Cold, curried-beef sandwiches are bad news in a packed lunch. It happened to me one sharp spring day while fishing Loch Awe and ever since I have investigated each slice before the first bite. I suppose it depends upon your … Continue reading →

I can’t remember not having a dog, always one and sometimes two, and always Golden Retrievers. They were decent, friendly, biddable creatures and wonderful companions. Training them was easy because they were endlessly anxious to please and to learn. They … Continue reading →

Music is an angler’s best friend. Not many people know that, but, honestly, it is true. I discovered this fact as a youth when fishing the Tweed downstream from Manor Bridge. The river here tumbles into a deep pool, pounding … Continue reading →

One fine summer day a few years ago I was fishing Loch Laidon for brown trout. This dramatic loch lies at the heart of Scotland where it silver-ribbons Rannoch Moor for five-and-half narrow miles. Off Eilean Iubhair, ‘the island of … Continue reading →

Scotsmen easily jump vast distances. Our ankles are like coiled springs, the result of centuries of practice avoiding our enemies, and we wear the kilt because it gives our shanks freedom of movement in dangerous situations. Unlike loin-strangling breeches, the … Continue reading →

Black, grizzly or otherwise, bears scare the hell out of me. I am reliably informed that the key point to remember, should you ever be confronted by a bear whilst fishing, is not to run. Apparently this only encourages the … Continue reading →

When all else fails, give them the “turning flee”. This technique is best practised whilst seated comfortably in the stern of a loch boat – the blunt end to those not accustomed to the nuances of nautical phraseology. Whilst the … Continue reading →

My wife, Ann, ‘The Manager’, and I invariably have a day at the end of September fishing for sea-trout on Loch Hope in North Sutherland. Last year, however, it looked as though the wind was going to defeat us. Nevertheless, … Continue reading →