Logged off
BY lOUiS FeROx I pIcked up a day ticket and fished a new swim this week on Venachar.
A quick tidy around us showed there had been folk fishing here – it doesn’t take much to clean up but sadly there always seems to be some detritus left.
I’m always up for an exploratory trip when the weather is a bit ropey, especially when there’s chance of some shelter from the gale.
Brollies up and waterproofs on, you can ride out a storm when you’re pike fishing but it’s definitely more bearable when you can get a bit of respite from the wind.
Setting the alarms and indicators to deal with water pushing through and the high winds, we were out more in hope than expectation. Seeing the mountain rescue helicopter heading out toward a snowy Ben Lui made us grateful for being on solid ground though.
There wasn’t much going early on. A hungry Jack broke the duck for the day just after lunch – my mate’s alarm sounded and he struck, putting a decent bend in the rod. His call for the net had me paying more attention, ready for ghillie duties.
He was having to set his drag and lean his weight into it. The rod bobbed and buckled as it ran from him.
“It’s a proper fish, get the scales too,” he shouted. I was all set for some specimen pike action photography when the fish broke the surface to show its head.
The problem is, a big branch off a tree sliding down your line can feel an awful lot like a fish.
It can kite in the current or snag something else and pull line from the reel – at least that’s what the big fella said as an excuse for the big licks he was giving the battle. A long day in the wind and cold can make you a lot more optimistic but the reality kicks in when there’s a log to be played while your netsman sarcastically preps the unhooking mat and tools to ensure it’s safe release.
Meanwhile, you can get free “give your litter a lift” paper bags through Keep Scotland Beautiful and fishing shops, to keep handy for fishing trips.
As anglers, we can do our bit to tackle this problem.
Something like 80 per cent of all marine litter comes from our rivers, lochs and streams.
It’s maybe safe enough for my mate to leave dredging up the bottom of the loch for rubbish, mind you, and just take the real litter home.