In praise of bonny Scotland
Having no desire at all to travel abroad, I have nevertheless enjoyed
my many fishing holidays in Wales and Ireland and Scotland.
However, having gradually become disillusioned by some aspects of fishing
in Ireland I find that my fondest memories of fishing outside of England
are of my many Scottish fishing holidays.
Scotland has magnificent scenery, especially in the central highlands
which is my favourite area.
Value for money is simply great with good hotel accommodation often costing
far less than similar hotels in England.
Unlike other parts of the British Isles you do not have to buy a fishing
license, even for salmon fishing. I have even enjoyed good sport at times
in waters that make no charge.
Though I did just once have an unfortunate fishing holiday in the far
north of Scotland staying at a hotel that didn’t please me at all
and in an area with a disturbing amount of drunkenness and rough behaviour
I have on all other occasions been simply amazed at how friendly and helpful
and generous the Scottish people are.
I love the Scottish teasing that arises from their pride in being Scottish.
When they get to know you they will say things like “Och, ye’re
no bad for a foreigner”.
And there is only one fish in Scotland, a salmon. Once a Scot asked me
whether I had caught a fish that day. When I showed him a lovely wild
brown trout that I had landed he scornfully informed me that “That’s
no a fish, it’s just a troot”.
I will probably not be visiting the country again, and certainly I could
not manage the long treks across wild countryside that delighted me in
the past. However, to any Scottish people reading this column may I say
how much I have enjoyed visiting their marvellous country and how helpful
I have found the Scottish people and how great the food I have enjoyed
there.
Perhaps the opportunities for coarse fishing are not as numerous and in
other parts of the British Isles but there are nevertheless some great
opportunities to be had including the fantastic bream fishing on Castle
Loch near Lochmaben.