Days of Christmas force feeding meant I really needed to get some fresh air, so I reckoned a hike in the sunshine along the banks of Loch Etive would fit the bill nicely. Fishing wasn’t the main aim but it looked possible to get 3 or 4 hours to wet a line before darkness fell.… Continue reading Final Fling for 2017 – a Hike in the Sunshine
Category: Loch Etive
Anything to do with Loch Etive
Dodging Icebergs on Loch Etive
It’s not often that icebergs stop play when it comes to sea fishing in the UK, but it came close yesterday. I was out on the boat near Kinglass on Loch Etive and the fish were (almost!) being protected by large shields of ice drifting down from the Glen Etive end. A very dramatic winter… Continue reading Dodging Icebergs on Loch Etive
Wild Camp on Etive – with a few Spurs thrown in
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
Goodbye to Alcatraz and Hello to Orkney
I’ve recently said goodbye to Alcatraz, my faithful Warrior 165. She is now 10 years old and not getting quite the same use she once was, so I’ve been rethinking what I need from a boat for the next few years. Consequently, and after a lot of soul searching, I’ve just taken delivery of an Orkney Longliner2. The Warrior… Continue reading Goodbye to Alcatraz and Hello to Orkney
Pollacked on Loch Etive
Fish in the east, fish in the west, but not really the weather to exploit either coast! Faced with the need to check out Alcatraz before an upcoming trip to Galloway I chickened out and made my way over to Etive again, with the furball for company. Having had fairly poor results from down the… Continue reading Pollacked on Loch Etive
Spring Spurdog fishing on Loch Etive
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
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
Winter Dogging on Etive (the Spurdog variety)
After a run around on Saturday morning in search of some wheel nuts my trailer was roadworthy again, so I headed over to Etive to check whether Alcatraz still floated. For one reason or another it’s been 5 months since she was last on the water and there’s always the added doubt of whether the engine will actually fire after a longish layup.… Continue reading Winter Dogging on Etive (the Spurdog variety)
New Year Spurrie Boot Camp
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
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