Hoddom Beat River Annan

This was day 2 of our road trip and the agenda was a visit to the popular and famous Hoddom beat on the River Annan. We should have been full of optimism and anticipation but the reality was that the conditions were very poor for salmon fishing. The lack of rain meant the river level was only 2 inches above the lowest summer height and the Fishpal website showed that no salmon had been caught in the 5 days of this week.
We parked up and entered the gatehouse where the ghillies are based and any optimism we had was finally dampened when the ghillie said it had been fishing crap and today was unlikely to improve on that.
The beat is over 4 miles long so Colin and I elected to go upriver and fish our way back down. We took the car the short trip to Mainholm and parked up near the footbridge and walked up to the beat boundary.

Looking up river Horse Pool

This area down to the footbridge has some lovely stretches of water where salmon will lie but not today. My initial mistake was not to take my wading stick as the water was low. But the ongoing low water and the sun were perfect conditions for algae growth and I could hardly keep my feet. There was no danger of drowning but a broken limb was a strong possibility if one fell on these rocks. My second mistake was taking the double handed rod, the water was not good for this.
Already sweating in the blazing sun I hiked back to the car to change to my single hander rod, get rid of a layer of clothing, apply sun lotion and grab my stick. A fair bit of wasted time.

Looking downriver from footbridge

We fished the stretch down to the foot bridge and then onwards towards the lodge where we met the rest for lunch. There were a couple more anglers on this stretch but they had no luck either. Some of the water is awkward to get access to a few slides down the embankments. A couple of small brown trout had been caught but no salmon. 
Over lunch, fancy name for a salad roll and a bag of crisps, Rabbie did say he saw one big salmon leap at the other boundary at Scales Pool so refreshed, Colin and I took the long walk to there to fish back up to the lodge. However as we tackled up again I realised no landing net, it had presumably came off on one of my bank slides. A quick rush back to Mainholm and a walk up the banking and luckily there it was at one of the points I slid down to access the river. 
On the walk down the banking here is covered in Hymalayan balsam, an invasive parasitic plant that will take over and destroy all other vegetation as well as erode the banking. Much work is required here to halt its progress.
Scales pool narrowed well and in the low water a salmon would breach it moving upriver but nothing for us to see. Colin saw a seatrout on the next beat but it never showed for us.

The beat boundary

We then fished Ducks pool which looked an ideal holding spot, deeper water just below a weir with a good sandy bottom for wading. After thrashing about for a while with no success I left the water to speak to a couple of the guys at the car park and suddenly behind me a big swirl right in the area I had been fishing. A few curses, back in but no joy.

Looking up river towards Calvert's pool

A final few casts at the Churchyard pool but again no success and the water was very low.
One advantage of the low water is seeing where the lies are and where you can wade safely in better higher water conditions. No success today but another place to return to with better fishing knowledge of the water. 

Drum Loch Dalswinton

The final leg of our road trip had no fishing booked or even agreed so that left plenty of time for debate and argument over breakfast. Friction resulting over the fry-up! After much internet searching we agreed to go to Drum Loch; it looked a reasonable size, 6 acres, we should get on to the water without a booking and it was on the road home, just. We also wanted a fishery where we would all have a chance of catching fish.
The main issue we had was finding the fishery. We got to Auldgirth okay then we were up and down country lanes, there was nobody around this sleepy hamlet to ask for directions so early on a Sunday morning. We had called the mobile number on the internet and the guy said just to go and start fishing and he would come down and get the money. We had 3 different cars all taking the postcode from the internet and we could not pin it down. How can Sat-navs differ so much as well as the 3 could not agree!! We finally drove down a country estate driveway and ended up at a rather large country mansion with a run down looking bit of water in front of us, surely this was not it? Where were the fishing platforms described on the site.

We heard barking and a male was coming down from the big house with 3 dogs in tow. Turned out it was the lord of the manor down to collect duck eggs for his breakfast. He was a very nice bloke and yes we were close by but we had missed the fishery entrance at the village. He did allow us to take an alternative route through his estate and within a couple of minutes we were there.
The small car park was fine, we tackled up and went for a look at the water. It turned out that the Dumfries and District Angling club had only taken the fishery over a few weeks ago but they had done a fine job tackling the bank vegetation, reducing the weeds in the water and putting up a decent hut with a proper loo, well done guys.

