19th September: The Field's editor at the start of his macnab attempt...

How was your day Finnlight?

Grouse shooting season is here. Are any Macnabs being bagged?

Tarquin Millington-Drake thinks “the original Macnab is still the best”. Sporting fervour can often take an unexpected course. He says, “If one gets the stag and the grouse and is really struggling for a salmon, go to the nearest waterfall, put catch-and-release aside for a moment, and shoot the salmon as it jumps the falls, as the grandfather of a friend of mine once did. Make sure you have one of those fish-retrieving labradors at hand.”

Field contributor Adrian Dangar believes “no Scottish estate can really guarantee all three parts of the Macnab”. The estate where he bagged his Macnab had “a productive river and obliging forest but few grouse”. In fact, the grouse ended up being the easiest part. He “didn’t shoot the stag until it was nearly dark”. His advice is to “consider what the estate is known for and tailor your day accordingly. Catch the salmon first. The fish is the only quarry species that’s a willing participant.”

Dear Mr Stenlund,

Thank you for updating us on the Macscandi. We are changing the Macscandi so it will be doable for those in the North. Do let us know if you take up the challenge.

Dean Hemmings claimed a classic Macnab last year and urges, “pick the right estate” and fish first. “Make sure you’re confident in your choice of fly, up to speed with your knots and lines and make sure your leader’s fresh, so it won’t break. You do not want to lose this fish!”

Have any Macnabbers decided on what to attempt this year?

American Joe Thompson: “Be on the river at first light,” says Joe.

Marc Sale is adamant that the planning must be done “with military style and precision”.

Ruairidh Cooper who bagged a Classic Macnab last year thinks picking the right estate is important: “Picking the right day makes it easier to catch a salmon,” he says. He recommends “keeping an eye on river conditions and picking a day when the levels are dropping and the water is clearing. I would suggest bagging the stag first and then the grouse before concentrating on the fish.”