Pendreich earlier in the week
Been out a few times towards the latter half of the week. A quick excursion up to Pendreich on Friday night turned into a great session albeit that I only landed 2 fish- one of about a pound and another of, I would think, a pound and a quarter. It was surprisingly still up there even though it still seemed windy when I left home.
A cracking condition Brownie from Cocksburn
Overall the result was lost one, missed one, caught two then finally lost one with the fly coming off right at the death- these size 18 midges are a pain at times. The Pheasant tailed Klink did most of the damage though later on the fish were supping on tiny midges and it was this I changed to as it got dark. I saw the fish take it but despite my thoroughly checking the security of the knot I tied in the twilight, somehow it came off and I lost a fish.
Not to worry.
Today’s the day
Anyway, I decided on Saturday today was going to be the day I tried to get the big fish in the remote deep run on the wee burn. Regular readers might remember me mention this stretch in previous outings. To recap, on our initial explore of the burn I spotted a section that looked very fishy but the wind made casting impossible. When I returned and fished it I got a few fish from the pool but right at the head of the pool I missed a fish that rolled on my fly, that looked way bigger than anything else I have seen in the burn. Did giants live here? Only one way to find out.
Its a long hike to this particular spot so not somewhere ‘ fished at all regularly and even harder now with summer’s heavy growth of vegetation. I stopped on the way down at the first pool just to test the water and was blessed with two fish of about 5-6 ounces which are much bigger than on previous visits- the fish must be packing on the weight this year.
So the hike continued and on eventually getting there I stopped for a bite and to watch the water. There was not a lot of activity but a couple of splashy rises told me all I needed to know- the big boy still lurked here!
The wind was a bit tricky- upstream but not conducive to casting from the bank I had walked down so I crossed over and fished from the far bank. I was using a Deer Hair sedge type pattern and my first few casts were largely ignored, I had a few splashes from what seemed smaller fish but nothing approaching a take.
This was a big fish and he rocketed down the run right past me in the deep water.
A nearly 1 pound fish netted from the Burn
Would I spook the big lad? I swapped flies to a tiny size 18 parachute terrestrial pattern, not so much as a look. It had gone very quiet now so I was fearing I had sent the fish hiding in the depths. I swapped this time to a Yellow bodied F Fly. Casting up into the riffle where water entered the pool almost immediately the fly was sucked under by the gentlest of takes, but it was fish on and I was not disappointed! This was a big fish and he rocketed down the run right past me in the deep water. There is a fair flow in this section of the burn and my 4 weight rod was totally bent double! A struggle ensued of to and fro but eventually, I got his head up and as I brought him to the net he decided he was having none of this and went again. Second time round though he was safely netted, a fish definitely over three quarters of a pound and very nearly a pound I would think- a giant in such a small burn! I managed one quick snap of him in the net then went to unhook him, the fly was right down his throat. I got it out and he slipped out my hand into the water upside down, that was no good so I righted him and as soon as I did he bolted for the depths- so unfortunately only a rubbish net shot and a memory to remember him by. The rest of the day was great fun and I had 14 other fish from the various pools and runs all the way up the burn, some of the better spots failed to reward though I had a few indications of bigger fish I might have missed. The average weight has definitely increased and a great day out.