There was no sign of fish rising so I started with my usual wets, Kate & Bibio but with no success. After half an hour or so the temperature was rising and there were the encouraging ripples of rising fish taking food from the sub surface layer. I immediately changed to my suspender buzzers, these were successful at Alderneuk just 2 days ago so try again. I decided to fish these static and within 5 minutes there was a good take, a rainbow of about 2lb but with the fight it put up I thought it was a much larger fish. A good start for me in our sweepstake.

A short while later I saw Ally into a fish and turned out he was using the same tactic. Nothing else was caught by anyone that morning. I had a few rises to look at the flies but none were keen enough to take them.
After lunch I stubbornly stayed on the dries, it is my favourite method of fishing. I had stuck with various suspender buzzers as fish were still rising and giving me hope, albeit occasionally and mainly out-with my casting distance.
It was now getting windier and therefore choppier water so I put a yellow/grey dry buzzer on the dropper mainly as a sight indicator. Lo & behold it was hit hard and another fighting rainbow on board. Circumstances meant I was eating alone tonight so rather than go shopping after this long day I chapped this rainbow, it was a nice size for one person.

Rabbie had caught 1 on the dry as well and then Colin got in on the act with a different tactic a wet Black Pennell.
With half an hour to go I was still leading for the money with my two fish but 3 of the guys had to leave early, the car driver had a wedding to get to, so I was happy, less competition.
Colin came to fish the stance beside mine. It was now getting cooler, the fish were down, rarely showing and some drops of rain arrived.

And guess what happened, Colin caught 2 fish in 2 casts to take the lead, not that I was calling him a jammy git.
Thats how it ended, 3 to Colin; 2 to me and 1 each to Ally & Rabbie. Sadly the other 3 blanked.
We called it a day and within minutes the temperature rose, a sedge hatch came on and the fish were rising again, sods law.
It was our first trip here but it will not be our last, we all agreed to have one of our full days next year. it's a lovely tranquil location, very well kept and a bargain at £10.

For my dinner I had rainbow trout fish and chips with garden peas and used half of the fish to make a trout pate, delicious and a fine end to the road trip. I had to open a bottle of wine as well.

Alderneuk Fishery Dumfries

Looking back to the hut

This was day 1 of our fishing groups annual road trip. We had opted to fish not that far away from our home patch but still far enough away that most of the guys had not fished any of the 3 locations before so excitement and anticipation amongst us all.
Our first location was the troutmasters fishery called Alderneuk. Despite having a postcode from their website my sat nav took us onto a very minor farm road, turning and twisting through beautiful farming countryside, but where was the fishery? No signs and no turning spots if we met any traffic. The sat nav said we had passed it, where are you Alderneuk? A stop at a farm gave us directions, yes we were close so a few more sharp bends then we stumbled across it. According to the fishery owner our sat nav had taken us off the A75 one turn off too early and we would get back to the main road easier at the end of the day and yes we did.
Having parked up we took the short walk to the water and I was initially surprised by how small it looked. The fishery has a reputation for large trophy fish which brings in the anglers hoping for a fish of a lifetime. I did get the impression that it would not take a lot of anglers to make it busy. At the narrowest point anglers have to be careful as lines could easily tangle, I can imagine some issues when people from either side cast to a rising fish particularly if a competition is taking place.

Flat calm across the narrow water.

After breakfast Scottish style, black coffee and a fried egg and slice sausage roll, it was time to tackle up and get fishing. As we were on an away trip with hotel stays we had decided no fish would be killed today, that's if we were to be lucky and catch any at all. We agreed two sweepstakes for the day, big stakes a fiver a head. The 1st fish caught by each guy would be weighed and heaviest fish wins a tenner plus the main prize for the largest number of fish caught today. However re our no kill policy the owner told us that he wanted us to kill our first fish caught each so long as it was a rainbow under 6lb. He wanted to freshen up his stock and assured us the killed fish would not be wasted, fair enough it's his water.
The day was already warm and it would get much hotter. Sun cream and insect repellent sprayed on equally. Some of the water had a slight chop but at least 2/3rds was flat calm however the occasional fish was rising to take food just sub surface. 

