I had a few hours to kill today before leaving for work so decided on a run down to Burnhouse. Only having fished it once before, pre-season earlier this year it’s not a place I feel I really know. It looked almost exactly the same as the last time I was there. I really meant to get up there during the summer but the free fishing at Pendreich proved too much of a draw.
It was pretty busy though when I arrived and I was fairly well obliged to fishing the east end of the north bank. I had fished successfully here before so it wasn’t a problem.
The water the colour of strong tea with a dash of milk was though!

I started out on a small green and black lure with a Cormorant on the dropper, and felt I had one touch second cast but was catching the bottom a lot on the intermediate line. After about 15 mins of nothing but occasional snags I opened the fly box to see what to try next. I put a small Yellow Dancer on point and I don’t really know why but liked the look of an Invicta with its silvery body thinking it might be seen in the murky water so put it rather unconventionally on top dropper. Two casts later I had a take very much like that you get from a Grayling. A lazy sort of stop then much head shaking. It was a nice 2 and a half pound Rainbow on the Invicta.
It’s worth pointing out this fly is at least 30 years old! So there’s life in the old dog yet!
After this I decided to have a go on buzzers and try out my deer hair shuttlecock as a sighter fly with buzzers beneath. This worked well as a method but I had no luck, changing colours and variants a few times. I also took the opportunity to try this on my newly acquired HM3 10ft #7/8 that Hywel Morgan sent me up this week. What a casting machine this rod is! With the Airflo 40 plus #7 on it positively fired the flies out over the Lochan. I was easily getting 5 metres more than usual. Amazing!

Burnhouse has to be the most welcoming fishery I have ever visited

It wasn’t catching me any more fish though unfortunately. I had an hour or so on the South bank and managed one small half pound Brown Trout ( returned) to a red buzzer but nothing else. The way it took I thought I had a much bigger fish. It really slammed the fly. So that was it on a grey overcast and sometimes wet day.
I will say one final thing though, Burnhouse has to be the most welcoming fishery I have ever visited. The guys in the lodge really make you feel welcome and nothing seems too much trouble.

When looking for a Rainbow ‘fix’ I need to go there more often I think!