I managed my first fishing since the beginning of December last weekend, trailing my Longliner over to Oban for a crack at skate with Ian – and it proved a stonker of a session! We launched in chilly, calm, sunshine at Ganavan and headed down the west coast of Kerrera. After dropping anchor in 370… Continue reading A Shoal of Oban Skate
Category: West Coast
Anything relating to Scottish west coast and sea lochs, and exploring and fishing them. This is a catch-all category for posts that don’t fall neatly into one of my usual fishing grounds. For example, posts about Loch Etive are shown in a category of that name. For SW Scotland have a look at Galloway.
Return to Sunart
I’ve not floated my boat on Sunart during the winter months in ages, so it was high time for a return visit! I last visited on a kayak in March, just before lockdown crushed the life out of us. This was exploring rather than fishing, so doesn’t really count! However, I did find a decent… Continue reading Return to Sunart
A Perfect Kayak on Etive
The Scottish sea lochs are beautiful but I haven’t actually paddled my kayak on Etive for over a year now. Fine autumn weather coupled with the gloomy prospect of impending lockdowns made it an easy choice, however. I dusted down the plastic log, dug out my buoyancy aid and generally made ready! Even so, despite… Continue reading A Perfect Kayak on Etive
The Sea of the Hebrides
I’m not long back from a very memorable long weekend on Skye, exploring a small corner of MacLeod country amongst sunshine, calm seas and giant volcanic cliffs. We camped above the beach on a deserted little island and spent 3 days fishing on the Sea of the Hebrides. Some very nice fish. No midges. Perfect…… Continue reading The Sea of the Hebrides
Round 2 with the Skate
I rarely fish for skate, and once a year is usually enough for me. However it’s definitely been an odd year, and calm weather and dead tides suggested Oban. Ian was up for it, so we arranged to meet up at Lochearnhead around 7.30… We launched at Puffin Dive Centre and headed down the sound… Continue reading Round 2 with the Skate
Bracadale Spurdogging
For decades I avoided Skye after experiencing poor weather on several visits to the island, away back in the pre-bridge days. My loss of course, and I’ve been back several times in recent years and had far better luck. It’s a fickle place but very rewarding if you catch it right – and steel yourself… Continue reading Bracadale Spurdogging
A Lazy Summer Day on Etive
I spent a fine few hours afloat on Etive last Sunday, reminding my little Orkney what water feels like. Only her second outing since last December, so I was relieved that everything still worked! Just a lazy summer day out rather than serious fishing, but great fun nevertheless. It was just after LW and there… Continue reading A Lazy Summer Day on Etive
Skating off Oban
We’d a fine day fishing for Common Skate off Oban in early March. Seven fish to 180lb in total.
A Chilly Re-run on Etive
Am I an angler or homing pigeon? Out for just the second time this year, and I find my way back to the same spot as last month. I’d a snowy forecast but a rainy reality, which was pretty much as I expected. I do find the forecasts always overstate the likelihood of snow down… Continue reading A Chilly Re-run on Etive
Kicking off 2020 with a PB
I hastened along the trail, mindful that darkness would fall before I reached my preferred spot. This was a last minute effort, and I faced a good 2 hours hike down the loch. Bearing in mind that some spots are a little hairy in daylight let alone at night, I was keen to minimise stumbling… Continue reading Kicking off 2020 with a PB