Gentlemen

I'll be on the Isle of Bute for a few days in mid October and was wondering whether it would be worthwhile casting a line at that time of year.

I have not been to the isle before and in fact this would be my first attempt at SWFFing which I'm keen to try.

I'm looking for tips on tactics and marks but please remember I'm a total novice in the salt

I'll take a spin rod as well in case this is more sutable.

TIA

Regards

Nicko

Off the rocks, sinking line - pollack! Great fun, especially in the evening when they come up in the water column.

For a newcomer to SWFF, pollack are great, because they are generally very obliging - if you don't have any salt flies, just use a white dog knobbler or wooly bgger (to me they are the same thing - and the fish) or any other small lure type fly. The pollack will pounce on them - don't use freshwater strength tippet though. I would say for a newcomer nothing less than 12lbs, those pollack, even 1lbers, will dive you straight into the kelp otherwise.

Have fun - oh, and YES, of course it worth taking a rod. Leave the spinning rod at home, force your hand to use the fly rod and then you won't be tempted over to the easy way out.

Thanks TL, will give it a go

Which spot(s) would you recommend?

Nicko

Deep water close in, where there is rock and weed, hopefully with a bit of tide flow going past too - not up in the narrows at the NE tip of Bute, not THAT fast!

Sinking line - I tend to use a class 5 or 6 when targetting pollack/coalfish (coalies fight harder they are near enough the same, coalfish have a white lateral line and tend to be darker on the back, almost black).