Backcountry Angling
- Details
- Published on Friday, 03 July 2009 06:51
- Written by Davy Virdee
As a young(er) lad, I used to wander over the hills, spinning rod in one hand; sandwiches in another. As time went on and my ability to catch trout didn’t seem to get better, I found myself carrying the rod less and less, until I started climbing hills and mountains for their sake alone.
Funny now it gone full circle, 15 plus years later I’m starting to carry a fly-rod in one hand and sandwiches and loads of other paraphernalia in a rucksack!
So what’s changed? Well, by ability to catch fish is only slightly better, but my attitude to how I go up and down the Scottish hill has. Why? Well, I suppose as a “grown-up” I tend to travel further, and go for longer. I’ll be more inclined to go out when the weather is bad. Searching out remote (and even not so remote) lochans in Scottish Hills is a challenge with high rewards, but not without hazards!
I imagine most of readers here who venture into the hills –for fishing or not- are pretty clued up, but for those preparing for their first ventures into “backcountry angling”; here are my hints and tips for hill safety:
• Preparation – Get a map and find out how to get to your remote gem of a loch full of monster trout, and work out how long it will take you walk in and out. Naismith’s rule (3-5 km/h + 10 minutes for every 100m climbed) is a good guide to estimating time from map distance. Anglers should note that the Scottish Outdoor Access code does not apply to those accessing land for fishing. You should check with landowners about rights to fish and permits.
• Check weather forecasts - It’s always colder, wetter and windier higher up. You lose on average 1 degree Celsius for every 100m of height gained, and wind strengths can be double to triple at 900m what they are at sea-level.
• Learn how to read your map - and know how to use a compass! Mountain Rescue statistics show that the root cause of many hill incidents stem from a simple navigation error. A GPS can help, but learning to use a map and compass is key skill that doesn’t need batteries or satellites.
• Tell someone where you are going – Maybe obvious, but many of us fisherman prefer solitude and mobile phones don’t always work. So it’s a good idea to let folk know where you are going and when you’re due back - and also let them know when you’re back safe. There are many stories of rescuers scouring the hills for “overdue” hill-goers safely propping up a bar…
• Wear appropriate clothing, have spares and enough food and drink – It can snow in Scotland in the hills any day of the year. I can testify that walking several miles over the hills in winds, soaking wet after a full-immersion experience while fishing was sobering. And while we’re on the subject of being sober, alcohol isn’t a great way to fend off the cold – it encourages heat loss. Hyperthermia (heat exhaustion) can be as much a problem as hypothermia (being too cold) – so plenty of water for hot days!
• Be prepared and self-sufficient– Help at a highland loch side – even those that are close to the road – can be hours away. No hill-goer should expect to be rescued, so you should take precautions and not over stretch yourself or those with you. An emergency group shelter or “bothy bag” weighs little and won’t break the bank. Even in non-emergencies they are fantastic for lunch breaks and just getting out of the weather. In autumn and early spring, a lightweight head torch is a good idea.
• Light is Right – After advising you to carry all this stuff, I’m not going to tell you to carry as little as possible! Remember, you have to carry everything and a heavy pack will slow you down.
• Lastly, respect the hills – The old adage “Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints” should apply to us too, but maybe with the addition “Take nothing but photographs, and maybe the odd trout for tea” - however, given my afore mentioned ability not to catch fish, I don’t find that that being much of a problem.