I started with my wet fly combo, bibio on dropper Kate up top. The water looked murky and even with the polaroids I wasn't seeing much though the surface. When I made my first cast it took me a few seconds too realise that the flies were not sinking. There must have been a slight surface film keeping them up. Off with Kate and on with a beaded hares ear to add some weight which did break the film. A walk around the water casting away and changing with traditional wet flies brought nothing at all and after an hour nobody in our party had caught a fish. No tugs no nothing.
I had already stripped a layer of clothing and the water was like glass but still random fish were clearly taking nymphs at the surface. They were not cruising along but rising to take the nymph then down again.

So on went a pair of dries, an olive CDC buzzer up top and a small black spider on dropper to give them a choice. I decided to let them sit for a minute before retrieving and on the third cast as the flies sat in the clear water a pair of jaws rose and took the buzzer. First fish for the group, a nice rainbow of 3 and a half pounds. About 10 minutes later another splash at the buzzer but this time no tug, no tight line. Maybe I struck too soon or it just got suspicious but no take. The other guys were now interested, albeit pretending not to be, cursing at me for being first off the mark. They had had no offers at all so a couple of them followed my example and changed to dries.
Ally put on a CDC buzzer and caught the best fish of the day a brown trout of 8 and a half pounds. I am sure that was the one I just missed!! He was nominated for a Troutcatcher badge for that one I hope he succeeds but it did not count for heaviest fish as it was returned. Soon Rabbie was into a rainbow, again on a dry but that was it for the morning.
After lunch it was now really hot, after the summer we have had very surprising, but I was sticking to the dries particularly versions of the CDC buzzer. Soon after another gaping jaw to a static buzzer and a large brown trout around 4lb plus was netted, this time a black/red buzzer body. It had a huge head as can be seen from the pictures.

Five minutes later another splash to another static fly but no take. I was now getting looks from the rest as nobody else had scored or even had a tug in the afternoon. After one cast I realised that my leader had got tangled and both flies were together so I reeled in quickly to sort the mess out, creating a surface wake. As I was reeling in right at the end as I rose the line, a fish rose and took both flies, so much for only static takes. Down it went, line tightened and a leap out of the water with a few twists and turns, confirmed itself as a rainbow and when it landed the line went slack and it was free.
Olive CDC buzzers were the success fly so I had now doubled up still fishing statics. Very few fish were moving but when one did it gave you encouragement. Out of the darkness another silver rose and a 3rd fish was landed, another good rainbow. Just before we finished Colin caught a rainbow on another static but we let this one go.
All over and four of us had caught, Rabbie got the money for heaviest 1st fish and I got the money for the most fish. Disappointing day overall for the group as only 4 of us caught and 3 blanked. However including my misses I had a good day and would return again. The owners were very friendly and chatty. Clearly proud of their fishery and its reputation.
Now time for a few cold beers and prepare for tomorrows salmon trip on the river Annan.

Caaf Reservoir not really fishing as we know it

Today was my first outing as a volunteer with the Ayrshire rivers trust. The objective was to remove all the fish from Caaf reservoir and relocate them to Kilbirnie Loch. The water board are mothballing the reservoir and draining it so fish get moved or perish. There is a burn that runs from the top end and it is hoped that the channel will remain after completion of the works. The water board cannot drain the reservoir fully until they overcome the issue of the released water flooding the Garnock with the silt from the reservoir potentially damaging the wildlife in there. Yesterday the trust carried out a similar exercise at Pundeavon reservoir and successfully relocated just over 1000 fish. Although they were told that the water was stocked with rainbows only brown trout were captured.
Sadly today was to be a different scenario. I had a really enjoyable day out but the trust could not achieve their objective. 

The burn comes in from the top

The reservoir had already been well drained to a level that the trust could work at but yesterdays heavy rain increased the water level by 2 metres and it continued to rise during today, approximately another foot.
The second issue was the silt content in the water. It was the colour of dark brown tea and far from an ideal fishing condition.

