Fly Fishing For Pollock

Image Above: Pollock on the fly

Image below: Ripple tail fly cut from washing-up gloves

Image Bottom: Fly fishing into evening

I once believed the fly fishing was about the most ridiculous and inefficient way to catch fish, like attempting to drive a car while locked in the boot. Despite owning a fly rod and using it regularly my opinion has changed little, I know there are endless books and magazines that extoll the almost religious nature of fly fishing but I am an atheist.

With all that said I ventured onto the island’s pier yesterday afternoon holding a fly rod loaded with sinking line, an eight pound tippet and homemade fly. As a full moon rose out of the mountains on Mull across the bay I landed a selection of pollock and saithe from the shoals of fish that move in from sound as darkness gathers. Few were of any size but it but I briefly found some kind of casting rhythm and fly fishing didn’t seem that much of a task after all.

I was most proud of the fly a true junk item made from copper wire stripped out of and appliance, a tail cut from a plastic bag, insulation tape and a bit of nail varnish. Beautiful it isn’t but deadly none the less.