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I have some photos of the boat being set up but no video, could email if interested? Is there part of the custom setup you're interested in particularly?

@@scottishscribe2293 yeah the add-ons at the bow and the stern, looks like a top job👍

@@FishingCaledonia Sure, give me your email as I'm not sure how I'd post pics on the Tube.

The plywood is 12mm thick which is almost half an inch. I’m assuming you’re in the UK, so if you go to B&Q they sell big sheets of the stuff measuring (12mm X 1220mm X 2440mm) for around £35. Don’t bother with the more expensive marine plywood as you’re going to have to treat it yourself anyway. So grab a sheet and take it to the free cutting service they have in that section of the store. Ask the guy there to cut off two rectangular sections exactly 88cm wide, those will become your 2 floor sections. The only other cutting required is to shape the top ends into an A shape that fits either end of the boat. You’ll have to do that yourself. When in the store also buy some yacht varnish and use it to coat both floor sections 3 times which should make them bomb proof. As regards the original slatted floor, I threw away all the plastic slats except the two that sit in the middle of the boat where both ply sheets will meet. I cut off 30% off their length and fixed them permanently into their slots dead centre, using some cable ties forced through the plastic sheet that holds them. (Otherwise those plastic slats will fall out every time you set up the boat) Retaining the original plastic sheet floor that holds the two remaining slats also protects the inflatable keel from bolts, if you intend to fit swivel chairs. The two cut down slats do 2 things. 1, they will level both ply boards in the middle of the boat once the keel is inflated underneath them. And 2, reducing their length will prevent unwanted pressure on the sides where the ply sheets meet the main air chambers. Does that make sense? It’s hard to describe. I’m fishing this weekend and can take some pics to better explain if needed. Hope this helps.

@@evan2290 Hi Evan I sent you a test email, did you receive it?

Yeah that was me, where were you? I ask because I saw quite a few folk fishing out on the loch yesterday. And I hope you did better than we did, 2 fish each for me and my buddy, pityful, but sometimes May is like that, fish too busy spawning etc. In fact one of the Jacks we caught destroyed the dinghy with fish eggs. Things should pick up once the water temps rise a few degrees, then the big pike and perch start feeding properly again.

@@scottishscribe2293 I was in a green canoe. I was camping on point just across from the island & a seen you when a was heading off the water you where just making your way down to the bottom of the Loch towards the narrows. I wasn’t fishing much a only had a wee drop shot rig on a light rod n small landing net. Afraid to put a lure in the water as I’ve not got the proper gear to land pike. Just want to catch perch n trout so tend to avoid the lures. Too many pike getting wrecked with folk not knowing or using proper gear

Perch of pound and a half are common come the summer, the bigger ones I know of tend to be caught on ledgered rigs using dead baits and maggots.

My thoughts exactly!

I guess it depends on how you define big. Biggest perch I've caught there is 1lb 8oz, but people have caught them up to and over 4lb in the past, but that's often accidental catches on deadbait while fishing for pike. I've caught bigger on other waters. Peak perch fishing is roughly June through to end of September, depending on temperature etc.. Hope this helps.

Contact the Go Country Adventure park for that info.

Hi, when you first see the loch you’ll notice two stretches of parking places on your right, this is where a lot of kayakers and paddle boarders set up. You just need to hoist your kit over the stone wall and set up on the waters edge there, unless the water level is really high which is rare in summer. Alternatively there’s another spot near the ‘top’ of the loch on your left hand side but this is often filled unless you get there around 6am as the area is also used by hill walkers, but it’s less bust during weekdays. After that there’s the village hall car park at the very top of the loch. Turn left at the old phone box and it’s on your right. You can park there all day if you arrive early enough and all they ask is you make a small donation. Downside of this spot is you have to hoist your kit across the road, through a wee gate and down to the water’s edge; it’s about a hundred yards. Hope this helps.

@@scottishscribe2293 cheers thats great cheers for your help . Last time i went we paid a guy to launch it was a place about 3/4 way down loch road side . Like a small boat yard type of area . But that over 15 years ago . Cheers again for the help thanks mate . Great video as well ive watched all of them u had some great fish cheers agsin

@@Steve_Hixxy Yeah you can still pay to launch at the Go Country place you mention, but why do that if you have an inflatable you can launch anywhere? Good luck.

Same here. And everyone I know is looking forward to this mental weather ending, it's not even fit for bank fishing.

@@scottishscribe2293 it's brutal just now !! All the river's are bursting their banks .

Well you can always grab one from the Post Office in Aberfoyle, but if you arrive at the loch early that'll be closed. The Bailiff patrols the shore and he's happy to give you a permit when he sees you setting up, I think it's still £8 for a day permit. However if you intend to fish it throughout the year you're better buying an annual permit which is £70, and if you start fishing in March/April rather than January, the Bailiff usually reduces that £70 accordingly. Best spot for putting kayaks in is the first big layby you come across on your right. Hope that helps.