Looking to the dam

You can see from the photos that the sides are steep and at the waters edge it is gloopy mud, sinking in up to your knees, getting back out again was fun.
We got both boats down to the waters edge and then bad luck started when the small dinghy drifted downwater to the bank edge at the far end. It should not have been a major issue but the mud was so dangerous we could not risk wading to the dinghy so the bigger boat had to be sent to retrieve it, going into shallow muddy water in the process.

The drained section with the burn showing

We managed to get the boon net across the water attaching it to the other bank. This not would block off an escape by the fish but on the return journey the engine was spluttering and cutting out.
At the dam end we optimistically got the boat net, fish cage and gear down the steep embankment which being mostly stone lined was easier.
The problem with the engine was a serious issue and after stripping it down it was felt that the muddy silty water was the culprit and had choked the engine. Without it we could not trawl the water with the net and sadly the project had to be abandoned today. It might happen in the future if the water drops and the manpower available.

The steep slopes stand out

The biggest disappointment was for the trust as this was a business day for them and as such a cost without return. 
For me I enjoyed my day out and met some great people.
An alternative fishing story but just like fishing you don't always get the day you hope for.

The disabled boat in the corner

Harelaw....another wild day here

Looking back to the fishing hut

Harelaw, I don't remember having fished here before in what could be termed a calm day and today was certainly not one of those. This fishery is set in the hills above Neilston and provides good bank and boat fishing. Unusually for this type of fishery it also attracts pike anglers, not common to see both mix. There are some really good fish here so always worth a cast.

The calm bay

A couple of the guys opted for a boat but others including me decided to bank fish. Although you can walk the full water the wind conditions today meant that the easterly bank, as you look from the hut, was the only reasonable one for safe casting. There were not many fishermen here for a Saturday, maybe the weather or maybe a sign of the times.
The walking is normally ok but the bank we were heading towards is probably the hardest going especially as it is now extremely boggy in parts as well as the awkward tussocky grass mounds. 

Another angler tries his luck

As I walked round I cast every now and then with my standard wet casts of bibio on point and Kate McLaren on the dropper. It seems years since I started with dries but these cold winds are keeping the fish down. With this wind it was strictly a 2 fly cast only. It took about half an hour to get to where I really wanted to fish but during this time I neither saw nor touched a fish.

Boat at top edge of the bay

To add to the adventure you have to walk over very boggy terrain sinking into the gloopy mud at times well over my boots. You then have to walk on a narrow pontoon type bridge walkway through a reed bed, the height of these reeds go over my head and also close in on you on each side, a very narrow and dark passage indeed. One of the pontoons was not fully joined to the others, which I did not spot, so next step one leg right down up to the knee in dark squelchy stuff, not nice.

Father & son try their luck

After that excitement the next adventure begins when you cross a small hillock on which the black headed gulls are nesting and they were not at all happy with our presence. The result was constant dive bombing attacks by them, which to try to avoid I walked with my rod held high in an effort to deter them. These birds don't just try to hit you their defence mechanism is to crap on you, very smelly stuff, not recommended.
Suitably traumatised and knackered I was glad to get to my chosen fishing spot. My pal started fishing in a small tree lined bay where insects were plentiful and the occasional fish was rising. There was one fish in particular that rose so frequently that he was determined to catch and after an hour he did so, perseverance paid off, just as well as it was his only one of the day.
Further along the bank where I was fishing you can wade quite well with a reasonable sandy footing and only a few rocks to avoid. I could see the odd fish rising but most, if they were here, were presumably fishing a foot or two down. Off with the bibio and on with a gold headed brassie nymph to get down to them and within a few minutes I had a good tug but no take. Optimism restored. A short time later I had a solid hit and there was a good rainbow which took the Kate on the dropper. It gave a good fight so had to be helped for a minute to recover before a quick tail flick sent it speeding out to deeper water.

Harelaw rainbow

I fished the same cast for about half an hour, one gentle tug but nothing else.
The boat guys were back into our bay saying it was just mental weather further out and horrible for fishing, glad I was walking. They stayed in our bay for the rest of the day so it must have been wild.

