Wild Camp on Etive – with a few Spurs thrown in

Fish on!

I do like this time of year – the nights are long but it’s not too cold, and the worst of the bugs are back in hibernation. The autumn colours are still around and the summer crowds have largely gone. And last weekend the weather and the tides lined up nicely too, so I sorted… Continue reading Wild Camp on Etive – with a few Spurs thrown in

Squelching Across Skye – and a Stray Bass

A shore caught bass from Skye

Just back from a few days wandering around Skye with a fishing rod. More wandering than fishing it has to be said, but a few items of interest from the angling point of view. Video here, and the full report below… The highlight of the trip was actually before I even got there, as I… Continue reading Squelching Across Skye – and a Stray Bass

Meandering my way to Cape Wrath

Loch Keisgaig

I’ve paid two or three visits to the far northwest in the last couple of years. Wonderfully remote and isolated country in which to escape for a day or three, it makes for perfect chillout territory, especially if you pick your weather. My latest trip to the extremes of Cape Wrath was more hiking than fishing but I… Continue reading Meandering my way to Cape Wrath

Spring Spurdog fishing on Loch Etive

Ready and waiting - a pair of rods propped up and waiting for a bite

Yesterday it was back again to Etive for another shore fish in search of some spring spurdog, although I reckon this will probably be my last for a while. The midges will soon wake up as will the fishing everywhere else, so I think the Lochaber sea lochs will go on the back burner for… Continue reading Spring Spurdog fishing on Loch Etive

Multi-tasking on Loch Etive

Ben Cruachan overlooks Loch Etive

The car park was deserted and the air cold as I opened the door to let Bonnie out to stretch her legs after the drive across from Edinburgh. Gulping down some hot coffee I watched clear signs of doggie approval as she nosed her way around the lochside, tail wagging eagerly. A few minutes later we started down the… Continue reading Multi-tasking on Loch Etive

New Year Spurrie Boot Camp

Trevor in wild country

Spurrie boot camp! The concept was simple – an early start to the New Year and a comfortable camp overnight chasing spurdogs in nice, calm conditions. Trevor was up for it so late morning on New Year’s day saw us meeting up before heading west. Now spending an afternoon hauling rods and a hefty backpack  through miles of… Continue reading New Year Spurrie Boot Camp

Chilled Out Fishing on Loch Etive

A fine evening in late December on Loch Etive

I’m not a great Christmas fan and was happy to escape the house for a spot of chilled out fishing on Loch Etive. You can interpret “chilled out” as you choose, but in the event it did turn out rather more laid back than frigid. I planned to fish afternoon and early evening before picking number one daughter… Continue reading Chilled Out Fishing on Loch Etive

Epic Fail with Aberdeen’s Cod

Aberdeen sunrise

There’s not too much you can say about blanking when shore cod fishing. Especially when pretty much everything is in your favour – but that’s what happened at Aberdeen last weekend. The easterly gale had died away but the sea was still pounding in hard, with foam thick on the surface and a fine coffee colour… Continue reading Epic Fail with Aberdeen’s Cod

Summer fishing mini-reports

A brace of spurdog

I find I tend not to do too much fishing in the height of summer, if there is such a thing in Scotland, but I do try and wet a line from time to time and here are a few mini-reports that didn’t get the full treatment. An Afternoon on Loch Leven Bonnie and I headed… Continue reading Summer fishing mini-reports

Into The Wilderness of Ardmeanach

Ardmeanach

Ardmeanach lies on the exposed, lonely but very beautiful west coast of Mull. Only twelve miles in the round, it is almost inaccessible in places due to trackless terrain and boulder strewn hills that drop 1500 feet into the sea. The emptiest and most remote part is called simply “The Wilderness”. I’d no idea how much, if… Continue reading Into The Wilderness of Ardmeanach