Paddle magick on Loch Lomond

Well, after a bit of a hectic week, I've finally had a chance to write up this Kayak fishing trip on Loch Lomond Last Monday 25th February I'd arranged with a few mates.

Kayak fishing on Loch Lomond with Ben Lomond in the background.



Monday 25th February - Kayak fishing on Loch Lomond
Luckily when I awoke last Monday the weather looked promising and by the time I hooked up with Nic in Glasgow around 7.45 a.m. a burn off was on the go and the sun was shining through the early morning haze. After just over half an hour in the car we arrived at Lomond for around 8.30 where we met up with Barry, Declan and David who'd travelled from various locations from around central Scotland for a spot of fishing in what looked like what was going to be almost too perfect conditions.

I knew it was going to be cold so as well as the chesties, I actually put my floatation suit trousers on underneath them and after we got the kayaks in the water we set off.

There wasn't really any plan for the day other than to visit a few bays on the loch that Nic had been succesful in before and we paddled up from the launching spot into a likely looking weedy bay. I could tell already that maybe the floataion suit was going to be a bit restrictive on my movements for the day but at least I knew I'd be warm as we made our first casts of the day into the icy chill of a crystal clear February day on loch Lomond. I'd brought my own gear but as this was my first day kayaking I was more than happy to take direction from Nic who is a bit of an expert when it comes to kayak fishing and he plunked a massive rubber shad which a jig head lead head on the end of my line which was probably about the size of a herring and must have weighed an easy 3 oz's.

Nic gives a thumbs up

I need a shorter rod

Anyway, we had a good few casts in the bay before making for a new location out towards some of the islands that sit a few hundred metres off shore where we pitched our lines again before beaching for a bit of a stretch and a spot of breakfast. One thing which is for sure, a wee stretch every hour and a half or so when paddling on these sit on tops is more than welcome as far as I'm concerned.

David in his Yak.

So, after a few pieces we re-launched and headed to some more bays where Barry saved our blank by bringing a wee out of season Brownie to his boat that he caught on a wee green perchy looking rapala type  replica.

5mph past this tree



Barry goes trout hunting



An hour or so more and it was time for a longer paddle down towards golf course bay and a spot of lunch.

By this time I was pretty bushed and made the most of my time ashore before we headed back out for a final hour or so casting before me and David made an early, leisurely padlle home to the launch site, leaving the other three guys to meet up with us in their own time.

It was a great day out in fantastic company and I look forward to doing this again some time soon.

I think future paddle outings for me however will be made using more suitable clothing such as kayak dry trousers and a pair of neoprene booties because chesties, floatation trousers and studded wading boots are more than a bit cumbersome for a hard days fishing and paddling the likes of which we undertook.