I have broken this reply in to two, for clarity and the fact that I am in verbal diarrhoea mode!
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A classic example of horses for courses is in fishing the cove at Spiggy. Spiggy is a renowned Sea Trout Loch, beloved of the celeb angling fraternity, because it is not only very productive of good fish, it is located on the mainland of Shetland, not too far away from Sumburgh Airport and decent hotel facilities (and well away from gawkers).
It costs a few squid to fish the Loch, but the Cove is FOC.
Now there are 3 distinct marks in the cove.
The beach mostly fishes the younger Trout, always hungry and going after the abundant sandeel. This is the domain of the Fly Anglers, giving a decent return for the most inept water basher. The beach is about 75 yards long and the Trout feed up to about 10 yards off the beach.
To the left is a flat rock, about 30 yards out from the beach. Slightly larger Trout tend to shoal under the lee of the rock, which stands about 10 ft above the water at high tide. The trout (around the 2-3lb mark) tend to stooge around in the lee of this rock. The angler's problem is that, if you walk out on to the rock shelf, the fish bugger off! It has to be fished on the spinner, unless the fly fisherman cheats and loads his line with lead wire! A 7ft solid spinner will happily cast in under the overhang and winkle out plenty of plate-sized Trout.
To the right of the cove there are low cliffs, about 50ft high. About 100yds out from the beach, in under the cliffs, there is a group of rocks. This is where the specimen fish hang out. It is way beyond the range of the water bashers and yer average spinner. However, with my mean machine, I have gotten into them on a regular basis, using my fave 40gm Toby. The long rod option allows me to let the fish swim off with the lure. Keeping the rod tip low (a must, when playing Trout and Salmon) the specimens tend to dive and run, setting the hook nicely, for when they realise they are in stook!...... and start dancing!
My wife is partial to a Trout Supper. She'd mention her fancy of an evening, when we lived there. I'd jump into my car, with my 8ft hollow glass spinner, spend ten minutes bagging a couple of plate sized Trout from under the left hand rock shelf for supper.
Gillying visiting friends, I'd go for a specimen from under the cliffs and hand the rod to an unsuspecting novice, so I could adjourn for a whizz! Of course they wouldexperience, in short order, that gut wrenching rush, knowing there is a big 'un on the other end of the line!.......... while I would watch the fun!......... a good fish on one end......... and a newly converted angler on the other!.......... hilarious!