Angus is a prime cut of heaven.

Byline: Fiona Armstrong 

IT WAS a relief to fish a good Scottish water after my foreign trips especially as it was my first time in beautiful Angus.

I was joined by instructor and guide Ally Gowans who in 1980 invented the best fly of the millennium, the ubiquitous Ally's Shrimp. It's now a multi-coloured range and thousands of anglers must have used this remarkable lure over the years.

Ally was there because he's trying to help Angus market its fishing possibilities. And with some wild and wonderful hill lochs and the lovely North Esk just a stone's throw away, the possibilities are endless.

The water system rises high in the Grampian mountains and flows some 30 miles from Glen Esk to the sea at Montrose. Runs of 10,000 salmon and grilse in its rivers and tributaries are not unusual.

According to those who know, the North and South Esks are good rivers and unexploited.

They have sea trout and the North Esk is, for its size, said to be the most prolific salmon river in Europe.

The upper habitat is perfect and because there are no forests it's about as natural as you can get.

Our venue was Loch Lee, the source of the North Esk, and a wild and atmospheric spot high in the hills on the Dalhousie estate.

As well as speckled brown trout that can reach two pounds, arctic charr gather occasionally in the shallows to provide good sport.

While the scenery and the fishing might have held out promise, the weather didn't. The rain lashed down, the wind howled and the water swirled as Ally struggled to keep our boat under control.

I was fishing with a sea trout rod and a dropper but a single-handed lightweight rod would have been just as effective.

On the end of my nylon was a Black Zulu and a Ke-He - yes, I know it's an Orkney fly but with its red tag and brown hackle it seemed a sensible and soothing option for the wild conditions. As a standby I had a gold, orange and pink Doobry in case I decided lurid was better.

I needn't have worried. As the boat made its way through the choppy waters the fish began to bite.

Within half an hour I had a good little brown trout that was landed on the red and brown fly, admired and carefully released.

I keep some brownies - there's nothing nicer than trout fried in butter - but they have to be a certain size!

No sensible person would have raised anchor but out there alone in that sort of weather made it all the more exciting.

With good companions and the ability to cast a line across the water there can be few finer pleasures.

Count me in again, Angus!