Pollack and Trout Overnighter

This session for pollack and trout started off as a planned trip around Mull. Sadly the forecast for SW Mull proved a bit too windy, hence the last minute rejig. Version two was a Mull daytrip followed by an overnight camp up Loch Etive, and it worked out pretty well 🙂

Launching at Taynuilt, I headed down a silky smooth Loch Etive, under Connel bridge and into the Firth of Lorn.

A brief stop at Bach Island for mackerel produced diddly squat, so I headed on towards Loch Buie on Mull. Fresh bait was an optional extra on this trip and I was happy to play just with artificials.

Target for today was a shallow wreck tucked close into the shoreline. The Meldon holds only modest pollack but you have the bonus of fabulous coastal scenery along the way there.

A couple of other boats were drifting the wreck when I arrived but they set off for pastures new fairly soon after. I took the opportunity to drop anchor close to the rusting metalwork as it made it easier to fish across the hulk.

True to form, a series of midweight pollack showed up to a mix of different soft baits.

None made over 6lbs (probably closer to 5lbs to be honest) but they were good looking fish and fought well in shallow water. Over twenty came to the boat during the afternoon and I was happy with that sort of action!

Around half-four I finally called it quits and hauled the anchor. Etive is a fair distance and I still had to get camp set up and dinner underway too.

I enjoyed the best of west coast sunshine on my way back, savouring the high cliffs and dramatic coastline. There are some fabulous looking camping spots – but very few places I’d want to leave my boat overnight!

The Falls of Lora were very tame on my return, early on a small flood tide. Different story trying this at mid-ebb on a large tide!

Back in Etive, I didn’t hang about but headed all the way up the loch to my camping spot.

Usually I’m the only person here but tonight I’d company in the shape of a sea kayaker who set up camp a few hundred metres further up the loch.

With the fire going and dinner under way, I set up the tent and sorted out my kit. It was after nine by now and I was definitely hungry! Dinner was vaguely korma-ish but tasty enough 🙂

My forecast for tomorrow suggested a very calm start, becoming windier later and then heavy rain. An early start was definitely called for, so I crawled into my sleeping bag after a little liquid refreshment.

Sunrise

My alarm obediently awoke me at 5 a.m., just after sunrise. Stumbling out of my tent I was met with a perfect summer morning – clear, warm and flat calm. I didn’t mess about and was soon afloat, escaping the gathering plague of midges.

Easing up the loch a few hundred metres, I started chucking an Abu Droppen at the shoreline.

I didn’t have to wait long before trout started hitting my lure. A couple threw the hook before this fine 36cm specimen came aboard.

Everything seemed hungry, so I carried on catching fish after fish, although nothing bigger. Beautiful morning, easy drift and plenty trout – it’s hard to ask for more.

The breeze did pick up as the sun rose higher so my drift became more tricky and less productive. Switching briefly to a pollack mark I tempted a couple before heading ashore again.

It was still before 10 in the morning but definitely time for caffeine and bacon butties. Parking my boat on the shoreline I brewed up over an open fire and enjoyed a comfy seat in the sun.

After a suitably lazy breakfast I tucked my tent away and made sure my cooking fire was out before loading up and heading off.

A fair breeze was running down Etive by now but I tucked myself away in the more sheltered bays. I managed a few more trout but they weren’t too enthusiastic in the sunshine and my drift wasn’t great.

I gave it a couple of hours before deciding enough was enough. A final pitstop in a little bay and then it was time to head home.

Finally

Just a note that may help others looking to plan fuel requirements for longer trips with a similar boat configuration. Distance covered was 130km and fuel used was 37 litres, so around 9.8/9.9 mpg (I know – a bizarre mix of imperial and metric, but it’s the way my brain processes it!). That’s consistent with my other longer trips, which typically come in at just under 10 mpg for mixed running with just myself and overnight gear aboard.

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