His patience and good humour were well tested as Lynsey and I – both beginner fisherwomen – swapped our office attire for waders and headed to the highlands.
Catch reports from Scotland this summer have been mediocre at best but the aim of the exercise was to get us casting effectively and to familiarise us better with the terminology and equipment used in the game. Bill’s expert tuition kept our spirits higher than the water levels, and we found ourselves single and double spey casting before too long.
The weather seemed to have changed by the third day, and after a few bites attentions were focused and resolve strengthened. Eager not to return to the office without having had a bite, by mid morning I had caught my first salmon – a 10lb hen. Needless to say there was some excitement on the river bank and a few celebratory drams in Aberlour that night!
Our huge thanks goes to Bill and his wife Morag who fed us extremely well in the hut at lunchtime. We hope it was the first of many fishing excursions, work permitting!
Hannah Treliving
17thSeptember 2013
