Winter can certainly be a depressing time. The dark skies, rough weather, and the bait fish often heading offshore can mean that we spend more nights in front of the TV with a glass of our favourite tipple than out fishing, doing what we love. This is the time of year when many of us spend untold hours surfing the net, looking for angling inspiration. I can’t tell you how many hours I have sat there looking at nautical charts on Navionics or using Google Maps to find more accessible shore marks. Scotland, to some degree, feels like Britain’s last wild frontier, particularly the Highlands and islands.
For anyone who hasn’t been, or isn’t aware, there are too many miles to count of untouched coastlines where a shore angler has probably never wet a line. For any of us dreamers, the existence of such places is enough to keep you awake at night. I have been enchanted by Orkney, seduced by Skye and captivated by the Western Isles, all of which are mouth-watering prospects for the avid fisherman. My love affair with Scottish fishing goes far beyond my family ties. There are few places where you can go and feel the history
