I think it is fair to say that Storm Ciara has been well heralded ahead of its arrival on Saturday night/Sunday morning. I was fortunate to have today ( Friday) off and with a couple of chums from SCAC saying they were going up to Orchill today I decided to head there myself to kill a few hours getting my piscatorial fix for the week.
The forecast had been for a reasonable cold and bright day but it was sullen and grey fog at the house. I thought maybe I had cleared the Forth Valley fog bank as the road climbed towards Dunblane and Blue sky appeared with crisp white frost on the fields, but within about a mile it was back to fog and the whole day remained like this at Orchill. While the temperature gauge said 0C it felt much colder and at times was nearly unbearably cold. The damp cold of the fog accompanied by a breeze cold enough to chill but not strong enough to clear away the mists was never far away.
An Early Bath?
It is fair to say the fishing was tough. I nearly called it a day around 12 as my fingers were hurting. The fish were not as deep ( at least initially) as you may have imagined and I started on an Intermediate line but was getting no attention whatsoever even after several fly changes. Yet I was not far from fish, some would cruise right by me and I could see some near the surface from my fishing platform.
Dry fly conditions clearly
There were bursts of activity on the surface and during a tactical switch to a floating line I also decided to make up a tapered leader so I could speculatively throw a Dry fly over the risers. This may seem like folly on a very cold winters day with no sign of insect life to speak of. I tied on a small black shuttlecock with a Diawl Bach and a small Black spider on the droppers and first cast a fish came up and took the dry. Crazy stuff!
It seemed well enough hooked but unfortunately came off as I was playing it. Up to that point, I had only seen one other fish caught in my line of vision from one of the boats. My friends, Peter and Willie were on the other boat and but for a few pulls initially were having a similarly tough time.
I persevered with the dry but got no more offers and moved round the loch nearer the lodge where I could retreat if the cold was getting too bad- as it did around 12 and I spent 20 minutes letting my fingers recover in the lodge before venturing out again. Peter and Willie had managed to hook and lose a few fish during this time I learned later.
Call the Fire Brigade
I fished on thinking I would maybe last until 13:00. The wind was right into me here so casting was a bit tricky and I decided to tie on a Fireman Lure- a pattern relayed to me by fishing friend Radek. It is a Polish pattern. This wasn’t an exact Fireman, more of a variant, but close enough. Once back on an intermediate line this got me my first tentative pull of the day, it as only slight but definitely happened. I gave up thrashing this area of water and decided to try up the roadside bank for a final 30 minutes or so if I could stand it.
I was not long in position when finally, quite deep I had a very strong pull and at last was into what turned out to be a long fish that I think was probably in the 3 and a half pound range ( at best). It was really well hooked and once on wasn’t coming off.
Almost as I was returning it, Peter then Willie both hooked into their first successfully netted fish of the day. Suddenly fish were boiling all around their boat and in front of me. Every cast subsequently to this, I had a follow right in or occasionally small pulls before finally, another fish took in the exact same manner as the first.
The first Rainbow was very long and weighed at least 3lb 
Much shorter than the first but I would have to say considerably heavier- it was hard to lift in the net- I would guess getting on for 4lb though doesn’t look it here.
This was hooked in an identical fashion and though slightly shorter was a much heavier fish again, the photo isn’t terribly helpful in telling the weight but I was a struggle to lift the net and I would guess it was a comfortable 4lbs. Its girth suggested it had “eaten all the pies”, daily, for a week previous!
Then the guy just along the bank from me hooked a fish too as I was playing my second. I have no idea what switched them on but as soon as they were on, they were off again and it went very quiet once more…..which was kind of handy as I was frozen and it was near enough time to pack up. A hot brew beckoned and we all retired to the lodge for a blether before the drive home. One of the coldest days fishing I can ever remember to be honest and that is saying something!
