Memories from my Scottish fishing years - part 1

[Steve Arnold]

It's pouring with rain today! Even down the Lot valley in the south of France they get a fair bit of precipitation, usually hot and dry through the long summer but when it rains it's heavy!

Looking out the window it reminds me so much of my years in Scotland - wet and windy! That memory got me looking through some old fishing photos, mostly sea fish but a few freshwater trophies. Got the time today so thought I might share some with the forum.

Scottish life started for me when I joined the crew of HMS Nubian, a Rosyth based frigate. Bit of an old tub even then but it was my fishing platform for a couple of years.

Got around a bit and I caught fish from Scotland to Norway and across the pond to the Gulf of Mexico, Belize, Caribbean, Florida. I still have a vivid image in my dreams of that man sized Tarpon jumping repeatedly at the stern of my ship. It's scales dazzling with the reflection of the ships floodlights, then it went deep and after 40 minutes my trace frayed through!

I married into Scotland, the marriage was a big mistake but Scotland was good to me. For the next 30 years I had plenty of good fishing opportunities to explore, some wonderful adventures!

The Gareloch, near Faslane, still had plenty of cod then.

My family and various in-laws and outlaws dined well off that catch! The best days of the great Clyde cod fishing were past but still fish to catch!

Cod fishing was the mainstay of Scottish sea fishing but I learnt to catch pollack and they are a great sportfish on spinning rods...

That was part of a catch of pollack made just a few yards off the shore. My fishing buddy returned about 20 fish and kept those three for the pot. I caught a few but was still weak from ill health and a long hospital stay, being there helped focus me on living!

Fishing has helped me out of sickness and despair so many times, something to hang on to. Wish everyone had such a fascination for something similar in life!

Later I will put up a post of some of the bigger fish I have caught and witnessed around Scotland, a couple over 200 pounds. Of course there will be the story of "the one that got away"

 

[mikench]

Of course there will be the story of "the one that got away"

Naturally, you are a fisherman after all. Nice post and pics.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

I enjoyed reading that, thanks for sharing. I’m looking forward to part two.

 

[rubio]

I'm nibbling.

 

[Aknib]

Great stuff, I too hope that the next instalment comes along soon.

 

[budsy]

Aye good post pelamid as for Rosyth Dockyard I know its on north side of Forth bridges on Fife side on North of the forth

I belong Scotland born and raised all ma days and done much them days still water fishing for trout both brown and rainbow

nowadays you have several other species of trout in all lochs and as a young guy I often would walk home with a bag full
from a burn I used to know about ..which looked nothing to the eye and was very narrow
and id haul trout out with the black headed garden worms on end of my line so often especially after a heavy downpour

Later when older id fish in the lochs around my region and often done well both in boat and from the side
of lochs edges , and later in time had went to buy fly fishing gear , as fly was taking over many of the lochs in Scotland becoming
although many lochs do allow bait in a later time in year from summer time onwards
as well as spinning .

Fly fishing in local lochs though from the start of season when very cold and could not feel my fingers at all
crazy or what mid to end part of February this , when lures do best and later in summer months with smaller dry flies
work well etc

Now I stay in North East of England and got into sea fishing although from pier and is fun also
had not been for few yrs fishing and then thought why not I did begin to miss it
although it is tough with the cycling to and fro as not getting any younger them days
is all fun though and just is a different way with heavier lines and weights , hooks all bigger etc etc
can go on but wont as othrs into sea fishing know much more than I do fir sure

But aye Scotland for me best for Loch fishing for trout , but Sea fishing is all over UK
but I don't know how but I do feel the colder the climate the better for fishing in my opinion ?
but I am enjoying this new experience of the sea and so far been around 4/5 times
and havent blanked and all in nice weathers nice as in not cold and not heavy rainfall and able to feel your fingers
in summer mths so far here , so happy start into my sea fishing adventure and so ill end with saying
enjoy your fishing and tight lines to all .

And we always hear of the one that got away sadly ^