The annual Traprain/TonyJ and Dunbar stravaig took us to Orkney this year. A slight departure from the wilds of Assynt, but no less pleasant. We were initially greeted by unseasonably nice weather for Orkney in Mid June (ie double figures and some sun). True to style, this was not to last. However, it stayed mostly dry for the week, but with some vile northerlies and easterlies which dampened the fuish’s ardour for the fly.

We ended up with a not unrespectable (for the conditions) tally around 50 fish. Not particularly good either, considering the exertions of 3 anglers over 5 days of some 10 hours fishing each day. The use of DI3 lines with some of the nu-wave flies pioneered by the Orkney competition anglers managed to save the day for some of us.........makes a nice change from 'stroking' the water with a team of traditionals, with pipe in mouth and tweed on head.

Highlights of the week were a particularly abominable ‘lunch’ enroute to Orcadia in Wetherspoons, Inverness. On matters food, we thought things could get no worse and took some consolation from that; however, we were proven wrong. On arrival, a culinary disaster was to befall two of the party – skate wings were ordered on the first evening which looked extremely appetizing but had not been cooked in the correct manner. To say they tasted of extremely strong urine would be an understatement. Traprain then kindly informed us both of the peculiar ability of skates being unable to p**s as we know it and henceforth absorb their own urine. Nice. I won’t name the establishment as they were good in all other respects, however be warned if you ever consider ordering skate wings.

Further highlights included blanking on Swannay and beaching on innumerable skerries. Of particular amusement was TonyJ’s order to attend a pre-breakfast health & safety brief (ie how to start an outboard) at the Merkister Hotel prior to taking their boat.

Despite the above, it was a thoroughly enjoyable and bracing trip and I heartily recommend the Northern Isles to anyone seeking out wild trout fishing. A few snaps below might only just begin to convey the atmosphere.

Loch of Harray.



In!



Small but perfectly formed.



Boardhouse sunset

the last picture is a belter, beautiful colours!

__________________
Tomo

www.unchartedwatersthefilm.com or email jatstanic@aol.com for your copy

And a rainbow over Swannay

Stunning pictures.

I hope it warms up a bit.

Me and Mrs Loopy are off for a week and I have been given a small pass for some fishing.

If it ain't warmish she won't want to go again and therefore I won't be able to visit the Isles either!

__________________
[COLOR="Blue"]"A fish seen is a fish nearly caught"[/COLOR]

trully is gods country great pictures enough to wet anybodys appetite defo for next year

my mate just got back from a week in orkney - his best two fish were over 7lbs - i'll post some pics when i get home saturday.

Blimey, I don't think I caught 7lbs of fish all week!

Very interested to know more - from one of the North Isles lochs maybe?

from the north loch on sanday i think but they had big fish in other places too - more to follow tommorow.

North Loch and Bea hold very large fish. Bit of a trek out though, and there's always the risk that strong winds will make these shallow lochs unfishable due to silt and marl colouring up the water. Strictly speaking, I think these are probably 'put and take' in the purest sense; I don't think there is much, if any natural spawning and fish are stocked very small, so I suppose to all intents and purposes are 'wild'.