to the river mouths.
Next spring tides: 12 Aug – 18 Aug
Sea trout & salmon run Jun–Sep
Low alkalinity
High alkalinity indicates water fertility and can signal the presence of larger trout. Fish in alkaline waters have a wider variety of invertebrates to feed on.
Shallow
The depth of a lake has significant impacts on its ecology. Reduced heat and light in deep lakes inhibit algal growth.
High shoreline complexity
A lake with a high shoreline complexity will have numerous bays, points and peninsulas.
Low elevation
Lakes at a higher altitude can take longer to warm up during the season and may not fish well until summer.
Small
Larger lakes with good spawning often contain lots of smaller trout. Smaller lakes with limited spawning can produce larger trout.
Loch Lacsabhat Iarach, also recorded as Loch Laxavat Iorach, lies a short way inland from the Atlantic on the west side of Lewis, set among low peatland in the Carloway catchment. It is a small, generally shallow water of roughly 47 hectares at low elevation, with soft, low-alkalinity water and a mean depth around six metres. The outline is broken by small bays and narrow points, with low, peaty margins and a long open reach down the loch.
The Carloway system once yielded numbers of salmon; recent reports are few. After heavy rain, attention turns to the headwater lochs—Loch Lacsabhat Larach and Loch Laxavat Ard—for salmon or sea trout. Access to Loch Lacsabhat Iarach is on foot across low, peaty ground.
