I'm going to ask a silly question - but I'll introduce myself first before I make a fool of myself.
I sent the following letter via a website to Iain Cameron (some of you may have seen it on the website):
"Almost fifty years ago, my family and I emigrated from Glasgow to Australia where we currently live.
Three or four years earlier, when I was a lad of eleven, I was given a fly fishing rod by my father. Unfortunately, he couldn’t afford reel and line, so I never used it and never went fly fishing in Scotland. About four years ago, I started fly fishing here in Victoria and am quite addicted. Australian rivers and streams are very different from those in Scotland. They are often very overgrown (with brambles which some idiot colonial imported so his (imported) rabbits would have somewhere to hide from his (imported) foxes – all three of which are now out of control) and it’s a battle to get to the water. The rivers also have to endure drought, flood and bushfire which create logjams and obstacle courses. And then there’s the snakes. But I’m still addicted.
Getting to the point at last, I’m coming back, with my wife. This trip is literally a nostalgia trip. We arrive in Glasgow on August 17. We’re planning to spend a couple of days in Glasgow getting organised, visiting relatives, then head for Skye for about a week before a trip to the outer islands then up the west coast then back down the east (another place carrying memories of my childhood is Cullen over on the Moray Firth, so a couple of days there) and back via Aberdeen, the Trossachs to Glasgow. We reckon this will take four or five weeks and the weather may be getting chilly by then so time to head south. We fly back to Australia on October 4. It’s a big trip for us.
Excuse me if I ramble a bit – my point is that I would like to catch at least one wee trout on the fly in Scotland. I expect I will have to buy new gear before we head off but I have no idea what will work in Scottish rivers. I don’t know the ropes now in Scotland – in Victoria all the waters are owned by the Commonwealth and access is free. I believe you have to pay daily fees to fish in Scotland (?). I have emailed a couple of fishing clubs in Scotland but have had no response. Can you advise or do you know of any fly fisher folk who would like to make a friend at the other end of the world and whom I could email for advice? "
Much of the questions raised in the letter have been answered by Iain and a couple of other good souls but I'm still a bit in the dark about fishing around inland from Aberdeen. Specifically, and this is the daft question, what are the best flies? I try to tie my own but failing that I'll just buy them.
So there's a conversation starter - what flies would you recommend to a stranger? (And any other tackle suggestions - looks like I'll be bringing 3 wt and 5/6 wt rods.)
I have also decided that I won't bring any Aussie diseases on my boots so I will need to buy a pair of boots and waders almost as soon as I arrive, and since my wife will be shopping I may have to abandon them here for lack of space in my suitcase - so I'm hoping to find a cheapish set. Again any suggestions as to what and where to buy will be gratefully received.
And last, I've been offered a cheap overnight accommodation deal at the Colquhonnie Hotel in Strathdon. Does anyone know anything about this place? And is it a reasonable base for a couple of days' fishing?
I've received so much good advice every time I've sent off letters like this that I am very grateful for the generosity shown by the 'internation brotherhood of fly fishers' and I thank you in advance for anything you care to contribute.
And if there's anything you want to know about fishing downunder, hit me ...
Alan
