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Autumn 2008
Contents

News
Autumn 2008

Features
"We cool?” Stewart Lochrie is most definitely hooked

A Braw Day On The Braan Brian Tulloch enjoys a fine day on a lovely highland stream

A Female Angle Yvonne Cowie proves that salmon fishing is not just for the boys

A perfectly good boat of my own Bruce Sandison on the Isle of Barra

Highland Hill Lochs Big-Country Style Ian Cramman seeks ‘loch’ trout in wild Wyoming

Nymph Mania Encounters with river nymphs by Alex Laurie

The Origins of the Corrie Killer Allan Liddle describes his new fly for the deadly tactic of dry fly on lochs

Wendy’s Big Trout Joe Whoriskey visits Glen Affric

Get Lost!
Weather to go? John Cargill gets blown away in Skye

Short Lines
Failing Miserably John Cargill does what he does best

Getting Articulated A play on words with Bob Graham

Back Casts
A Learning Curve How Vince Smith became hooked for life

The Tweed at Melrose – 1952. Bob Graham recalls a red-letter day

Fly Tying
Step by Step with Dennis Shaw The Snatcher

Virtual Fly Box
The Butcher Family Alan Goodwin takes a look at some famous flies

Tackle Reviews
Pitsford Pirate Floating Fly Lines Reviewed by Fred Carrie

Book Reviews
Skues On Trout Reviewed by Peter McCallum

Northern Climes
Fish Farming Shetland-Style First Published September, 2007

Fishing Fiction
Adventures of Vushwelt and Kachsum’or A Tale By Sandy Birrell


Fishing and Religion
John Gray ponders the parallels
(click any thumbnail image for a larger version)

Now I am not a religious man. To all outward appearances, I am as sane and sensible as the next man, quite normal. Really, I am. Indeed, I am sure I am not very different from most of you. Yet I do, from time to time, get the feeling that perhaps something is amiss, that I am somehow just a little bit out of the ordinary. The odd sideways glance, the occasional raised eyebrow, a look, even, of incomprehension on the faces of those I meet, when talking about something as simple as the weather, give me pause for thought and force me to face reality. Yes, I must confess. I am a practising sea trout fisher and, it would seem, I do display many of the symptoms of the religious devotee.

Many are the sacrifices I make for my "religion", which I put before all other things. My faith is strong, unwavering and rarely reinforced by experience. I make annual, and often arduous, pilgrimages to holy places where it is rumoured that Salmo trutta trutta once appeared, and, when asked, I am unable to produce evidence of his existence. On holy days, I perform ancient rituals, often misunderstood by the non-believer, involving walking in water in the dead of night, dressed in robes of green, comforted by rod and staff and often accompanied by a priest. I am daunted neither by drought nor famine, pestilence nor plague for I am steadfast in my faith, resolute in my mission. In the long dark days which we know as the “Close Season”, I devote much time to the reading of the scriptures and create, for Him, wondrous offerings out of fur, feather and tinsel. Wherever I can find those that will listen, I spread the word, often at the risk of ridicule, derision and social exclusion. At the time of the winter solstice, our small community of believers gathers at the appointed place for our annual ceremonial meeting to hear the word, admit new members, gather in the collection and talk of times of plenty in years past and yet to come and, at the dawning of the New Season, we pray for the Heavens to open and deliver unto us a bloody great flood.
Profile
John Gray has always been a keen angler, giving up the security of a teaching job in 1983 to open a tackle shop in Kilsyth, which he ran for twenty years.

Thoughts on game fish brown trout fishing, a pleasant recreation; salmon fishing, a bloody hard day’s work; sea trout fishing, a glorious obsession

Fondest Memory
Of a time when sea trout swam in our north western rivers and lochs.

John is now fascinated by computers and the power of the internet, and sees Fish Wild! as an example of the worldwide web at its very best. He is currently developing a new website, www.trout-salmon-fishing.com, which aims to provide information on wild brown trout, salmon and sea trout fishing opportunities in Scotland. He would be grateful for any information, which might be usefully added to the website, particularly about reasonably priced, publicly accessible fishing in Scotland. Fishing hotels, tackle shops and angling clubs are also invited to submit details for free inclusion. Readers will find contact details on the website.

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