Tuesday, 26 August 2025

Fishing up North – A Week in Caithness.

Every year I look forward to a late-summer stravaig in the Scottish Highlands or Islands with a close circle of fishing friends. It has become something of a tradition: a week marked by high expectations, a sense of adventure, and the familiar mix of triumph and fair share of blanks, but  most importantly, precious days spent fishing on the lochs with good company.

This year we were based in a converted farm house near Thurso in Caithness an ideal location for the lochs we intended fishing.

I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure I’d make it this year as my health hasn’t been the best and I had to weight up the pros and cons before fully committing. However I was encouraged to get on with my life despite my health woes.

Not everything went according to plan. A couple of friends had to drop out at the last minute for various reasons, and sadly, one of our group had to return home early during the week due to a family bereavement. 
Still, those of us who remained made the most of the week, appreciating every cast, every walk across the moor and every shared story at the day’s end over a hearty meal and drinks.

Sunday
I started the week at a Forsinard forest loch under blazing sunshine, with the water lying completely flat and lifeless. Conditions were far from ideal. Very little fly life was visible, and only a single trout broke the surface all day. My boat partner managed to tempt a lively half-pounder, but apart from that brief excitement, the loch gave us nothing more. Not the most inspiring way to begin my week up north.

Monday
The mood shifted for the better on Yarrows, fishing from the boat on the Thrumster Estate. Vaughan and I enjoyed a fine day, with steady sport from start to finish. Between us we landed around fourteen healthy, spirited trout each that kept us busy. The flies of the day proved to be the trusty Blue Zulu and the leggy Half Ordie.  A real contrast to my blank Sunday.

Tuesday
Plans to fish Shurrery didn’t unfold quite as expected. After the long walk in, carrying both the outboard and the heavy battery, we discovered the DFFA boat was missing. Fortunately, the estate owner, a very helpful Dutch gentleman, came to our rescue. He kindly offered us the use of his own boat and led us down the loch to his boathouse, even calling his gamekeeper for assistance. The keeper arrived with an agrocat, ready to winch the boat out and tow it down to the loch.

It was an incredibly generous gesture, but in the end we declined. It would have meant another long haul with the engine and battery, and with my health condition I simply wasn’t up to it. We thanked them both sincerely for their kindness, then made our way back. Vaughan salvaged the afternoon by heading out in his float tube, while I returned to our accommodation for much needed  rest.

Wednesday
After the exertions of the previous days, I wisely took a rest day. Stroke recovery demands patience, and sometimes the body dictates a slower pace, even in the Highlands. The rest did me good and prepared me for the fishing still to come.

Thursday
I returned to Yarrows, this time in the company of John. The day began very quietly, and for a while it felt as though the loch might not wake up at all. But once things stirred, the fishing turned lively, and we ended up enjoying another excellent session. I brought around a dozen trout to the boat, while John out-fished me slightly with about fifteen.

Friday
My final day of the trip took me to the shores of Stemster, fishing on foot. It proved a challenging outing. I raised a few half-hearted splashy rises to my flies and only one firm take to a foam daddy which I felt briefly. John fared better, landing two fine trout, one of them around the two-pound mark, a proper Highland specimen.

And so my week ended as it began: with a blank. Still, between those quiet bookends were days of fine fishing and precious moments shared.

With a bit of luck, my health will be stronger by next season, and we’ll have the chance to gather again, perhaps at a new corner of Scotland chasing trout together.







Sunday, 24 August 2025

Honouring Megan Boyd

While  passing through Brora the other day I stopped off to visit the  very impressive fly Sculpture of the Meagan Boyd Salmon pattern at the new Clyne Heritage Centre recently officially opened by HM King Charles lll a couple of weeks ago.

The  Clyne  heritage Society aims to immortalise Megan’s wonderful life story  with a  museum display and this eye catching tribute to Megan Boyd. It is sure to attract visitors and flytying enthusiasts from all over the world.

Saturday, 16 August 2025

BFFI 2026 Invitation

Im pleased to announce that I am absolutely thrilled to have received an invitation to showcase my fly tying at the British Fly Fair International #BFFI26 @ Stafford in February.
I am absolutely honoured to be tying on the famous and most prestigious Flytyers Row. 
I will be mostly tying loch style wets, Clyde Style flies and North Country Spiders.✂️🧵


Friday, 8 August 2025

The Watten Warrior. A leggy variation

The Watten Warrior has long been one of my favourite wet fly patterns—an enduring classic that has consistently delivered results across a range of Scottish lochs. With a reputation that precedes it, there’s rarely a need to alter or update this pattern. Its effectiveness has been proven time and again.

However, as any passionate fly tyer will understand, there's always that creative itch—to tweak, to refine, to see if we can coax even more performance from a trusted design. That curiosity led me to tie a scaled-down, leggy version of the Watten Warrior.

This modified variant retains the essence of the original, but with added movement and a slightly more suggestive silhouette—thanks to the knotted legs and smaller profile. I’m keen to see how it fares compared to the traditional pattern, and whether it will earn a place alongside it in my fly box.

Tying Details – Leggy Watten Warrior

Hook: Fulling Mill 1510 Short Shank Special

Thread: Textreme 8/0 in Red

Tag: #4 Glo-Brite Floss

Body: Fiery Brown SealX Dubbing

Rib: Old Gold Flat Tinsel

Hackle (Collar): Fiery Brown Chinese Cock

Front Hackle: White Hen

Legs: Dyed Claret Knotted Pheasant Tail Fibres


This fly offers plenty of triggers: the vibrant Glo-Brite tag, the natural movement of knotted legs, and the contrasting hackles that create a lifelike pulse in the water. I’m optimistic this little warrior will more than hold its own.

Fishing up North – A Week in Caithness.

Every year I look forward to a late-summer stravaig in the Scottish Highlands or Islands with a close circle of fishing friends. It has beco...