Morale booster

[Aknib]

I was struggling to think why I'd put this aside to post and a quick flick back through the folder jogged my memory.

It was an October morning several years ago and I was doing some trotting in what was a reasonably sheltered spot during a feisty storm, despite being largely sheltered from the gale force winds you couldn't hear yourself think for the sound of nearby fast flowing water and the noise the wind was making in the trees.

It was slow going and unusually so in that swim and then, without warning, a seal like head emerged from the dark patch of water between the two foam flows top left and for a couple of seconds I was in very close proximity to and staring eye to eye with a large dog otter!

I reckon the conditions had also blurred his senses and whilst he would otherwise have been clean away well before I reckon he had surfaced to investigate who had invaded his world...



Like the otter I moved swims shortly afterwards!

 

[Aknib]

Inspired by ****y123 in another thread and mentioning he'd bought a Mitchell Match, I did exactly the same fairy recently and christened it with some stonking Ide...

 

[The Runner]

Another nice walk over Ben Chracaig yesterday, willow warblers singing everywhere and the southern and western slopes with a good display of primrose, dog violet and wood anemone.
Changed my usual route to return via the old hillfort at the back of the hill as after a week and a half of warm sunny weather, getting to it no longer involves floundering about in a swamp.
Still some snow on the Black Cuillin where in a normal world I would have spent some of the lovely days recently.

 

[Aknib]

Tucked under the brolly, fishing the waggler and worm on a sultry and typically 'Breamy' type of day...

 

[S-Kippy]

What's morale boosting about one of those ?

 

[Aknib]

I'd settle for one right now!

 

[Keith M]

I can’t believe that I pressed the ‘like’ button for a picture of a Bream, Again!!! mg:

Keith

 

[S-Kippy]

I'd settle for one right now!

Go and lie down somewhere quiet. This too will pass.

 

[Steve Arnold]

A few bird photos, the first of a pheasant that would eat crumbs of biscuits when we were target shooting with air rifles. He finally disappeared, fox or pot I wonder?



Always seagulls when boat fishing....



and a sea eagle we fed pollack, Isle of Skye....



Still trawling through old photos, maybe I should spend some lockdown time and organize a decent filing system?

 

[John Keane]

Another nice walk over Ben Chracaig yesterday, willow warblers singing everywhere and the southern and western slopes with a good display of primrose, dog violet and wood anemone.
Changed my usual route to return via the old hillfort at the back of the hill as after a week and a half of warm sunny weather, getting to it no longer involves floundering about in a swamp.
Still some snow on the Black Cuillin where in a normal world I would have spent some of the lovely days recently.

View attachment 8865

Is fishing banned on Skye at the moment? It’s currently prime time for fishing a team of wets across a nice ripple on isolated loch or lochan.

 

[The Runner]

Yes, Scottish Government specifically said very early on that fishing (and golf) didn't count as essential exercise.
Haven't got any fly gear (sold it all years ago after moved from Northumberland to London), was thinking of getting some this year but put off as no idea when would be able to use it .
Anyway, the pollack and other sea fishing is plenty for me but not missing much at the moment as mid March to mid May is generally **** here with just a few dabs about.

 

[John Keane]

Yes, Scottish Government specifically said very early on that fishing (and golf) didn't count as essential exercise.
Haven't got any fly gear (sold it all years ago after moved from Northumberland to London), was thinking of getting some this year but put off as no idea when would be able to use it .
Anyway, the pollack and other sea fishing is plenty for me but not missing much at the moment as mid March to mid May is generally **** here with just a few dabs about.

Always fancied going over the bridge to Sky and casting a fly on some of those roadside lochs. My days of yomping up to mountain lakes are well and truly over!

