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)
Category: Loch Etive
Anything to do with Loch Etive
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
Summer fishing mini-reports
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
Spurdogs play in the sun on Loch Etive
I had a better day than expected yesterday, as most recent reports from Loch Etive have been poor, and I thought I’d be struggling. As it turned out however, a decent break with the spurdogs saved the day, whilst unbroken sunshine was the icing on the cake. Alcatraz has been out of water for almost… Continue reading Spurdogs play in the sun on Loch Etive
New Loch Etive Charts and Imagery
A few months ago I mentioned that the UK Hydrographic Office was releasing survey data for many areas which contained much more detailed information than the standard charts from Navionics, etc. When I checked back on their website recently I noticed that a full survey is now available for Loch Etive, mainly using a 2m… Continue reading New Loch Etive Charts and Imagery
Assault on Glen Etive
The plan was to use the narrow, winding and un-gritted road into Glen Etive to access the headwaters of Loch Etive and drop the inflatable in where the river reaches the sea – then head off for an overnight camp, fish and stargaze. Things went just fine to start with, until I stepped ashore and… Continue reading Assault on Glen Etive
Re-visiting Etive
It’s been weeks since I was last out, and it’s been frustrating watching a shedload of wet and windy weather blasting through on any available free time. However a calm sunny day was forecast for the Etive area so I decided to combine that with an over-nighter boat camping well up the loch. Launching in… Continue reading Re-visiting Etive
Struggling on Etive
I haven’t been back to Etive since my Xmas camping trip with Trevor, so it was first choice for a daytrip – and besides I still needed a spurdog for my 2015 species count and Etive is the most reliable place I know for them. Ian was otherwise tied up so I press-ganged the dog into… Continue reading Struggling on Etive
Boat camping in December
Being firmly towards the “bah humbug” end of the spectrum regarding Christmas I was already thinking of a trip west when Trevor phoned with pretty much the same idea – a couple of days boat fishing together combined with a bracing overnighter in a tent. I’ve never camped in the UK in December before so that would… Continue reading Boat camping in December