Old Sarah

Hi Spanner It was a glorious day on Friday, I really did not want to come home. With the lack of cloud cover we could still distinguish the boat colours at midnight! You tend to go to bed so much later, you forget what time it is as it is still light. Tha "local" (owner of the cottage) is probably about my age so watch it with "the older generation"!!! We saw a diver with a large eel wrapped around its beak that ti was really struggling with. It was a bit annoying to watch everything catching fish but me. Have a great time, hope the weather is kind to you.

Well, I'm back of holiday.... saw the otter twice in front of the cottage catching fish and having a good old feed. The divers (birds) seem to be pretty successfull as well, ME...... forget it.... not a bite!! ....Had lots of prawns (Dublin Bay) as the cottage owner is a creel fisherman. .....A Pine Martin came on to the window sill most evenings for scraps.... But no fish. The owner, at the end of the 1st week told us that there were no fish in Loch Beag and not much anywhere around. He said the fish seem to be going more to the West coast of the Outer Isles.... Gillies be prepared for a visit... I wish. Guess I will just have to do my fishing by proxy again, so get writing please. Thanks to all for their advice Sarah

Fry in medium oatmeal. It really is food for the gods! I know it is fried but the oatmeal maks the difference.

Spanner, Have put it on our short list. Thanks for the info. After all this I had better catch something!!!

Spanner, forgot to ask, where is the house, ie where did you catch the salmon!.... 3 more days to go!!

Many thanks for that. We have tried the stakes etc and I must admit the heron doesn't actually get many fish but I think he misses a lot hence the holes in the liner! The pond was originally about 4 feet deep, now has a fair amount of debris in it I think, so the fish can get away. I like the idea of the scarer especially if it gets the cat, child is now 23 so she can look out for herself amd we don't have a dog so only Granny to worry about, plus the cost of course!!

Spanner, good to hear from you. Sorry you were not too good. There is nothing worse than being ill whilst on ones own! Congrats on the salmon, I won't ask what you did with it. we're really looking forward to our visit. Why do we always wish we had booked 3 weeks instead of 2 as the break draws closer. The dream would be to have a house up there someday..... Oh well. Bet the better weather waits for the locals to return, a few nice days would be good but what the heck we will have lots of books and the fish don't mind the rain. All the best

Thanks for that Norrie, I can really look forward to the holiday now!

Just thought I would bring this up to the top again. We're off up north soon (petrol protests permitting), fortune spent on midge repellant and new lures. Now I just need to find the fish before the seals etc get them all. Spanner, how did your trip go did you get much, at least the midges wern't out in March! Thanks guyes, all help and advice gratefully recieved. Sarah

That's a good one but how about Cheshire Cod 'n Carp... brings it up the alphbetical list and as was mentioned earlier if you do end up doing mail order not everybody knows where the wirral is. or.... to pinch another ides.... Cheshire Fish 'n Tips ('n instesd of &)

Those are the b****** that bob around in the water,just in front of you,laughing when you are trying to catch something.... anything....

I'll remember that one! I need all the help I can get!

I had heard that there were no more wild cats. Guess their "extintion has been greatly exaggerated" to give a terrible miss quote. It is great to hear there are still some around! I have enough problem finding otters never mind wild cats so I don't suppose I will see one again. Still once is better than never.

I stayed at Resipol more years ago than I care to remember. Back then it was a fantastic site but I believe it has developed a bit now! The one and only sea trout I caught was off the rocks from near there. I would have thought simple cheap spinners should catch something and you would not worry too much if the kids lost a few. Not that I am an expert but I do manage to catch small pollack if nothing else. I also saw a Wild Cat (yes wild not ferel) there about 6am on a summers morning, just down the road towards Strontian. I had better mention that all of this was almost 40 years ago but I have fond memories of fantastic holidays there. Have a great time and take everything you can think of for the midges... see prev. postings on the subject.

Come on lads, somebody must know something?

You lucky b*****

Hiya, It must be only in the UK Sarah, if you look on www.avon.com they are selling it there as a bug deterrent [/QB] Thought it was only the woodland fresh one. I think they must have developed a bug repellant recently.

Sorry, pressed wrong button. I meant to add..... I thought the worst ones were on Rum! Re my comment about Avon + brand image, I think I saw it in an article in the Telegraph. Do you think if I start putting the stuff on now I will build up a bit of layer of it, mind you that would probably mean that I could not wash and that would get rid of everything/body apart from the midges..... now that's an idea!! Peace & quiet at last!

Will real ones do.... we have enough of them "visiting". On second thoughts, no they dont.... I might just try the big cat thing. Thanks

We have a 7' x 12' x abt 3.5' pond that needs total renovation this year. The old liner (non butyl) is about 20 yrs old! Has anybody any ideas how we can extend the pond to create a shallower/bog area without creating a perfect platform for the heron to go fishing from!! By the way I hate wire covers so would like to avoid the use of one if possible. Thanks

Hi Norman Shore/rock fishing. Only once been boat fishing and loved it (caught an 11lb+ pollock, the lads were reet mad!) Usually only get to go once a year! Have use of a rowing (!!) boat this year so might be able to fish where the fish are.

I managed to find one for the area around Loch Beag/Torridon a bit ago..... great for getting an idea of depths, where drop-offs are etc!

Oh dear are they going to be talking about us or what Not long now mate Alan Don't worry even the US armey uses the Avon stuff. I have been told that avon refuse to market Skin-so-soft.... (Woodland Fresh only please note) as a mossie repellant as it would not fit in with their brand image

Guess I should check my spelling!! I meant "out in force" is the gorse out?