Its an English bank holiday today, not a local one and schools are all in, though my son was off as he is on the tail end of his study leave and not due back to school for another week (lucky him). So it was a rare day when my wife, myself, and son (and the dog) were all off together.

We decided to have a day out- a long walk with the dog over the hills not too far from home. I had spotted what looked like a route I had not seen before, when out a few days earlier in the car and after a look at an OS map decided why don’t we try that. The weather forecast was rubbish (well not as bad as of late but still due to be wet) so not venturing too far from home meant we could bolt back if it was a bad decision.

Hooked! The first fish of the day is on.

Hooked! The first fish of the day is on.

I won’t be too specific about where we were, but the route followed a burn which ultimately enters the Carron Valley and I suspected the burn might have the odd fish or two in it, so took the 4weight rod, a reel and a few dry flies to have a wee bit sport along the way if the occasion presented itself – I wasn’t too bothered or optimistic. My better half had originally suggested we went down the Tweed- she would walk the dog I could fish ( in case you think I was being selfish) but I really wasn’t that bothered to spend the day fishing, so this was a bit of a compromise and an explore- I was more out for the walk.

The first wild Brownie of the day

The first wild Brownie of the day

We parked up and headed off down the route, and it was quite blustery and showery, but about 300 metres or so along the way came to a very inviting fishy looking pool and a wall provided a nice wind break from the intermittent rain so we stopped, I set up my rod and line and had a wee cast into the pool. I immediately rose a fish but it was so fast I missed it!

I cast in about 4 times more and again and again fish were coming for the fly but I was not connecting- my wife was enthralled it has to be said- but at last success- I hooked a wee wild brownie, and we were all delighted. If that had been the only fish I caught all day I would have been chuffed……

Another cracking wee pool

Another cracking wee pool

We hiked down the rest of the route following the burn through some very impressive scenic spots, and I cast a line a few times along the way but never caught another fish, though I was keeping my powder dry as it were for the walk back as heading upstream seemed a better bet.

After we stopped for lunch at the bottom of the route we commenced the journey back and stopped at a nice pool. It looked a sure-fire bet to hold fish but after about 6 or 7 casts I never saw a fish. Then out of the blue my fly was snaffled and I had a second small brown trout.

Combat Fishing!

Combat Fishing!

Leaving the pool in peace I spotted a really nice run and fish were rising along it but the wind was causing havoc and I simply could not get the fly in the spot with any delicacy so had to give up there. We soon though, came to another likely spot with fish rising, in fact, there was a hatch on and flies coming off the water. I gave it a few casts over one of the rise spots and once I got the cast right I took a fish right away. You can almost tell the cast that will catch before the fish rise- they just look right! Another small brown trout returned.

Next, we returned to a spot I would love to tackle with waders on, but one wee shady corner looked very enticing and as I pointed it out to the family a fish obligingly rose, I could not touch it though- tricky casting.

Lots of fish were here but the wind was hard to overcome

Lots of fish were here but the wind was hard to overcome

Then just a few yards upstream nice sunny but sheltered corner was clearly moving with fish. I cast under an overhanging branch and number 4 was on!

I could not rise another here so as we walked upstream, a spot I had passed without looking on the way down looked nice and we could see a fish rise near the far bank. It took me a few casts to get the fly in the right spot, that wind again, but once again, as I got it right the fish came, this time a much bigger one- nearer to half a pound- that’s possibly a slight exaggeration – more like 5 or 6 ounces but it was a good 8-9 inches anyway and quite powerful for its size.

Run, pool, run, pool..... repeat

Run, pool, run, pool….. repeat

I did have a few more casts on the way back beyond this point but 5 fish for what wasn’t a fishing outing was more than I had dreamed of so was delighted and we had a great family day out to boot. It was very much a day of staying low and creeping up to the clear deep pools, as Hywel Morgan refers to it in his TV program….”Combat fishing”. The phrase became something of a running catchphrase all day especially good when said in a Welsh accent!

fishing a run..

fishing a run..

The flies I used were Deer hair and CDC style Comparadun patterns, the Deer Hair ones lasted better it has to be said, though I had fish on both, the CDC ones became waterlogged quite quickly.