´óÏó´«Ã½

Paul and Bob head to a hidden pike lake in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. They have had mixed fortunes in their past quests for pike so are eager to get fishing and land one neither of them will forget. This is certainly the place for their best chance. Their first location is remote and secluded. It is not often fished, and to ensure they are as stealthy as possible, they have left Ted behind on this trip, so they can really concentrate.

After a morning of mixed fortunes, they head to the accommodation. This one is foreboding and intriguing and dates all the way back to 1450. Set above the river Annan, they arrive at Spedlins Castle with its 9ft-thick walls and a very steep stone staircase.

They are met there by the owner, Daisy, whose parents renovated the castle some years ago. Daisy fills them with historical tales of Spedlins Castle, which for centuries was owned by the Clan Jardine. The Jardines lived here until the 17th century, when they moved to get away from the resident ghost of a local miller, James ‘Dunty’ Porteous. When Sir Alexander Jardine was called away to Edinburgh, he took the key to the dungeon with him, and Dunty was left forgotten for some time with no food or water.

Dunty’s ghost is said to have manifested itself with all sorts of activities around the castle, so after a relaxing drink in the in front of the fire, Bob and Paul set up a night camera to see if they can catch any kind of paranormal behaviour as night falls. Paul brings Bob breakfast in bed and together they look back at the footage that was captured as they slept. There were some bumps in the night, but the source remains unclear – did Dunty appear and keep them company?

They discuss their tactics for the second day of fishing and head off hoping for a little better luck and armed with renewed vigour.
In contrast to the wilderness of the previous day’s lake, their second location at Kinmount House has a more refined feel, and the boys quickly settle in to fish. Bob is determined to catch using a new method of fishing, which he calls ‘frogging’ – and, eventually, after many casts, his persistence does pay off.

Taking a break from the water, they meet their doctor friend Anand Patel, who has come to chat about something which plagues so many people in later life – knees, which Paul and Bob have really struggled with in recent years. Anand explains how the knee joint works, how it ages and how we can all work on it to keep it healthy for as long as possible.

The boys get back to fishing as the sun beats down, and they take in their surroundings on the lake. Who will leave Scotland with the biggest prize pike?