Pike guys out at the island

Next change was to try buzzers for another half an hour or so but after walking up and down the bank no joy, no tugs, no fish. Time for lunch.
After lunch I decided to go with dries just for some fun. A little black spider has worked well here before partnered with an f fly midge, also a good fly for these waters. Midges were about the only thing I had seen on the water. No joy with these so on went bigger flies with sedgehog up top and a small daddy on the dropper. No real reason other than a change. The sky was darkening to a deep black overhead so not too confident. Regret it yee doubter. A few casts later and good fish rose trying to drown the daddy and down it went, rod bent, fish on. It was a hard struggle and I knew from the fight something wasn't quite right. As it turned out the fish had foul-hooked on the sedge whilst trying to drown the daddy. It was a good fish about 2.5lb and despite having the leader wrapped around it I was able to safely return it.

It looks a lot calmer than it was

As it turned out that was the last bit of action for the day. All of the guys caught at least one but none more than two so that was ok but less than we have caught in previous visits. One did catch a 4lb jack pipe on the fly.
The weather was looking decidedly ominous and heavy rain was forecast so time to walk the gull gauntlet and the reed beds.
On a better day I look forward to a full walk around the place but I was satisfied with today's limited stretch despite the weather.

Harlaw reservoir: wild, wet, windy but productive

It was a normal summers day for 2015, on and off rain and a storm force wind. Sometimes you cannot pick your day, I had bought my permit a couple of days before my planned trip so the question was do I go or cancel?

Looking west

Decision is to go for a while anyway. The reservoir is up at the base of the Pentland hills and for your day ticket there are two places to fish. Harlaw, which is a standard stocked water with rainbow and sometimes blue trout, does have some tree shelter. Threipmuir is a brown trout only water but it stands exposed to the elements and today's wind would be right in my face so it was a no go.
When I kitted up in the carpark there were a few comments from the dog walking brigade mainly joking about my sanity for fishing in this weather. 

The right hand side was the only area in use due to the wind

A short walk through the trees brings me to Harlaw reservoir and the duty bailiff who reluctantly winds down his car window to examine my permit. A short chat mainly as the rain was blowing in his window to say only the westerly bank would be fish-able in this weather. He did let me know that it had been stocked with rainbows yesterday and blues 2 weeks ago. As I walk towards the west bank I see another nutter already fishing. As I neared he kept his head down not wanting to chat but I always say hello anyway, not sure he appreciated being called another madman. He had been fishing for a few hours and caught nothing. In fact he said he hadn't caught anything in 3 weeks, oh boy, maybe staying in bed was the better option.

My new friend in the distance

Still on with a Bibio & Kate Mclaren and a small black buzzer and here we go. The rain got heavier and the wind strengthened, not a lot of fun but I have paid my £20 quid so I'm staying. Off with bibio & buzzer and on with a gold head brassie nymph to try to find their feeding zone. Down to a 2 fly cast as the wind was playing havoc and whilst I had not tangled it was only a matter of time. The heavy rain stopped and I swear I saw some swills on the water, were my eyes deceiving me or were fish feeding just subsurface?

I walked back to ask my new friend but he had not seen anything move and seemed disbelieving that I had. I fished up the short stretch without success and decided to go back to where I thought I had seen the movement. A couple of casts later and bang, a hit and a blue trout shot out of the water. The blues are one of the best fighting fish you get. I could see it had taken the Kate on the dropper. I could see that my new friend was giving me a hard stare but lo and behold, just as I was about to net it, it broke me, just like Loch Bhac. This time it was not the dropper knot but further up so I assume a wind knot weakened the line. My new friend looked happier now.

I tied up a new rig, not fun in this wind, and no more brassies left so a pheasant tailed nymph up top as I think I had their feeding zone but also a new Kate on the dropper again. 10 minutes later bang and another blue shot out and this time no mistake it was landed. My friend looked doubly unimpressed when I let it go to fight another day. The permit allows you to take 4 fish but I rarely do. 

