In global terms Scottish fishing is mediocre ..............

[Wildfisher]

............. but our  right to roam, our hiking, our canoeing and our wild camping are world class.

Shame about the weather though. 

This is good and worth a watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw7Fk2Zzlfw&t=707s

[Bobfly]

I think that, if you put the whole package together, you have an attractive result for Scotland. As he mentions in this video, he met folk who fish all over the world and yet they go to Assynt every year. My Danish angling friend thinks Scotland has a massive resource of inexpensive trout fishing. That does not apply to the poor salmon fishing !!

[Wildfisher]

That does not apply to the poor salmon fishing !!

The sad thing is even as recently as when I was a boy Scotland was one of the best places in the world for Atlantic salmon fishing. Our rivers were stuffed with fish. It's amazing what decades of inept management and over exploitation managed to achieve since then.

But things change I guess and excellent salmon fishing has been replaced with massive opportunities for many other healthy outdoor activities that appeal to a much wider demographic.

[burnie]

336 salmon and grilse caught from the Dee over the last 2 weeks according to fishpal, when I drove over it last week there was no water in the river, I reckon they must be walking in and picking them up with their hands. 34 reported from our local Esk rivers, numbers unheard of for years.

[superscot]

For me Fred fishing has changed drastically in the last twenty odd years I can mind all those years so looking forward to outings to remote lochs that I think no one else has cast a line on them finding out that some extremely hard to get to lochs are the fabled limestone and fish you only dream of those you keep to yourself. My love of the hill loch fishing is there but sadly knee problems has put paid to that this past years or so. Its an age thing I say! To say that Scotland has some of the finest brown trout fishing yes, I would agree as never yet got round to those memorial trips doon under that yourself and Alex undertook and loved the fact you both tried to do it on a budget nae 5- star hotels rough and ready and that was the joy of the vids and stories that came from those trips. For me up in the Northwest on Inverpolly was the place for me so many wonderful experiences some laughs and a dram or twa downed and the fact you took the time and effort to get their magical places when the weather is good dreadful miserable place when it is howling a gale sure Alex had a wee scary episode there one time.  To catch a large wild brown was a thrill and still is yet years ago and im talking forty odd years plus you chapped it on the head now in the past years I get more enjoyment letting the fish go knowing that the chances of it getting caught again in remote places was very slim. Now the subject of Scottish salmon fishing I used to do it many years ago but sadly gave it up after our 1st Alaska trip something we had planned for over two years and when you see what is available for the price of an Alaskan fishing licence the thought of a grand plus per week to catch well who knows in Scottish waters. The demise of Scottish Atlantic salmon you could debate for many moons how we revive  is beyond me.       

[Wildfisher]

336 salmon and grilse caught from the Dee over the last 2 weeks according to fishpal, when I drove over it last week there was no water in the river, I reckon they must be walking in and picking them up with their hands. 34 reported from our local Esk rivers, numbers unheard of for years.

I took out a season ticket on the Gairn this year but there is so little water I've only been once. Too much of a drive for too little water.

By the way I would not believe anything I read on Fishpal it's a site I would only use as a last resort and try to go direct to the fishery owner to cut out the middle man.

[Wildfisher]

The demise of Scottish Atlantic salmon you could debate for many moons how we revive  is beyond me.       

In the 1960s I remember standing under the bridge at Kinnaber on the North Esk and watch waves of salmon coming over the rapids. Hundreds of them. Half a mile upstream at Morphie Dyke sweep after sweep of nets were pulling them out. Hundreds of them. No wonder there are few fish left.

[Laxdale]

I am not sure where you can say all the salmon fishing in Scotland is poor. Numbers of fish are good in some rivers this year. Good as in better than the long term average catches. But I do not rely on Pishpal for info...

[Wildfisher]

I am not sure where you can say all the salmon fishing in Scotland is poor. Numbers of fish are good in some rivers this year.

That's good news. I did hear the Naver and some other dead man's shoes waters had fish. North Esk usually  holds up well.

But I do not rely on Pishpal for info...

Had some dealings with them in the early days and was not impressed. The site is far too complex and I don't find it user friendly.

[Wildfisher]

I had an interesting conversation with a ghillie on The Dee today at Invercauld. He was fishing and was with  two guys with a flashy video camera.  Far from being a good season he said it's been dreadful, the spring fish count was way down and right now there are few if any fish in  the river. It is very low.  It does make you wonder were these stories come from. Interestingly he was saying the seals have been upstream as far as Banchory, presumably hoovering up the fish the mergansers missed.