Scottish Scribe thanks for the info, much appreciated👍

In the early spring I tend to troll rather than spin. So 4 rods in all, 2 heavier rods - between 40 and 90g casting weights - with 20lb braid and 100lb flurocarbon leaders so I can run and cast bigger lures for the big pike. I also troll two lighter rods - 10 - 20g casting weight - so I can troll smaller Rapala style lures for the trout. These smaller rods run 10lb braid with 10lb strength wire traces, but that's in spring until May, and then later in October to November. Once summer begins I only troll occasionally when moving point to point, and by then I have switched to 18lb flurocarbon leaders on my lighter rods as I am focused on perch. However as you can see I very often catch big pike on those lighter rigs too but have only ever had 1 bite off in two years. And because I'm spinning mostly 6-10cm rubber shads, any bite off is of no real consequence to me or the fish. So in short, in summer when I mostly spin, my spinning setup for all species is a rod with a casting weight of between 10-20g on 10lb braid with a 18lb flurocarbon leader. Hope this helps.

Recently I've skipped winter in the boat - days are too short for the effort of setting up etc. - but depending on weather I'm usually out there at least once, sometimes twice a week from March/April onwards.

what set up have you got to get u out and about on the water?

Boat I use is an Intex Mariner 4 which you can buy on Ebay, however mine is kitted with custom modifications I've evolved over the past 7 years. Here's a link to a boating forum dedicated to modifying this particular dinghy for fishing. forums.iboats.com/forum/general-boating-outdoors-activities/inflatables-and-ribs/565601-intex-mariner-4-modifications-and-tips

I've only specifically targeted perch there on a handful of occasions and I think my biggest was 1lb 6oz. However my fishing buddy's best is 2lb 12oz, but that was caught deadbaiting a small mackeral in forty feet of water. I believe the loch record is 5lb 2oz which was caught five years ago or so. If your looking for big perch I would recommend Loch Lubnaig and Loch Ken.

My biggest trout there is 3lb caught on a spun softbait. However I've found in general the trout up the road at Loch Chon tend to be on average bigger, which is odd as both lochs are connected. As for all the species in Ard, things tend to kick off in May all the way through to the end of October, which is why I just renewed my season ticket. There's a reason some people call this place Loch 'Hard.' However that's from folk fishing off the shore, you really need to get out on the water to make the most of it. The area behind the island is insane for trout when the time is right, again May onwards. I've also twice caught sea trout there, but that's usually from September onwards.

Hi Sean, Yeah trying to get online info for any loch is a nightmare I've found. As regards Ard, there's a permit for course fishing too which is £8 per day, all year ticket is £60. The bailiff will usually find you on the bank to give you the ticket. Just tell him the guy who does the Loch Ard RUclips vids said that. Unfortunately there are no boats for hire, however you can hire canoes from Go Country activity park, but they're extortionate and not really suitable for fishing, at least not the fishing I do. Fishing from the shore can be tough, but doable if you're prepared to hike the margins in waders and use a rod setup that allows you to cast lures a good distance. However I recommend using floating, shallow diving lures to avoid snags. Mid sized Rapala style lures will give you the chance to catch Pike, Perch and Trout. You could of course dead bait with mackerel and maggots with bite alarms, but location is key. If that's what you plan let me know and I'll give you locations off this forum. Hope this helps :-)

The problem with dinghies is being able to customise them specifically for fishing. A wooden boat you can screw stuff in etc, not so with a dinghy. The plywood floor allows me to bolt on the swivel chairs and also makes the dinghy more stable compared to the original slatted floor. The custom transom at the back allows me to connect far more equipment than the standard Intex transom, which only allows for the trolling motor. With the custom job I can attach the sonar, rings to hold roads not being used and the extender arms place my primary rod holders right by my side when trolling. In fact I can troll 4 rods at once from that custom transom. In short the wooden modifications make a basic dinghy much more flexible. Indeed there's an online community dedicated to modifying this particular model, the Intex Mariner 4. Take the time to read some of the posts, I'm sure you could rejig many of the suggestions for your own boat model. Here's a link. forums.iboats.com/forum/general-boating-outdoors-activities/inflatables-and-ribs/565601-intex-mariner-4-modifications-and-tips

To be honest even the biggest pike in this video are pretty average size for Scottish lochs. People are hooking 30 and 40's in other places like Loch Lomond. I'm fine when I'm hooking clothing, it's the hooking fingers I can't stand.

There is one slipway in the Go Country place on the northern shore, but as usual there's a wee fee, but they let you park there too. My boat setup fits in a bag so I'm able to avoid slipways everywhere fortunately.

Yeah and it's going to get tougher as we head into winter now.

It's me! Going out this weekend?

Where do you park about ? I've fished the loch a few times and had some decent fish dead baiting but nearer Kinlochard . I want to go and give the fly fishing a go , as it's brilliant fun , even on the smaller Jack's .

Hello, i know its a long shot, but can we get in touch you and me?

@fisgslayerainc.5099 .