Anglers are famed for tales of the one that got away but a Pitlochry man’s story may be hard to beat.
Hugh Robertson, 66, had heard tales of a beaver living on the banks of the River Tummel but had been sceptical until he had the alarming experience of hooking one.
Luckily the Pitlochry Angling Club member was fishing for trout at the time rather than salmon, so was using a line with a 3lb breaking strain, allowing his unusual catch to break free.
“You can’t fish for salmon on a Sunday and at 8pm I headed to the river to do a little trout fishing,” said Mr Robertson.
“It was at the Sawmill stretch as you come into Pitlochry and people were leaning over the wall saying there was a beaver there.
“I had only heard rumours before but didn’t believe it.
“I was standing fishing when suddenly a beaver appeared 60ft away and started swimming towards me.
“I started waving my arms but it just kept coming and the line wrapped around his shoulders.
“It was only a very small hook but for about 10 seconds I was playing a beaver on the end of my line.
“My first thought was for the wellbeing of the beaver I just couldn’t believe it had happened.”
The beaver then broke free leaving the line intact and Mr Robertson thinks the small hook must have caught in its fur, causing it no harm.
Had he been using a salmon line with a 20lb breaking strain it might have been a much more difficult situation, said Mr Robertson.
He estimated the beaver as being 60 to 70cm long and his only regret was that he didn’t get evidence of the close encounter.
“I had my photographic equipment but when it happened there was no way I could stop to take a picture,” Mr Robertson said.
As vegetarians, beavers pose no threat to the fish stocks on the river and Mr Robertson said he would be contacting the tourist board as the presence of beavers on the river could well draw visitors into the area.