My son isn’t much of an angler. He does though enjoy the odd short session on Lake of Menteith where we are fortunate to know one of the local landowners who have a private boat there. Me being in the state I am means a day out there is not really an option for me so if it wasn’t for this I would probably not be able to fish it at all as the fishery only does full day or (in summer, full evening sessions). Early on in the season we said we would have a few hours there before the season was done but I really haven’t been able though the best of the summer. But this last week I felt there was a chance I might be able to fish ideally Sunday: not had too intolerable a week. So I went to arrange the boat but in checking the weather Sunday wasn’t on. So Saturday it was. Then I discovered the Scottish Clubs finals would be on. I wasn’t sure what to do as I didn’t want to get in the way especially with number one son on board who isn’t much of an angler or boatman.
The reports I had read suggested fish were well spread out so hopefully there would be somewhere we could fish productively away from the serious anglers. I took my electric outboard up too as the motor on the boat we use is a bit unreliable and I didn’t fancy being adrift on such an important day.
As we drove along the shore road past the fishery it was apparent there were few boats visible at the east end of the lake despite it being about 10 and I imagined the competition would be underway. Where were they? The answer was obvious as we went to load the boat. I would reckon 80% of the fleet were in Gateside Bay. And of those many were jockeying for position round the top corner of the bay. I can only assume all the fish were here and had been located during the previous practice days. I wasn’t for getting in amongst the stramash so we motored up to Roman Bay and the Maalling Shore. But would there be any fish?
We had noticed both in the boathouse and up near the reeds that the water level seemed very low compared to usual. So it was quite shallow for the tactics I had hoped to employ. I had set up my boys rod with a slow intermediate line and a biscuit booby on point with a cormorant on the dropper. I fished a sink tip and had a three fly cast of much the same but with a top dropper of an olive snatcher. I had hoped to use these to good effect in Gateside Bay but there was no chance with all the boats there. There was no point in giving my son the sink tip as while its easier to see the one I have is a bit light for its rating at a 7 weight and its not the easiest thing to cast.
It was really too shallow for this here and with my son not having used an intermediate line before the need to keep the flies moving to avoid snagging was a problem. I seen but one fish move after 20 mins and with the ease of moving the boat on the leccy motor allowed me to. move to cover the fish. I cast over the spot and immediately the fish swirled at, I think, the Snatcher. I was fractionally slow to spot the take but lifted into the fish. I felt the resistance and thought it was on but there was a splash and it was free.
I tried again but it had gone and we never seen any other fish move in the area. My son wasn’t getting on with the intermediate line and was in a right tangle. So a swap to a Floater needed to be sorted and I tied him on a dry daddy. ( he wanted a dry fly).
My boy on the motor
We tried various other spots up here but nothing moved and by now it was lunchtime so we motored into the shelter of Sandy Bay for something to eat. I had hoped we might see some fish move and we could cover with the dry here but the water level was desperately low. There were copious insects on the water but no fish to be seen.
After some lunch we motored round to the Butts. One other boat was here right in the corner and looked to be fishing dries. I decided to try a dry and swapped to a floater as I was sorting out my son’s twisted and knotted leader again. As I completed reattaching the daddy a fish moved about two rod lengths from the boat. It was slightly into the wind and I told my son to cover it with the daddy but his two casts fell wide of the mark. I asked him for his rod and cast the fly into the right area. I showed him how to give it the odd tweak and reached over to give him the rod back. You can guess what happened?! The fish rose to the fly but neither of us was in a position to take it! Typical!
We fished on but no more fish showed for ages. The other boat departed to rejoin the fleet still sat in Gateside Bay but for a few stragglers drifting down from the Rookery to the hotel. Now I had a dry on nothing offered a target. I tried a lie I had a few fish at on my last outing here in the early season. That was another occasion when it seemed all the fish were holed up in one spot. While here I decided to tie on a yellow dancer for my son and showed him how to fish it. Then two fish moved ahead of the boat and I moved us to be able to cover them. My son cast his dancer and would you believe it he was into a fish! His rod was bent double and he was pulling the fish over the surface. Too hard! I was trying to get him to keep the rod up and the line tight but I think he simply pulled too hard and despite the fish by now being near the boat I couldn’t get to the net quick enough and I think be pulled the hook out it’s mouth. That or he let the fish gain some slack. I was aghast as it looked well hooked. He wasn’t bothered I think the fish gave him more of a fright than he gave the fish! Again it went quiet and by now I was getting sore after about 3 hours fishing so we decided to head back to the boathouse. Getting back into the still congested bay was tricky and it seemed easier to drift across while fishing than to try motor across and annoy some anglers so we had a dozen or so casts as we crossed the fleet. Even then I had a couple of pulls here so it was clear the fish were here to be caught. I think maybe a slow sinker or intermediate would have been the method as my knocks were a little deeper than the floating line was ideal for. But I was done and it was time to go.
You have to question a competition when all the fish are in one spot, really it looks like it would all come down to who could camp ( for those unfamiliar “camping is the term used in online computer games where a player sits in one spot on the best spot usually in a place that is practically impossible for other players to reach and stop the ‘camper’) longest. Is that what it’s really all about? The practice days even become questionable, surely it would be better not having any practice and making the anglers find the fish on the day? No idea how you would police it but what I seen struck me more as a bagging up exercise knowing the fish are in front of you than any true measure of skill.
completly agree Kenny, have tried to book a boat umpteen times this year but it always seems to be fully booked, i think a lot of this is down to “anglers” booking practice sessions for the competitions . maybe they could have marker buoys designating areas for competition and pleasure anglers. Last time i was there it was a nightmare with boats appearing in front of you. one instance i had was drifting along the rope behind another 4 boats and one after the other when they ended the drift they about turned and proceeded to start another drift15 yards in front of me, didnae matter how much i shouted they ignored me so got fed up motored down the drift in and out between the 4 boats at full throttle and gave them a few vickys and went home. had 4 fish but the day was well and truly spoiled by the wankers. all in all cost me counting transport about £40 for 4 hours fishing, but i will be back and i can assure you it wont happen again. Glad i got that off my chest!