Not one pike caught this winter despite a couple of day sessions in weather that can be best described as bloody freezing.  With weather improving, the fishing for pike should improve now, well it can't get any worse.  On a lighter note, the first trout of the season was caught first weekend in April in horrible weather conditions from a wee hill loch.  Remarkable how these wild fish can eek out an existance in these small hill lochs and as usual a small black zulu and kate mclaren combination proved to their liking.

Have only managed 2, day sessions for pike so far this winter and have blanked both times despite having high expectations.  However, on the second trip to the Great Glen area on a lovely icy day a friend managed 2 nice clean fish, the larger of the two pushing 10lb.  Have also been out sea fishing once on the boat and had 8 pollock to 4lb in no time at all to trolled lures.

Each winter I forget how tricky it is fishing for pike.  Weekend of the 24th Jan and another blank to show for the long slog with all the gear.  The temp didin't get much above 2 degrees all day and its back to the drawing board again.

The season ended on the 15th October as far as salmon and sea trout are concerned and due to work I was limited to a few short sessions on two locals rivers when spates and tides coincided with free time.  My last fish came in the dark on Mon 13th and it turned out to be a 4oz finnock, lets hope he grows a bit bigger!  Even though I didn't manage any more fish of note this has been an amazing season.  In my first yr up here and first time salmon fishing I was fortunate to take 1 salmon, I then took 2 the following season and now 3 this season.  The trend can't keep increasing, can it??  A lot of it is down to luck and being there at the right time and thankfully this season lady luck has been smiling on me.  And with the game season over its roll on the quest for a 20lb pike and some boat fishing for pollock....

The evening of the 3rd again proved a successful short session on a local river after I returned a nice 10inch sea trout from one of the pools in the gorge.  Better still was sharing the pool at dusk with an Otter who I think didn't reckon much to my fishing skills!

Managed a couple of hrs on the afternoon of the 4th again on the riverbank and despite low water I winkled out a 4lb salmon from a shallow fast run at the head of one of the many pools.  The proximity of the catch took me by surprise and the fish took a liking to a size 12 Peter Ross on the top dropper.

19th of September saw me out of bed early to take advantage of the spate and morning high tide.  My purple patch continued with a 5lb salmon coming at 9.30am to a small ally's shrimp.  The fish gave a good account of itself in the extra water and went back, as with all my salmon and sea trout this season, back upstream non the worse for the fight.

First weekend of the month and a overnight pike session yielded nothing at all apart from one small pike that came off.  Moved spots on the Loch after the bivvy was dismantled and managed a 7lb fish later on the Sunday afternoon.  The two areas fished are relatively new areas, the second showing good promise whilst the place where I fished overnight always screams fish but I have as yet to catch anything of note from there.

Ventured out onto the midge infested banks on the second Saturday of the month and found a nice spate running after what appeared localised rainfall on the Cuillin range.  I arrived at a less than ideal time tide wise but took my chance and positioned myself on one of the lower river pools.  Previous trips had yielded nothing with no sign of sea tout but fortunately this time I took two nice fish, the biggest around 11" on a shrimp fly on the point in case of any Grilse.  The second smaller fish took a teal blue and silver on the dropper.  A thoroughly enjoyable evenings fishing and both fish went back non the worse for their spirited fight.

Decided to have an afternoon piking on a highland loch and after long drive decided to try a spot I'd not previously managed to get to.  Anyway, managed to navigate the bog and I was glad I did go as I caught my new pb Pike at 18lb 6oz.  I also took a 7lb fish, both of which fell for float legered joey mackerel in deep water.

The 28th August turned out to be a great evening despite the drizzly, still, midge infested conditions down on the river.  I took my first salmon of the season, a grilse around 3 or 4 lb and I took it in a nice mid river pool on an orange shrimp fly.  The fish went back safely to run the gauntlet and I left extremely happy with my first salmon of the season in the book!

Managed half a dozen finnock and a sea trout this month from the a nice north Skye river.  The fish finally got a couple of chances to run the river as we finally had some rain after almost prolonged drought like spells.  I took a lovely 1.5lb fish one evening on a noted pool on a teal blue and silver and as always with sea trout it put up a real scrap.  All the fish went back safely.  Have had a wee dabble on a couple of local small burns too without any success as far as sea trout are concerned, still too early I guess.

Done a couple of short pike sessions as I've been back and forward between Skye and Inverness.  I had one small 4lb jack to show for two 4 hr sessions on two waters.  I managed a day long session on a large loch near Inverness in a very inviting looking spot near some reeds and a weed bed next to a lovely drop off.  I took two jacks, one was barely bigger than the sardine and set off like a flaming exorcet rocket!  Thought it was a real big un!

Was at a loose end whilst in Inverness so had an improptu days fishing on the River Spey on the Aviemore beat but didn't manage a salmon or a sea trout and suspect I'd have had a much better chance if I could have fished a lot later or into the early hrs as it was too bright in the day.  Had some nice wee brown trout though which kept me going.  Was a great experience for a first time on such a lovely stretch on this famous river.

Again, a good day was had on the Storr Lochs for the latest competition and I managed one fish over 10" to weigh in.  I must have taken as good dozen or so fish on various drifts and again I had a couple around 9" just below the size you can keep.  I caught on various flies; Loch Ordie's and various Zulu's.  Generally speaking the fish have been very obliging with plenty of action to the usual loch style tactics.

Thanks to 3 three lovely brown trout being brought to the boat by George we retained the All Nighter Trophy that we won last season.  I had a real grueller, catching my fair share of fish but only one fish came close to 10" and just fell short.  I also lost a good fish later on but in the end it didn't matter and one fish George caught in particular (from Armishader) was a real beauty at well over a pound.

The latest monthly midweek boat competition saw me add 2 nice fish to the one I caught in May.  Generally a good evening's fishing; not many fish but the one's I got were a decent size.  Willie also had a nice fish too and again a decent nights fly fishing.

Had a really good weekend's piking early in the month.  We had a couple of nights camping and this was Debs first ever experience of camping in the wilds, let alone piking.  Fortunately the weather was fantastic and although the fishing was slow at first eventually 5 pike were landed, 4 on the last morning.  The biggest was just shy of 18lb and is maybe a new pb, well at least it was very close to my other best at 17lb 12oz.  Another fish went over 14lb and the other 3 were pushing 9-11lb.  Most of the sport came on the last day at 9am in a hectic spell of feeding.  The fish all bar one came from a shallow area no more than 4 ft deep to a variety of baits.  Debs was extremely confident holding her first pike just to show there is nothing to worry about and make me even more bemused when I hear grown men say they wouldn't go near one!

Me and Debs had a walk to Neist point Lighthouse with the dogs and took the rods as well.  However, we may have seen Minkie Whales and Porpoise but could we catch a mackerel??  Not a sausage and in the end Debs showed me how it's done landing a succession of nice pollock.  It's all down to the teacher, obviously!

First boat competition of the season on the Storr Lochs for me and I took a nice brown trout that evening off the far shore drift of Loch Leathen.  It's always nice to get that first 'keeper' of the season aboard and it tasted very sweet indeed!

Had a day on a loch near Inverness and took the dogs who appeared to enjoy the endless supply of sticks.  Debs came along too for her first flavour of pike fishing - well she did ask me to take her!  As weird as that may sound!  Anyway, no action on the deadbaits and most action was had cleaning up everyone else's litter.  I can never fathom out why they do this?  I finally took a 3lb jack spinning in a shallow weedy bay and as usual Jack, my dog, was most inquisitive!