You don’t have to be mental to fish here

…..But it helps

Today was the annual charity fishing competition at Swanswater, my local trout fishery. I like to try to get along if possible, and though I felt I might be able to manage this year the weather forecast was grim.
Overnight the rain was giving it pelters but I never heard any sound of the forecast high winds. I reckon I could cope with the rain as long as the wind kept at bay. After all I have tons of foul weather gear. I wouldn’t normally consciously go out on such a day but where I have made a point of saying I would try to be there I feel you have to make the effort.
Just as I was leaving the house there was a fierce blast of wind….. Maybe it was going to get blowie?
Once at Swanswater it was clear quite a few other anglers had made the effort too. In total there were 27 anglers who had come to support Strathcarron Hospice.

Despite the burst waterpipe looking face I was actually quite happy, just trying to hold a camera against driving rain and a bit of a gale!

Alastair ( the owner of Swanswater ) was saying the wind was actually not bad on the loch and they would use only pegs that were not head on into the wind.
Despite the driving rain it was not cold and really wasn’t that bad to be out in despite how my face looks in this photo!
My first peg was 25 right up at the top of the fishery behind the island (the one I refer to an “Nan’s peg” for reasons too long to go into now)
The water here was very coloured up due to the outflow from the Sauchie Burn. I opted to start with a sinking line and some fry style lures on a short leader, to allow me to fish near the bottom. The whistle blew and the fishing began. The angler two pegs to my left had a fish on his second cast to a yellow dancer. I never touched a thing the whole spell. A number of other anglers were straight into fish from the off too. It soon quietened down though, and my next 4 pegs were right along the east side of the main loch but I never got a touch. I had changed to an intermediate line and was varying the “flies” but not getting a thing: Yellow Dancers, Cats Whiskers, Zonkers, Nomads, Humungous’ in varying hues). I never seen many fish caught but there were a few anglers doing ok on the island.

Keeping the lens clear of raindrops was impossible in the torrential rain

By half time the anglers were in two camps, those with famine and those with feast. I think most anglers were using much the same flies, Cats whisker style lures and Yellow dancers seemed most effective. The wind was getting stronger but was still manageable. The rain was torrential but I was warm and dry in my waders and Hardy EWS jacket. Only my hands were cold and starting to suffer as my woolen finger-less gloves were by now saturated and keeping my hands wet and cold. By Lunch I reckon maybe a quarter of the field had retired, maybe as much as a third, the rain was getting through to them I reckon.

The hardy anglers enjoy a warming mug of soup and a hot sausage roll all brought out by Morna. Very greatfully received.

Lunch was a great lift with sausage rolls, hot homemade soup and rolls all laid on by Morna, and with cakes and coffee to follow.  I was in two minds, I was warm enough but the wind was getting worse and I wasn’t sure if I could continue. I realised there were only 4 more pegs of 30 mins each so decided to carry on but take it easy and if it was too much bin it.
Another fly change to a variant of cats whiskers and nomad got me my first response from the fish at the restart. The first one gave me a pull as I was lifting off and I had no leverage left to set the hook. The second I missed as my hands were again getting cold. I had noticed again that on casts where I was trying to get a bit power on that it felt like my rod was hinging or flexing a lot and I thought a section was loose so tightened them up. I had noticed the same thing the last time I was out at Orchil but couldn’t figure it out what was wrong. I would soon find out!

My next peg was across the wind on the wrong side so I took a break and went to get a heat pack for my hands. When I got back I went to my next peg, this had been a top peg most anglers had got something here so I was hopeful . I went to cast and disaster! The rod broke just above the grip. This must have been what the hinging effect was, there must have been a crack or weakness and it suddenly gave. Game over. Two rods in one season, I am doing well right now!

The wind was really rising after lunch and this shows you what it was like at the dam wall end

The wind was getting very fierce. I had a spare rod in the car but I had had enough. A big fat blank.
However that wasn’t what it was all about. Between the competition day and other money collected in the year frm tea and coffee contributions at the fishery over £600 was raised and the winner on the day had I think 7 fish for 10 points with three other anglers just behind on 9 points. 41 fish were caught in all. A big thanks to Alastair, Morna and all at Swanswater for organising the event and the hardy bunch of anglers who turned out to support the day. I don’t think I seen a miserable face all day, everyone seems to have enjoyed it even in the conditions.  I even managed to leave with a bottle of Jack Daniels from the raffle, I am not allowed to drink right now but will keep it for when my drug regime allows me a wee warmer. Cheers!