Fishing The Fly Scotland Forum

Alan Madden

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




Rob Brownfield

Re: hello from an Australian/Scottish visiting fly fisher
« Reply #1 on: 18/07/2012 at 14:12 »
First the hotel...great base for upper Don fishing...you have around 20 miles of water accessable to yourself. Have a look here:
http://fishingthefly.co.uk/river-don-brown-trout-fishing.html

As for flies, Sandy from this forum has beaten me to it... :
http://fishingthefly.co.uk/river-don-trout-flies.html

And tactics:
http://fishingthefly.co.uk/river-don-trout-tactics.html

If you are into still waters :
http://fishingthefly.co.uk/rainbow-trout-lochs.html

All of the above links will give you perhaps 90% of what you need to know :)


There are always favourite flies that folk use, which you will see mentioned in the River Don catch reports on this site.

On top of all this, you are a short hop to the River Dee or the River Devron.

Mike Barrio

Re: hello from an Australian/Scottish visiting fly fisher
« Reply #2 on: 18/07/2012 at 23:56 »
Welcome to the forum Alan :z16

Best wishes
Mike

Alan Madden

Re: hello from an Australian/Scottish visiting fly fisher
« Reply #3 on: 19/07/2012 at 13:00 »
Thanks, Mike.

Expect an order for some leaders etc. in the next day or two - which I'll ask you to send to a B&B where we'll be staying.

Alan

Iain Cameron

Re: hello from an Australian/Scottish visiting fly fisher
« Reply #4 on: 19/07/2012 at 19:58 »
Thanks, Mike.

Expect an order for some leaders etc. in the next day or two - which I'll ask you to send to a B&B where we'll be staying.

Alan

Hi Alan - glad to see you found your way here as directed. Lots of good people and advice will certainly help with your trip home.

cheers
iain

TimTheFlier

Re: hello from an Australian/Scottish visiting fly fisher
« Reply #5 on: 22/07/2012 at 23:21 »
Alan,

If you also post your waders / boots for sale on the "For Sale / Wanted" board, I'm sure you could hook up with someone local that could buy them off you on your last day (I'm certainly looking for a set) - you're guaranteed a sale but get to use them for your entire trip.

There is lots of advice on the forum about waders but if you identify a pair, I'm sure we could suggest British websites to buy them through and again have them sent to the B&B.

Just a thought.

Safe travels and fingers crossed for some favourable weather on your arrival.

Tim


Alan Madden

Re: hello from an Australian/Scottish visiting fly fisher
« Reply #6 on: 23/07/2012 at 08:04 »
Thanks, Tim. Good idea.

 




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