Free fishing in Scotland

[Dave]

I caught some decent brownies in Loch Lochy from the shore........

I did the great glen in the canoe a few years ago, and never caught a thing on Loch Lochy. Was using a no5 spoon. What rod/bait/lure were you using?

 

[21st century pict]

You can’t beat worms, but spinners or the fly should work just fine, I was after trout, I tried using a flower and sardine oil mix with some day glow beads for bate, but I didn’t catch anything on that but perhaps by then I’d run out o luck. Can’t recommend any pike gear, never tried fishing for them, apparently very poor eating, but I wouldn’t say no to a good fight all the same, most o the guys I see seem to fish for the pike at night. I think Prawns and semtex are a no no.

 

[BJJJ]

You can’t beat worms, but spinners or the fly should work just fine, I was after trout, I tried using a flower and sardine oil mix with some day glow beads for bate, but I didn’t catch anything on that but perhaps by then I’d run out o luck. Can’t recommend any pike gear, never tried fishing for them, apparently very poor eating, but I wouldn’t say no to a good fight all the same, most o the guys I see seem to fish for the pike at night. I think Prawns and semtex are a no no.

Prawns I can understand.

 

[Bumbler]

You can’t beat worms, but spinners or the fly should work just fine, I was after trout, I tried using a flower and sardine oil mix with some day glow beads for bate, but I didn’t catch anything on that but perhaps by then I’d run out o luck. Can’t recommend any pike gear, never tried fishing for them, apparently very poor eating, but I wouldn’t say no to a good fight all the same, most o the guys I see seem to fish for the pike at night. I think Prawns and semtex are a no no.

If you have not tried a #0 Blue Fox Vibrax in Silver on the trout, you are missing out my friend. Of course you'll need a UL rod capable of casting 3 gram weights to do it. I use a Shimano Beastmaster 165UL rod for that. Have never been trout fishing and not gotten anything with that.

 

[bignige]

cheers for the info

 

[ZEbbEDY]

nice list man

 

[Doc]

Aye, well done the frog.

There are other places listed as free in a book I've got (Bruce Sandison, I think) but it's 20 years old, so info may be out of date. I'll have a look for it.

The problem I find is wee lochs in remote areas that are seldom fished. Because no-one fishes them, permit information is hard to find. Asking locally, folks often suggest the estate owner is unlikely to object, but this is not the same as formal permission.

As understand it trout fishing without permission in a Protection Order area is illegal. Elsewhere it is not a criminal offence, although it is a civil wrong without the owners permission.

One of the great things about Scotland is the trout fishing is so cheap: a fiver a day is typical, or maybe £30 for a season ticket. It's also good that there is still some free fishing.

We have free shooting too (wildfowling on Crown foreshore), a right to roam and paddle responsibly, and no requirement for a rod licence. Truly a civilised country.