Well yes of course there is but we'll avoid the obvious for the moment.

Anyway, after very much enjoying my attempts at catching wild brownies on Mull and the course fish on my local river it's has occurred to me that I have no real desire to go after stocked rainbows.

As far as I can tell the reasons are thus:

While I'll no doubt enjoy the fishing to some extent on a regular southern stocked fishery I have no real desire to kill and keep what I catch. It somehow feels like chasing and killing free range chicken for your own pot. A wild brown is oddly different. The one I caught in Mull was also returned without ill effect to fight another day.

Rainbows aren't native. My course fishing background means I largely catch native fish, perhaps I'm anti-american . . . who knows, but the wild and natural element apeals to me.

I'm also a tight b*stard. Ticket prices seem quite a lot for the new to fly fishing especially in the south it seems.

Don't get me wrong I'm enjoying learning and will carry on but I suspect my heart will always be north of the border for fluff chucking.

Absolutely nothing wrong with you. We all have to fish on our own terms for what gives us pleasure. Pleasure is why we do it.

The problem only comes when you start to criticize or look down on others for adopting a different but equally legitatmate set of critera.

Each to their own, and good luck and enjoy your fishing.

Hi Sunrider,

It all sounds perfectly normal to me.

Norm

Got to echo what Fossil says.

I do a bit of put and take fishing from time to time but will say my preference is definately for something a bit more wild.

That's easy for me to say though as we're spoilt rotten up here in Scotland -that's why it's called God's Country.

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Tight Lines. :)

You're right there BD............I love my trips to Bonny Scotland. I too do a bit of put and take, as you can imagine there aint too much in the way of wild brownies in the staffs and worcs canal here in bonny woolyhampton. I guess you have grab what you can............................birdsnest

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Fear not if I steal from your side, as of yore, from paradise streams to fish Teifi once more.
BN based in Wolverhampton

Share your pain Sunrider, pretty much gave up fishing when I was working down south.

That said if you fished some of the larger reservoirs from the bank, sussing out naturalised fish with wee immitative patterns I am sure it would present a similar wild experience.

A naturalised rainbow is as good as a wild brownie....sadly for every good fish you may have to get past several tatty aquapigs.

Spot on responses from FF & BD, amongst others, here Sunrider.

I also urge you to take Texxa's comments on board.

I've not fished much in the South but up here in the North East there is a great variation in stocked fisheries.

We have a number of stocked reservoirs and lakes which have a very natural habitat.

I find these very pleasant to fish and, whilst obviously not the same, the total experience is not hugely different to fishing truly wild lakes.

A bit of searching and trying various venues may pay off for you. I found 3 waters that I really do enjoy (and admittedly several that I don't but I just don't go there).

(I was also lucky enough to get membership at one of these waters which greatly reduces the annual cost.)

Keep trying different places.

Cheers

W

I fish rivers for wild browns and grayling with my mates and also fish on rivers for the course fish wading and trotting maggots with a centrepin.

While I enjoy doing this I keep coming back to Rainbow trout.I think they are a beautiful fish,strong fighting and while sometimes its easy to catch them more often you have the challenge of working out what they will take on the day.

I find killing and eating them adds to the enjoyment for me and preparing them for the freezer and eating them days later is an added dimension to the fishing.

So.no your not strange as my mates would agree 100% with you but I love Rainbows and don't mind parting with my hard earned cash for the privilege. The amenities provided by commercial waters also cannot be overlooked in my opinion for those of us a bit past our prime .

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Theres more to fishing than just fish.

Rainbows have always had the stigma of being easy to catch hanging over them ever since they were introduced to our shores.But, of course we all know that once they have survived the initial onslaught of us anglers and become naturalised to the water after a period of time,they can become a very different kettle of fish.
They are indeed beautifull and challenging fish to catch, as anyone who has caught grown on residents from the Midland or Bristol reservoirs will testify.

These days though, I mainly fish for wild brownies,not because they are any more challenging than naturalised rainbows....in fact when brownies are "on" they can be just as keen to take a pulled fly as any stockie straight off the lorry is.
No....to me,chasing wild brownies is more about the peace and quiet,rugged scenery and lack of other anglers that appeals to me.....not the pretence of them being any harder to catch.

I think I've been spoiled with my first trout fishing experiences.

A few evenings on the Mishnish lochs on Mull was quite magical. Total quiet except for the bird song and Golden Eagles soaring overhead. I can't wait to go back.

When I do my casting will have improved so hopefully a few more brownies will be tempted to take my offering.

My other attempt was in New Zealand which was another stunning place and well worth a visit for the fishing alone.