This is a fishermans tale. It is retold many, many times amongst The Catbadger and his minions. The event itself took place over 10 years ago but is still well remembered by those who witnessed the event. The loch and its surroundings are the all time favourite place of The Catbadger and when he shuffles off to the great Catbadgerland in the sky there is a small island in the loch where his earthly remains will be placed. But to our tale. I will begin where all good stories start and that is at the beginning although not using 'Once upon a time'! It was Wednesday the 29th Aug 1990 when The Catbadger and Fooney set out on a salmon fishing trip into the west highlands of Catbadgerland. The day was overcast and showers threatened all the time. As fishing weather goes it looked not too bad a day. It was a 45 minute drive to collect the boat so they ran through a few things on the way. It was Fooneys first ever salmon fishing trip so The Catbadger had to verse him well in the tactics and methods used. The Catbadger went through all the finery of tackle set up and patience with him. 'The boy done well' as they say over here. They got in the boat and set all the rods exactly as they wanted them and set off to what The Catbadger knew were good salmon lies. Unfortunately the skies cleared and the sun shone too brightly for good fishing. However they did persevere until the weather turned again to overcast and cloudy conditions. Out came the fly rods and after a few casts they managed to raise a few fish but with no real success. They moved further down the loch towards the shallower water and persevered with the fly rods. Again with not much luck. It was decided to stop at the pier for lunch and to pick up Boobah for his first ever salmon fishing expedition. The weather continued to clear until they were left on a flat calm loch almost like a mirror. As these are not the best conditions to fly fish in they set the other lines and decided to troll for salmon as these lures are deeper in the water. They covered all of the known places that salmon were to be found for the next two hour over which time Fooney and Boobah decided to make the most of the sun. Fooney was stretched out in the front of the boat and Boobah was lying across the front seat, head over one side feet over the other. The Catbadger was left as the only one conscious to steer the boat. At the end of the third hour it was decided to head for the pier again and meet up with Fat Al. As they closed to within about two hundred yards of the pier one of the reels started to pay out line at a quite phenominal rate. A fish was hooked! It took the slumbering brothers about ten seconds to realise what all the sudden activity was about. The Catbadger had already leapt to his hind paws, stopped the engine, grabbed the rod in his front paws and set the hooks by this time. The fight was on. The fish was most cooperative at first, swimming right towards the boat. They all got their first look at the fish deep under the boat and all guessing about seven pounds in weight. Oops big mistake! It was looking at them as much as they were looking at it. The fish decided that it was not too keen on joining them and sped off at a great rate of knots up the loch towing the boat with it. It must have taken them the best part of 1/2 a mile to catch up with it. Boobah was on the engine following the directions and Fooney was getting the landing net ready. They eventually managed to slow it down and it was then that they saw the full size of it. Fooney was starting to gasp at this point, his asthma getting the better of him in the excitement. The Catbadger had put Fooneys inhaler in the breast pocket of his waistcoat, 'somewhere safe so I know where to find it'. Holding the rod in one paw with a fish doing its best to escape, calling out direction to Boobah and scrambling for the inhaler with the other hand is not easy for The Catbadger to do! The Catbadger decided that the fish was more important and if Fooney collapsed he could always be revived later! Fooney managed to calm down a bit though after a while and eventually he was much calmer. The fish was netted to much relief and cheering! They set off back for the pier to meet Fat Al who had arrived just in time to witness the whole episode. It was there that they weighed and photographed it. It was 18 pounds. There was a great drive home and many fine malts were sampled that night. Purely by way of celebration of course!
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