just back from a mega great trip to Caithness last week.
was awesome!

I fished in the sea with my fly rod but never caught anything, too early yet for any good shore fishing so I went to a few lochs and had a ball!

i fished loch heilen allday and never saw a fish anywhere!
there was mega fly life, leeches, nymphs etc etc and as I was packing up at sunset, 2 otters came out to play.
great to see them playing about, only the second time I have ever seen an otter but not very good for the fishing!
i let the shop where I got my permit know about them etc.

so I ended up getting a ticket for some other lochs and caught loads of fish!

here are the best

A lovely 2 pounder all skinny after breeding :-



a near fat feeding 3 pounder :-



and the cream de la cream, my first fly caught sea trout in a loch feed by a tiny wee stream from the sea :-



what a fight this guy put up!
tail walking and did 5 runs! it even jumped back in the water when i was trying to un-hook it from my top dropper!
also when i was holding it(with wet hands of course) i could feel the power in its silver body.
hard as nails.

now all the fish were caught on very drab long winged black or brown wet flies. no fancy colours, just as long as the flies had plenty wings and thick bodies.

i never met a soul on all my fishing escapades, even mananged to fall asleep in the heather for 2 hours at midday one day
weather was pure blue skies and mega strong winds!
i soon had to learn how to cast with the strong winds.
cast my rod low to the side and double hauled.
also just let out the shooting head, no running line as this caused lots of problems.
also, had to give up on the nice 3pound maxima test tippet and went to 8pound kamisan, still no good, tangles every cast, in the end, 12pound maxima did the job with 2 droppers on.
this helped great, fish didnt seem bothered about the presentation etc!
water is as peaty as dark rum.
i wouldnt recommend wading as u cant see the bottom, i was pre-warned.

i cant wait until i get up again, next month i'm off to........South Uist, yeeeehhhhaaa.
cheers
rusty

Beautiful fish there Rusty, a far cry from the dodgy Brownies we get down here
Cheers,
Chris

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Well Done rusty, what a catch a mate well done.


Wilkie

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" TRUE CHAMPION'S DO NOT GET JUDGED ON HOW THEY FALL......... BUT HOW THEY RISE".

thanks Wilkie.
thats my first proper shot at wild fishing
i'm really loving this fly fishing lark, minted fun!
i saw the post about you and your son, awesome fisherman in the making
peace
rusty