 

[The Runner]

Yes, the Storr Lochs always look the business, and get fished quite a bit, mostly from boats. The Portree Angling Soc has the fishing on virtually everything on the east side of the island from the Sligachan River northwards but apart from one lad after sea trout just below the campsite at Sligachan, Storr Lochs are the only place I've seen anyone fishing. All available on day ticket I think

 

[The Runner]

Always liked the looks of Loch Langaig as well. Only a hundred yards from the road, although you would never know it when you're there

 

[Steve Arnold]

Always fancied going over the bridge to Sky and casting a fly on some of those roadside lochs. My days of yomping up to mountain lakes are well and truly over!

Spring 2017 and we spotted the 19 on this weather map. We had talked of visiting Skye and this was our last chance before moving to France. Next morning we were off!



Nearly there!



Great scenery!



Colourful little villages



and we had a lovely day at sea with Wild Skye Boat Trips WILD SKYE BOAT Trips - Home | Facebook , caught pollack, coalfish and then fed the sea eagle.



Get the weather right and Skye is lovely!

 

[John Keane]

Yes, the Storr Lochs always look the business, and get fished quite a bit, mostly from boats. The Portree Angling Soc has the fishing on virtually everything on the east side of the island from the Sligachan River northwards but apart from one lad after sea trout just below the campsite at Sligachan, Storr Lochs are the only place I've seen anyone fishing. All available on day ticket I think

Read an article once in the fly fishing press about the Storr Lochs on Skye and one in particular right on the roadside that has, historically, thrown up brown trout of 4lb plus.

In ‘93 me and a mate went up to Sutherland and backpacked for a week around Assynt, camping by hill lochs and fishing in all of them (with estates’ permission). The mountains up there are very atmospheric, Cul Mor, Stac Polly, Suilven. It’s undoubtedly paradise, as is most of the Highlands (until the midges emerge)

 

[Aknib]

Fabulous pictures from everybody!

This one really gets my senses going, inhale deeply through the nostrils and smell the kelp!

View attachment 8875

 

[ian g]

I was in Portree for 2 days trying to get to Benbecula from Uig . There was a massive storm with rain of biblical proportions . I was up there working with a guy from Glasgow so we did what all good Glaswegians do and sent a couple of days in the pub. It's a beautiful party of the world , somewhere I always enjoy visiting.

 

[no-one in particular]

never made it to those places but drove round Scotland as far as Inverness, stunning place. Only fished the river Findhorn a couple of times but wished I had tried more. I always recommend Scotland as the holiday place to go for scenery, fishing, anything outdoor. The people are great as well, very hospitable and chatty. I hope to have some time there again somewhere one day. I always note the pictures and posts anywhere in Scotland, the wildlife is pretty spectacular as well.

 

[Steve Arnold]

never made it to those places but drove round Scotland as far as Inverness, stunning place. Only fished the river Findhorn a couple of times but wished I had tried more. I always recommend Scotland as the holiday place to go for scenery, fishing, anything outdoor. The people are great as well, very hospitable and chatty. I hope to have some time there again somewhere one day. I always note the pictures and posts anywhere in Scotland, the wildlife is pretty spectacular as well.

I moved to Scotland with the RN over 35 years ago, Rosyth based for many years. Great country for sea fishing, though the cod fishing not a patch on what it was. Still get the odd good winters east coast cod fishing, there are tope and pollack on the west coast and everything turns up in season along the North coast.

Porbeagle shark fishing off Dunnet Head....



A 200lb + porbeagle released after a powerful fight in the Pentland Firth tide race.



That stretch along the north coast going west from Dunnet Head to Cape Wrath, then down the west coast to Kinlochbervie, Lochinver, Ullapool, Gairloch and Torridon, is a heavenly drive.

Common skate at Torridon



The fishing is good all the way down the west coast. Oban is well known for common skate, the great inshore pollack fishing often overlooked....



Miss out the Firth of Clyde as it's all small stuff now. But get to south west Scotland around Galloway and summer brings specimen sized bass, tope and rays.

One lucky and skillful angler with a 14 lb+ bass, Luce bay. Best fight I have seen from any bass, made a long run against the tide and would not come back easily!



After three decades fishing Scotland I have too many photos!