A nice blue trout

That was 2 on the dropper to the Kate. I was happy with my 2 fish so tried something different and I changed my Kate dropper to a similar sized partridge and orange self tied version. I cast up and down the short bank and about 15 minutes later another hit and another blue caught and released, dropper successful again.
The weather was still inclement and time to go home for a lunch break out of the wind and rain. I had a chat with my new friend and told him what I had been using, it was up to him if he changed. On the way back to the carpark out pops the bailiff and a pal with a slightly smug 'had enough then' question. He looked suitably chastened when I told him of my 3 catches.
After a break of around 2 hours for lunch I returned and just as I had kitted out in the car park the heavens opened and the heaviest rain of the day came on. Tailgate up I sat around for 10 minutes until it eased off. Stopped to chat to the bailiff again just as my new friend was leaving blanked again but said he did try the small flies. Bailiff said he had blanked as well so far.
On the water there were 2 other people fishing and I spotted 2 more going round the point. Had a brief chat with the 2 guys who had not caught anything yet. They were impressed/cynical about my morning 3, I had not told them so word had obviously got about. I moved away slightly to start my fishing. This time I had a Kate up top with the partridge and orange on dropper. Wow another good hit below the water but not the same jump as the blue, this time it dived down and fought a good fight underwater. When landed it was a nice rainbow to the Kate again but this time on point. Another 2 unbelieving glances came my way as I released it.

Looking east from a previous visit

I decided to move round the point as the wind had eased and to fish a different area. It turned out there were 4 guys here, getting busy now. The 1st two had blanked and also knew about my morning catches, local word does travel fast so I had to update them about my recent success, faces fall again.
Time to move on again and I walked past the last 2 guys who it turned out were Polish. One asked what I had caught and again was surprised by my 4 as they had both blanked. They asked to see the flies I used and said they would put on small flies as they had been using big lures.
There were more frequent rises here and some very close in. I spotted a rise and threw a cast at it more in hope. No hit but as I raised my line I felt a small snag, no stones here? It turned out to be the smallest brown trout I have ever caught. It had attacked the Kate which was as big as its head. Back in the water again it shot off with the Poles wondering what was going on. I could see some good rises out in the middle so I was casting in that area when a cracking hit on the rod with a good bend, best fight of the day and the best fish of the day, a superb blue at least 2.5lbs. Back it went and the Poles were now pointing in my direction, I don't think the language was complimentary. 

My huge broonie

A few casts later and that was enough for the day so I walked back. When I went past the Poles one of them said I was lucky and I don't think he was kidding. Interesting reaction when I had tried to help them. As I said to them better being lucky than good.
Round the bend the last 2 guys were still fishing, I was told a rainbow had been caught, the only other one known about today.
I was delighted with today's catch: 4 blues and 1 rainbow, shall include the broonie? 5 out of the 6 to the Kate clearly the fly of the month.
Despite the weather it had been a productive day and I did feel quite smug when I handed the bailiff my return record.
I shall return.

Tummel Pitlochry salmon no go today...obvious really

After my good day at Loch Bhac I had plans to fish a couple of beats on the Tummel for the next two days. I knew that heavy rain had been predicted for during the night but I was still very surprised to see the height of the river and it was clear that there would be no fishing today. A walk up to the dam to see the torrent of water cascading out of the openings, very impressive. There must have been huge rainfall up country. Forecast more rain and strong winds so tomorrow will be a no go as well.
Still the good news was that I had not paid out any money for the fishing, there will be another day.

Looking to Port na Craig

The bridge at Fonab

From the footbridge

The dam spews its water

Don't think it was too happy either

Water coming from top and bottom

Downriver from the dam

Loch Bhac...a super day

Finally I got the opportunity to visit this loch and it was no disappointment.
It was a last minute decision to book the night before on the PAC website and then hang around for a bit in the morning as you have to pick up the forestry/boat key from Scotlands Hotel in Pitlochry after 8am.

Carn Liath in background

To get to the loch you have to go alongside Loch Tummel to enter the forest via one of 2 forest roads. Luckily I spotted a previous posting informing anglers that only the 2nd entrance, Grenich, was in use. Having found the entrance the barrier was not actually locked so could have saved the wait at the hotel. But, you know what would have happened had I ignored the key collecting. The track goes onwards and upwards winding through a large forest with no-one else about. The track is heavily rutted so drive slowly. From this entrance it is almost 3 miles to reach the loch. I pass a small ground sign 'Loch Bhac 3rd left'. Sounds clear but it is a long way through trees. I turn a bend and a red deer hind stands in the track, staring at me, doing a stand off with my car. Thankfully in effortlessly and elegantly moves off into the woods.

