Caladail – the Limestone Jewel of Caithness
Loch Caladail, a setting where the fish are the stars. Muscled slabs of silver, flanks highlighted with a hint of gold. Athletic, feisty and sometimes enticingly large.
The Highland Angler Blog
Dapping – A Delightful Diversion
A delightful diversion, a secret pleasure. Dapping appeals to the eternal child in every fisherman the one that will spend hours dangling a crab line off a Cornish harbour wall or even longer messing around lifting stones in a Hebridean rockpool.
Lost Fish – occasional posts on the ones that got away!
This one is exotic and undoubtedly the biggest trout that I have lost, except I didn’t lose it, my incompetence meant I didn’t quite get that far.
The Lower Duart – a Salmon Beat Beyond Compare
The Lower Duart was a gem, and to my dad an obsession.
I say ‘was’ because, although it is still undeniably stunning and a hugely popular beat, in the past it was on an elevated pedestal of being one of the most wonderful, special and unique places to catch a Scottish salmon.
The Water Companies – A Scandal of Our Times
Let’s play a game of word association. I’ll go first. Water Companies – Scandalous. Now can you imagine watching one of those mindless ITV daytime quiz shows. The game is basically the same, but...
Hill Lochs – and the Perfect One
(First Published In Trout and Salmon – April 2025) It always starts with a map. In those early days it would be the huge one taking up half a wall in the hotel lounge,...
The Army Flyfishing Team – My Year of Humiliation
My recruitment began at Bisham Abbey where I was meeting my best mate who was on a sports physio course. Weirdly I was introduced to Mike as he came off the netball court having...
Loch Dionard – A Special Place
Loch Dionard – if I was given the opportunity to spend my last twenty minutes on this earth in any place I desired it would be here, no hesitation, no doubt, it would be...
My Poaching Paradise – it’s OK Honestly!
I love a bit of harmless poaching. It has to be with a fly rod, not impact anybody else’s days fishing and preferably be from a bit of water owned by some absentee English...
Sorrows – What Should I Do?
It’s January 3rd and I’m angry. I’ve just got back from walking Lexi round the orchard and I’ve found the trees are budding, with one even sprouting two partially unfurled leaves – it’s just...