Wilderness cottage's April 04 edition
of

Gordons, "tight lines" fishing news from Loch Ness, Scotland.

At last it has arrived, what I believe to be the real start of the trout season.   Mid April in the Highlands is our late spring, with bouncy lambs in the fields, arrival of the curlew and oystercatchers and fleeting glimpse of red squirrel, forecasts the warmer and lengthening days.

There are those of use whose luck starts early in the season.   I called on one of our self catering cottage guests Mr Jackson, who was just in the process of landing a 3 1/2lb brownie from Loch Mhor.   I am certain even he noticed my colour change from white to green.   But like all good sportsmen, he shook my hand and thanked me for my assistance (which I gratefully accepted with wet feet and jeans) as we slipped that beautiful male fish back to the water.  

Traditional wet loch patterns are working well now, Peter Ross, Mallard and Claret etc but as the weather warms surface presented fly will start to take fish, especially in the late evenings, as long as cold winds and mist stay away.

Salmon fishers find the seasons harder than ever with longer hours required on the riverbank and even greater determination, but always remember flies on the bank do not catch fish.   So get going, there are fish to be caught.

The river Moriston got off to a cracking start with fresh spring fish running through the Ness system.   As usual the Moriston was the early producer.   At the beginning of March, 20 fish had be grassed from this short controlled water, and it was evident that a better than normal run of fish had entered the system.

So with a wee bit of determination and a few more hours spent (I am certain the wife will understand) you should soon be into your first fish.

Tight lines and all the best,

Gordon