Scotland; It’s More Than Haggis and Bagpipes…
By Tom Chandler on Sep 17, 2006 in Fly Fishing, Underground Entertainment
Scotland never leaped to mind when I thought about quality fly fishing for trout, but Urban Angling on the Kelvin and now Tamanawis both are changing my mind.
Tamanawis just posted a nice review of a fishing trip on a beautiful loch, and threw in some excellent pictures too. Definitely worth a visit (and maybe someone could explain what Tamanawis means).
And for the record, I like bagpipes…
BillyB | Sep 17, 2006 | Reply
Tom,
Not sure if you are serious about Tamanawis, but that is the made-up name of the river (and Native American tribe) that runs along the cabin where our hero Augustine “Gus” Orviston lives, fishes and searches in the David James Duncan novel The River Why.
Bill
Tom Chandler | Sep 18, 2006 | Reply
Thanks. Completely slipped my mind - one of the harbringers of old age.
BillyB | Sep 18, 2006 | Reply
Well, in the spirit of full disclosure, I just finished reading the book for the first time yesterday, so I didn’t exactly have to give the neurons a workout. :)
Tom Chandler | Sep 18, 2006 | Reply
Underground Rule #137; never apologize for lucky timing. We already spend too much time apologizing for unlucky timing.. 8-)
Mark Latham | Sep 20, 2006 | Reply
Tom, thanks for the great site. I can report that the Haggis and Bagpipes in Edinburgh were excellent this summer. There is a nice restaurant inside the Scotch Whisky Experience, on the Royal Mile. I recommend a nice heather ale with the meal, followed by a wee dram of 25 year old Bowmore. Watch for tickets to the Edinburgh Tattoo 2007, and get yours right away. I wish that I could have got in a little fishing while I was there. Maybe there will be another trip. If you check out my link, you’ll see that I did get in some fishing in Alaska after Scotland. No big trophy rainbow pics this trip, because I broke off every one of them. Really.. The McCloud fished so-so last weekend, but I’m sure glad I took friday off to find that out. It looks like I’ll be fishing downtown Dunsmuir after the Conclave. Maybe I’ll see you there.
Tom Chandler | Sep 21, 2006 | Reply
Mark;
Clearly you’ve been a busy boy. Which brings up the Obvious Question.
Why the hell wasn’t I invited? (And not to the McCloud).
Are you talking about the FFF Conclave in Redding? Or the Great Western Rod Gathering?
Alistair | Sep 21, 2006 | Reply
Hey Tom,
You coming over to Scotland next summer ? If you are give me a shout and we can meet up for a fish ?
Alistair
Mark Latham | Sep 21, 2006 | Reply
The River Tilt looked inviting. And several others that I had to blow past. If the fish are as friendly as the locals, I may apply for a visa. Driving on the left, while sitting on the right and shifting on the left was fun. You should try it, in Scotland.
Tom, I should have invited you and a couple of others too. As it turned out, seven others somehow got the word that we were fishing the McCloud. Not far downstream from Ah-Di-Na, and we all know how far I’m talking about, I had to leap frog over several to bump up far enough to fish. So as I balanced on a pointed rock, luckily I’m an Aries, I felt like some Acapulco cliff diver. Well, except for the waders. I’m positive that I heard snickering from downstream. A glance over the shoulder confirmed the worst. I needed something like a steeple cast to get to the rising fish. I’m sure it probably looked something like a steeple cast when I finally got it over the fish. About thirty feet out, maybe forty, there was a flash and a fish on. I love that flash. I figured I’d stop while I was ahead, or before I fell in, and soaked up the congrats downstream until my flask was empty.
I’m planning to go to the conclave in redding on saturday. I’ll catch the one p.m. Ken Davis session, then plunk down as many raffle tickets as possible. I might float Lake McCumber that evening. The sunday outing to Ash Camp is interesting. Sixty dollars for a guide is in my price range. I’m going to call to see if it’s full yet. If that is open, I’ll probably catch fish there that evening. Plan B is Ken on the Trinity. I’ll spend monday morning and evening in the water in Dunsmuir. Then fish my way down canyon on tuesday. I’m shooting pheasant the weekend before the GW, so I may not be able to make it this year.
Tom Chandler | Sep 22, 2006 | Reply
Alistair: No plans right now to go to Scotland, but the L&T Nancy would love the trip. And since I’ve got a wee bit of Scottish blood in the genes (though sadly, I prefer Irish whiskey to Scotch), I’m sure I’d look and act like a local in mere minutes.
If we go, you’ll be among the first to know.
And Mark, looks like our paths won’t cross at the Conclave; I’m going to try to drop by Friday as the Outdoor Blogger “HO-Down” is that weekend.