Hooked on Scotland

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Join presenter Paul Young as he fishes his way through a Scottish Salmon season. He starts with spring fishing on opening day at Kenmore on the River Tay, then on to Royal Deeside where the first few casts of the new season produce a magnificent salmon weighing 25lbs, lured by a brown and gold Devon Minnow. Continuing on to Sutherland and the River Helmsdale, then on to the Isle of Lewis. Paul fishes the River Cree. A visit to Caithness features the Wick and Thurso rivers with salmon caught weighing up to 16lbs on the fly. As the season draws to an end, Paul returns to Scotland's biggest river, the Tay to spend a day with the Tay boatmen as they tackle some real heavyweights!

There are very few fish in Scotland that are not native to this country. Certainly the most famous of our foreigners is the Rainbow Trout. In this programme, presenter Paul Young goes fishing in a typical "put and take" fishery in Lanark, where the Rainbows can exceed 10lbs or more. He travels the Lowlands and to the far north of Scotland, where the Rainbow Trout seem to have a liking for a song or two. As the trout season comes to a close, Paul enjoys a light hearted angling contest on Loch Fitty, to see if technique can match enthusiasm.

In this episode Paul unravels some of Scotland's intricate coastline and examines what is on offer for the intrepid shore angler. This is a journey that takes him along rocky Portpatrick and out along the golden Solway sands. Then north as far as you can go on the mainland, to the storm beaches of Caithness, in search of Bass. Competition shore angling on the Clyde, fishing for fish and cash!

Paul Young discovers the growing popularity of coarse fishing in Scotland and learns some of its secrets. For example, why some fish have a liking for sweetcorn and aniseed - baits that are totally alien to their environment. And why some fish prefer the smell of coconut and cheese. Paul's tour, of some splendid coarse fishing venues produces Pike to 25lbs and Carp to 20lbs. He fishes the River Clyde, Lochmaben, the Tay as well as Duddington Loch in Edinburgh, Loch Awe and the Forth of Clyde canal in the very heart of Glasgow.

The inshore waters around the Scottish coast are home to an abundance of Pollack, Cod, Mackerel, Tope, Thornbacks and even the odd Porbeagle Shark. These can tip the scales at well over 500lbs! Paul travels to the island of Arran, on the Clyde, home to one of the oldest sea angling competitions in Scotland. He also ventures up to Torridon in Wester Ross, the Pentland Firth in Caithness and the Solway down south.

All anglers have a soft spot for Scotland's native brown trout. In this programme presenter Paul Young seeks them out in easily accessible lochs and "out of the way" places, where a walk of several miles is often worth the effort. He fishes the lowland waters, the limestone lochs and even a highland quarry, as he's oot and aboot for troot!

For many Scottish anglers, the wild Sea Trout has always shared equal status with the Atlantic Salmon. Sadly, in recent times, their numbers in most areas of Scotland have declined dramatically. This is turn has made them even more special to the angler. Presenter Paul Young travels to Orkney to meet up with local expert Stan Headley, to try a rather unusual method of catching Sea Trout in the sea. He continues on to the clear waters of the Eachaig in Argyllshire and to Loch Wester where the late runs of Sea Trout can provide sport well into October. On Royal Deeside the river is full of summer Salmon but they are not interested in the fly, we wonder why?

In this programme presenter Paul Young takes to the high seas and deep waters in search of Scotland's elusive "monsters". Not Nessie, but giants like the Halibut, the Common Skate sometimes known as "barn doors" and Conger Eels which can strain the toughest of tackle. Join him as he fishes the tide races of Papa Westray in Orkney, the depth off Shetland, the troughs and pinnacles of Stornoway and Mull. Paul actually captures the biggest fish of his angling career to date, a monster Skate of 140lbs. It took over 40 minutes to bring to the boat, only to be released!