Oot n Aboot - Catching Troot!

I’ve just returned from a four day Stravaig to the North West Highlands of the United kingdom.

I had an absolutely magnificent time tramping the hills through heather and bog to the numerous hill lochs that abound in this part of the country. The fishing was amazing and a couple of the lochs I visited are very special indeed. I fished the Loch of the Buttery troot, The Loch of the secret canoe, The Shooder Loch and The Loch of the bandy troot to name but a few.

The weather was fine apart from two days when the wind was ferocious to say the least, however it didn’t put off the trout it just made catching them a little bit more challenging.

All in all it was a very successful trip in the company of a group of like minded fisher folk with a passion for wild fishing in the remote mountainous lands of the North West Highlands.

Sunshine & Trout!

Today I went out on the boat at hillend for probably the last time this season as I have a busy few weeks ahead as well as going on one last Fishing Stravaig to the far North West of the UK next week.
My boat partner today was non other than the Hillend Veteran Davie G!
Conditions were not ideal as we set afloat as we had bright sunshine with clear blue skies as well the surface of the loch looking like a mirror.
We concentrated our efforts on the north shore of the loch as well as the big back bay behind the woods.
Davie hooked and lost a cracker of a rainbow which must have been about 4lb but he lost the fight after a good ten minutes or so.
I was next to lose a fish which pinged my fly close to the boat and then swam off. There after we did rise quite a few fish which was surprising as the conditions were far from ideal. However every now and again a breeze would pick up and we would feel more confident fishing in a nice ripple.
In the afternoon I eventually hooked and netted a trout, It was nice blueback trout of about one and a half pound or so. The fish was fooled by one of my small black cormorant lures.
It wasn't long before Davie hooked and landed a fish this time it was a rainbow trout which was fooled by a Coch Y Bonddu.
We fished on for another hour or so and managed to rise a few more trout but they weren't confident enough to take our flies.
We called it a day about half past four and headed back to the club house.
I thoroughly enjoyed my day with Davie on the loch today and as I have previously said in my podcast its always a pleasure to fish with Davie, an experienced stalwart of Hillend Loch. Until the next time , Thanks Davie.

The Hillend Dabbler Podcast [05]

It was a long time coming but I finally got around to putting together my latest fishing and music podcast. Please be gentle its only a simple, unpretentious and humble fishing and music podcast.
Get yer lugs roond my pod by clicking the link!

https://soundcloud.com/hillend-dabbler/doh-podcast-05-the-limestone

Back in Blue!

Having the day off from work today I decided to have a couple of hours around midday at Hillend. It was the first time I had fished the loch for a few weeks so it was pleasing to fool a blueback trout from the north shore area of the loch.
The trout was deceived by my favourite fly pattern, the ever faithful Kate McLaren.

Glasgow Angling Centre FOTM comp!

I make no apologies for again posting  a pic of this awesome wild brown trout caught at Loch Caladail when were up there on our annual wild fishing stravaig. The reason for this is that this trout caught by my mate Scotty on a mallard and claret tied by me the Hillend Dabbler has only gone and won the GAC fish of the month. It's well deserved as this is a truly wild trout and these Caladail trout are not fooled easily. Well done Scott.
You can view all the details etc here @ http://blog.fishingmegastore.com/2014/08/august-2014-fotm-winners.html