Inverpolly Salmon Camp
The two weeks spent at the Inverpolly Lodge is not only an opportunity to fish for Atlantic Salmon, sea trout, wild browns of the small lochs and streams of the Highlands, but also an opportunity to escape the rush of the work-a-day world and the hectic hustle of life. A great banner welcomes the anglers to camp, where even the time is posted in Scottish.
Salmon camp starts with a hearty welcome.
The Scots even like their time in ...ish.
First task is to unpack and arrange the tackle in the gear room. Rods, flies, waders and brogues, vests, rain jackets and hats are all critical to the trip, and have to be cared for. There have to be rules at fish camp, as well as opportunities to let one’s hair down a bit—fun things like prizes for the biggest fish, smallest fish, most fish, fewest fish, and so on, perhaps a songfest, a mock court to add a bit of levity to the event, and of course time to cook and eat, talk, organize gear, and plan the morrow. Then it’s time to sleep and dream of fish and the Highland hills that have welcomed the fly fishers for yet another year of spectacular fishing.
All that gear to catch how many fish?
The award for catching the most pollock.
A song fest while plotting the strategies of the morrow.
You've caught too many, so tomorrow you will have stay in camp!
What is this? A sea trout tattoo on a beer belly?
The tattoo calls for a special punishment--you must eat with these wooden spoons for the rest of the week.
Everyone takes a turn in the kitchen. Here' Theo is filleting the evening's fish.
What would cooking be without the occasional lettuce leaf in the face?
It's fun making the food, but much more fun eating it.
After dinner it's time to retire to the fire for a wee drop of single malt.
During the after dinner hours it's necessary to discuss who fishes where tomorrow.
The days pass swiftly and soon salmon camp is over for another year. but the remarkable Scottish Highlands will burn bright in the anglers' memories until it's time to return next year.