A memorable day at Menteith for the wrong reasons, though not the disaster of last week when the boat broke down and I had to drift to the fishery to get out! ( note, it’s not a fishery boat!).
A bright but cold morning at Gateside Bay
Sunday started bright and sunny but in fact it was very cold like winter and the initially east wind turned to the North and it got colder still for a good while.
Being that I can get out on the water earlier than most of the fishery boats there are some limits where you can fish due to local agreements with the parish I tend to stick up near Gateside Bay and round the corner. I fished for a good couple of hours from Roman bay to Gateside and never seen a fish or had a touch. By now the wind had turned Northerly and very cold, I tried fishing deep on the Di7 but still had nothing.
I then headed over the other side to Sandy bay, as the fishery boats came out to play.
This is the first time I have fished here, and I noticed it was pretty shallow, certainly the wind was a bit more conducive to fishing here! My first drift down the left side I had a gentle knock and after what felt like a fight with a wet blanket, landed a Pike of about 3 to 3 and a half pounds. it was amazing colours and left a nice present of hundreds of Pike eggs all over the inside of the boat while I unhooked it from the hothead Damsel it had taken, then released it.
I drifted on down, and can’t recall if it was on this run down or a wee bit later, but had another very gentle take that i though had to be a wee brownie or another pike but then realised I was into a Rainbow, I tightened in but then it flicked about on the surface and then came off. No idea what it had taken, I was fishing the damsel on point, and a Cormorant and a blob above.
I had a couple of other knocks but no more sport so moved round the point and fished the other bay beyond the promintory.
On the drift down here it was obvious a few fish were being caught, and I “bumped” into Alberto Laidlaw on another boat, they were having a good time catching fish, up to now I was getting nowt. Then I had a knock and a fish was on, it swum round the boat a few times and did a few runs and i thought it was nearly ready for the net, I had it in my hand, then it came off!
Initially I had no idea what it had taken but later realised it was the Cormorant as it fell to bits clearly shredded by the fish’s teeth. By now I had had a few fly changes but stuck with the Cormorant and a few variants of Snatcher on droppers.
I then had a lot of engine problems which somewhat curtailed my ability to fish effectively but after a bit mucking about over I would say an hour I sussed what the engine problem was and was able to take steps to resolve them temporarily.
Due to my lack of maneuverability i was a unable to get into the drift where I would have liked so decided to make a run back to Sandy Bay where I had an easier run to Gateside should I need to row.
There were clearly fish here but not having had much to date and seeing a few midges coming off and fish rising in a few places I thought maybe a buzzer was worth a go, so tried fishing buzzers for a wee while. Nothing. Well maybe one knock but not convincing.
Back to the intermediate line with Snatcher, shredded Cormorant- changed for a new one, and back to a hothead on point. It took a wee while but eventually but for a few knocks, and a change of fly to a Black and red Montana on point, but my line locked up as a fish tore off towards the bank. It fought with a huge amount of power though I seen it and it would have been a fish of about 2 and a half pounds . Now at this point I had a problem I had cast just after moving the boat and was standing up at the bow end with my boat seat between me and the net. I could not reach it so had to step over the seat to reach the net, the fish was fairly tired by now so I gingerly stepped over the seat, keeping the rod high…. and the fish came off! ( bleep, bleep, bleep!!!). Initially I thought it was the Montana that had done the damage but in fact it was the Pearly Snatcher.
My flies were intact and I foolishly never inspected them in detail. Bad mistake. I cast a few more times, my casting was good today, I was getting some good distance, and a fish struck and I lifted: a ton of thrashing out about 20 odd yards away and it too came off!!!!
Number 4 about to come adrift
Pulling the flies back for a check I then realised why, the Pearly Snatcher hook was bent from the earlier fish and I had not noticed.
I did not have another so took a chance and bent it back into shape, and after a few more casts, I had another fish, again I took it steady with this one, it made some vicious runs really tugging and head knocking but I kept it on, then as I was ready to bring it close to the boat with the net in hand……. you guessed it, it f%$£*!g came off… The hook wasn’t bent this time and it was not obvious why it had come off, though it was right under the rod tip at the time which is always dodgy.
So six fish caught, one landed: a pike, and all trout came off….. what a day!
I was at the lake on sunday with my club Rainbow Warriors (Alberto is in our club ), I had 4 fish in the first hour and a half, and got broken twice, we were fishing around the butts,
from about 3pm until 6pm there were loads of fish rising but wouldnt take anything we through at them,I tried buzzers , dries and small nymphs to no avail. about 6.15 we moved into gateside bay and I hooked and landed a nice fish just under 4lbs on a bobby, total 5 fish for 13 lbs.
Steven had the same day as you , he hooked and lost about 6 fish , his boat partner Alec Mc Ewan caught 6 fish ,
Albertos boat partner Jock Cree was our best rod.
Yeah
When I saw Alberto and his partner they were catching, I seen his partner lift at least two ( while I wasnt being distracted by the engine on my boat!)
Was a very frustrating day- Alberto said to me earlier in the day ” Some days its not to be”, in this regard I think he was right- I had it too good on Friday!