Winter pike fishing in the Scottish Highlands | Tactics for NOT catching!!

#pikefishing #wildfishing #fishing #fishinglife
I managed to take my first pike fishing trip in about a year on Saturday 13th January 2024. It was a short notice trip as I just needed to get out for a days fishing and blow away some of the January lack of fishing, blues.
I find winter piking on this water quite challenging and the few successes are often side by side with more blanks. Location is key and I've still only explored a fraction of the water, really. It is also a loch of changing depth and can be very snaggy, so I often use particular methods, unless I am in an area that I know what I am fishing onto, and it is clear of snags,
The video is quite long, so for the brave souls that get through it all, I congratulate you! For anyone watching I do really appreciate it and I hope you get something out of it and enjoy it. Please feel free to leave me any comments, if you want.
Set up -
2 x 2.25lb t/c pike rods, 20lb line
1 x sunk float paternoster
1 x float leger
Baits - whole sardines and mackerel
Music used | mixkit.co/free-stock-music/

[@Hardlinesangling]

Nice to be out again isn't it shame no fish came to play though. I've had pike attack the float instead of the bait before. I've also had a pike take a bait mid air, my bait skimmed on the water and the pike took it after the first bounce.

[@highlandfishingdiary8818]

😂 bloomin’ fish eh? No predicting them some of the time. Yeah it was good to just go tbh, I think there’s a small chance the fish could have been a big trout as it kind of head and tailed and I had chucked some loose fed chopped sardine in earlier (such a lovely not weird hobby) but also could have been a pike. Anyway, it was nice to see a fish it not in the net, maybe next time 🤞

[@peterfitzpatrick7032]

"I couldn't be arsed"... 😂 as I get older , this is more and more MY attitude... my tolerance for BS has also diminished with age..🙄 Nice vid, mate...the scenery and peace & tranquility alone makes the trip worthwhile, a fish is a bonus... January (for me at least) isn't a very productive month for my piking but I still insist on going out to blow the cobwebs off... 😉 Sub & a like from this irish angler !! 😎👍☘️🍺

[@highlandfishingdiary8818]

Thanks Peter, nice comments like yours make it worthwhile so cheers. and yes I am getting more crabbit as the yrs go by (I already say wee and aye, I may as well pinch another bit of local dialect). The vids are mainly a way of recording my fishing to look back on i guess, but if a few folk don’t mind it that’s great too. I take my hat off to those that do videos with all this stuff like Timelapse, drones etc that make them visually impressive, and even doing these it gives you a window into the effort they must go to. Tbh I usually just want to get fishing 😆 Yes, I’ll have another go hopefully feb and march and maybe spring, I have had pike at this time so it’s always possible but i totally agree, just being out in the peace and quiet and just going through the process is often enough. All the best for your own fishing too, tight lines 👍

[@soultrader57fishingandmusi25]

Cant win em all Matt! Looks like a desolate place in mid winter! Thanks for the mention too! Soon be summer and you'll be chasing thosr sea trout up and down the tides😂

[@highlandfishingdiary8818]

I actually really enjoyed it - honest 😆 I needed to get out fishing and looking forward to my next outing there. A picture of my lad with a 14lber came up on my FB timeline today from a few yrs ago, so it’s galvanised my resolve to get back! Cheers as ever, I’ll look out for your homage to Last of the Summer Wine this weekend, did they let you over the border ok ? 😁

[@soultrader57fishingandmusi25]

The guard made a comment about my cap not being flat enough, but yeah, ok😂

[@highlandfishingdiary8818]

@@soultrader57fishingandmusi25 Standards must be slipping 😂

[@PapaTube-ep1nk]

I'm guessing that is Loch Cluanie one of my favorite Trout Lochs in the past 1970's and 80's big bags of 1lb - 3lb Trout best tasting Trout in the Highlands, but last two times I fished it I blanked.

[@highlandfishingdiary8818]

If you didn’t watch all the video (which I know most don’t 😆) at the end I had a decent fish head and tail at my float which I couldn’t tell what it was but it could have been a big trout. I had chopped up a sardine and chucked it in in desperation 😆 and if a bit was floating it could have been after that. I once caught a 1.5lb brownie that was stunning whilst spinning with a smallish shallow diving plug, but never tried specifically for trout in there. All the best appreciate you sharing that, sounds like you has some great fishing 👍

[@PapaTube-ep1nk]

@@highlandfishingdiary8818 Try Loch Oich more sheltered at 7 Heads just up from Canal Swing Bridge, or Canal Basin after bridge or at Invergarry Castle, big trout and massive pike, seatrout and salmon in there easy parking and walking. I watch all your videos. Best time to fish Cluanie for me was May/June sometimes hike round past Lodge on south side to big burn or over Dam to other side or the old Sheep Pens before Cluanie Inn road side was my favorite bits.

[@highlandfishingdiary8818]

@@PapaTube-ep1nkcheers and thanks for watching the vids. I’ve only fished Oich once, but know exactly where you mean so thanks for the heads up. Also know where you mean on here, so many likely spots. I’ve not fished up near the Inn in a good while though I used to. I know it’s very deep where the river comes in. I normally fish the main loch near Loch Lundie outflow or sometimes towards the dam. I tend to only fish the wee loch when my kids want to come overnight, or for a quick go with lures. Other nearby venues I have tried before but not for a good while, I know that has good potential but access not as easy. I should be back on there again soon and agree, spring / early summer is when I’ve done a bit better too. Take it easy 👍

[@pikefishingscotlandhighlan6664]

Aye papa tube u just keep naming all the places , 🎣👊the fishing has taken a huge hammering coz of that . - incidentally the main loch at where u are is misrible as anything pre spawn …. The spot ur on at the video is very good on a good day …. It’s a good drop then a huge grassy “ plain “ lots of tree stumps as well .

[@highlandfishingdiary8818]

@@pikefishingscotlandhighlan6664 That’s fair enough and why I tend not to mention specifics about venues often to the ire of some that get pissed off and comment that I don’t say exactly where I caught a salmon, for example. Personally I wouldn’t ask someone specifically about a place / location and half the fun is trying to figure this thing out yourself as much as possible. I think maybe he could edit the comment, but to be fair he was mainly referring to good trout fishing in yrs gone by which was interesting to hear about but understand what you are saying too. Appreciate the info, tbh I’m pleased just to get out and I’ve always learnt by trial and error on there and normally like to try new spots even if a blank is likely, well for me anyway. There are places on that loch I’ve got a bit more faith in but it’s nice to explore. I often avoid some places, I think last time my lad came with me we filled about 3 bin bags with all the crap some ‘overnight pike anglers’ had just left, which is frustrating as hell but sadly not a rare thing. All the best with your own fishing 👍