Where is Jock Scot?

**Jock Scot** · 17th September 13, 11:17 PM

Just reporting in, I am fine, so worry not, but thank you for your concern. Yes, you are all quite right I am doing all sorts of " rule 11" stuff and wetting a line too, but thus far no hunting(horses and hounds)----a bit early for that----but give me time! I am not sure that I can keep up the rather hectic pace that I have been going at for the last week or so, but "vintage" grouse years do not occur too often, so I am doing my best!

Got to dash, catch up with you all ---------er ,--------well--------sometime!.

**Grizzly** · 18th September 13, 12:07 AM

Excellent news Jock, more power to your elbow, glad to hear your well and enjoying the fruits of the season.

**MacGumerait** · 18th September 13, 11:06 PM

Good hunting and fishing Jock . You deserve it after 10,000 posts !

**Highlander31** · 18th September 13, 11:59 PM

Originally Posted by Jock Scot

Just reporting in, I am fine, so worry not, but thank you for your concern. Yes, you are all quite right I am doing all sorts of " rule 11" stuff and wetting a line too, but thus far no hunting(horses and hounds)----a bit early for that----but give me time! I am not sure that I can keep up the rather hectic pace that I have been going at for the last week or so, but "vintage" grouse years do not occur too often, so I am doing my best!

Got to dash, catch up with you all ---------er ,--------well--------sometime!.

Here's to you and your "Rule 11" activities.

**Jock Scot** · 3rd October 13, 03:29 AM

Low cloud on the hills and torrential rain has put pay to all "rule 11" antics for the day and the river is in flood, so no wetting of the line, so time to report in and catch up with hundreds of posts on xmarks. Grumbs! Where do I start?!

**Laird_M** · 3rd October 13, 05:30 AM

Start at the beginning, work through the middle, and finish at the end...

**Jock Scot** · 3rd October 13, 05:38 AM

Originally Posted by Laird_M

Start at the beginning, work through the middle, and finish at the end...

Just like fishing down a pool, then. Yes I can do that!

**ForresterModern** · 3rd October 13, 05:24 PM

Originally Posted by Jock Scot

Just like fishing down a pool, then. Yes I can do that!

Missed you Jock, but then I have not exactly been omnipresent myself of late.

RE: fishing down the pool, that is yet another difference between activities that seem similar but are done quite differently on either side of the pond. Over there I would expect to creep the bank stalking my slippery prey until I spotted it on the rise, then making a couple false casts to stretch out and measure my line before dropping my dry fly a few feet upstream from his lie, or maybe draggingly trail my wetfly diagonally across his vision from a cast 25 or so feet above and beyond the rise using the current to lead it to him. Over here I would work such a pool from below to above, entering the stream in mid riffle and waders to cast at the tail of the flats with a dry fly, possibly with a dropper emerger below, and then work my way up the center casting to either bank and the center current, maybe switching from a mayfly dry pattern to a caddis dry and end by drifting a nymph or emerger dredging the depths of the pool at the tail of the next riffle run, likely spending hours walking my way UP stream without ever laying wet boot on dry land, unless the need to locate a "thirsty" bush arose.

Fishing, like the english language, yet another thing we have in common but that separates us again. I would relish learning your tricks and technique while tromping the fen wi'ye someday my friend.

**Jock Scot** · 4th October 13, 01:48 AM

I am quite familiar with the methods that you describe, Jeff, but for salmon we generally fish downstream. Now if you were fishing the more genteel streams, the Test, the Hampshire Avon, Wylie, Nadder, or the Itchen for example, of the South of England for trout then you would be quite at home, although wading can be frowned upon in places. There is a wonderful expression used to describe these particular rivers: "Clear as gin and twice as expensive". Of course, fishing a dry fly traditionally for trout on any river, then casting upstream is the way to go. Funnily enough the British/World fishing terminology and methods seems more common and more easily understood by all, than anything else I know.

**OC Richard** · 3rd October 13, 05:43 AM

Originally Posted by Jock Scot

Where do I start?!

I'm sure there's no shortage of instances of us Yanks going off-course. It would be a tremendous loss to not have our beloved Jock to set us upon the True Path!

In all seriousness, you are one of XMarks' greatest assets. I grew up in a desert surrounded by sand dunes, palm trees, coyotes, and roadrunners. What do I know about this Highland stuff? You provide a steadying "reality check" for us all.

Sorry to hear about all your rain. It's sunny again today... day after day, month after month... we start to look forward to the little bit of rain and clouds we might get in February perhaps. Cheers! Richard