Shooting the Breeze at St Andrews

A better ballan for Ian

Late August saw Ian, Trevor and I bouncing around on Ian’s Raider a few miles along the coast from St Andrews. Aside from a few codling it proved a rather rollercoaster style experience so we snuck back inshore, under the shelter of the low cliffs along this part of the coastline. Once tucked in out of… Continue reading Shooting the Breeze at St Andrews

Cruising around Mull

Wow. A great way to spend an evening

With the lazy, hazy days of summer appearing endless, I thought I’d better take advantage of the best weather I’m ever likely to see in Scotland. Thinking cap on and after running through a fair list of possibilities, I elected to have another run around the Isle of Mull. There’s better fishing to be had elsewhere, but… Continue reading Cruising around Mull

Getting Wrecked on Mull – a Visit to the Meldon

First Pollack of 2018

I needed to get shot of my cabin fever after last week’s snow, and conditions looked good for Oban last Sunday. Unfortunately Ian was lurgied with man-flu and didn’t seem to keen to spend a day on the boat passing on his germs. A solo-skate session was one possibility, but I decided to explore a… Continue reading Getting Wrecked on Mull – a Visit to the Meldon

East Coast Round-up

A ridiculously mis-matched fish and lure

I’ve been very remiss in reporting this year’s events on the Scottish east coast boat fishing scene. Maybe there’s not been much to write about, but I have fallen way behind. A mid-November trip out of St Andrews may be my last trip afloat on the east coast this year (hopefully not!) so kind of… Continue reading East Coast Round-up

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

Corryvreckan and Jura

Sea otter in the Sound of Islay, off Jura

A couple of years ago I sketched out a plan to take a boat around the Isle of Jura, more just to explore this remote place than to do any serious fishing. Of course, doing so involves traversing the Gulf of Corryvreckan which, depending on who you believe, is either the second or third largest whirlpool in the world…… Continue reading Corryvreckan and Jura

A Wee Playabout off Dunbar

Pollack take no prisoners when they engulf a bait

Sunday looked to be a nice day so the target was to be Dunbar pollack, codling and ling again. Boat and gear were sorted and I set the alarm to give me a fighting chance of hitting the slip before boats started to stack up. As a result a rather bleary-eyed angler edged his boat… Continue reading A Wee Playabout off Dunbar

Pollacked on Loch Etive

A small spur, typical of the day

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