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

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

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

Winter Dogging on Etive (the Spurdog variety)

Ian hits into a fish well up Loch Etive

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

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

Westward Ho! – Revisiting Lochs Leven and Sunart

Sunart conger

I hadn’t really planned on a trip to the sea lochs, but the forecast was mixed to poor and Trevor was still recovering from the damage inflicted the last time he came fishing with me, so we took the Mr. Sensible route and headed westward – besides which, I haven’t fished Sunart for a couple… Continue reading Westward Ho! – Revisiting Lochs Leven and Sunart

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

Spurdogs play in the sun on Loch Etive

A spurdog drawn to the boat

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