Finally found it

Finally I see a sign I have arrived. The parking area is 300 metres away from the water, a bit of a slog if you are carrying an engine for the boat.
All tackled up I walked down a muddy track to the loch. The view that opens up is certainly not one to disappoint, it was everything I hoped for. Partially surrounded by trees with a superb open mountain vista, I can clearly see the scar of the path up Carn Liath and the Glen Tilt mountains to the left. This is what you live for. Reeds growing in parts of the loch, good hiding for the fish.
A local was setting up a boat and kindly gave me information about where I could safely wade. As it turns out there is really good wading around most of the loch and I'm sure locals will wade out a lot further than I did but going too far was not necessary today.

Looking from the hut

The weather was to be pleasant in the morning with wind increasing lunchtime on but too soon to be affected by the oncoming storm. As it turned out it was a blustery wind, regularly changing direction throughout the session. The loch is around 300 metres above sea level so wind is always expected.
No sign of fish rising so I started with my normal wet flies for a new loch, bibio up top and Kate McLaren on the dropper. A quick check of the log in the hut and bibio had scored a couple of fish, good choice.

This wee broonie was camera shy

A walk round to the sheltered side to get the best casting and 10 minutes later fish number 1, a 6 inch broonie to Kate. About 15 minutes later another solid tug, this time much stronger and after a good fight a decent rainbow was netted, again to the Kate on the dropper. A lovely golden colour to its back.
Having caught a couple my day was good even if I caught no more, so I walked the loch fishing as I went. Up to the point I never saw or touched a fish. On the far bank a buzzard flew low over the ground up into a fir tree watching me for a good 20 minutes. The wind was very strong into my face and I was thinking the sheltered southern/eastern ends were the best to enjoy the day. The terrain was very muddy but I have walked round a lot worse,

Good rainbow with a golden back

Time for an early sandwich at the hut before wandering back to the other side. Unusually for me I had not changed any fly. Half an hour nothing happening except a few small broonies surfacing.
To get a little deeper off with bibio and a gold headed brassie to get down to where the fish might be feeding.
A few casts later hit number 3 and the best of the day. It headed straight out towards the middle but when landed it was full and rounded. Fin perfect this looked like a well conditioned over wintered fish. Strong as it was it didn't need any help when released, it went off like a torpedo, Kate on dropper again!
Not long after that a massive hit on the rod almost tore it out of my hands, bang, hit, gone? The fish had broken the leader, a long time since that has happened to me. Big splash, a fish leapt 3 times out in the middle, presumably my fish trying to remove the flies and line. That part of fishing saddens me, I can do more for it. Examining what was left of my tackle my first thought was that it was a poorly tied fly knot but no it had broken me at the dropper knot, another hit for the Kate, amazing.

Fishermen's tracks

For a change I tied up a 3 cast dry fly team, a small black spider up top, a midge F fly on the middle (there were lots of midge around) and a small dry Kate. Tried for 30 minutes but could not bring up a rainbow but did bring up a small brownie on you guessed, Kate again.
The wind was now creating a bigger chop on the water so back under. A 2 fish cast only as I wanted to avoid tangles, a sparse orange dunkeld up top and of course a Kate on dropper. A good tug but straight off, heartening. A bit later another good tug on and off. A quick check but no bent hooks so try again. Third time lucky a good hit, fish on and a good rainbow. Surprise, surprise, not Kate this time, the Dunkeld did the trick. Half an hour later another hit and another good rainbow to the Dunkeld. 

Perfect loch scene

The weather took a turn for the worse. The chop was now more a wave that the windsurfers would enjoy and the rain started.
Enough for me but just as I was walking back the osprey appeared. For 10 minutes I enjoyed watching it circle and scope the loch, talons visible, rising and dropping, but as for me no fish were near the surface so off it went hungry and disappointed to look elsewhere for food.
But I was far from disappointed, a great day out in spectacular surroundings, one of those days your glad to be alive to appreciate it.

Loch Bhac