I often go a walk on a Sunday evening along the public right of way that follows the Bannockburn ( well roughly) to Swanswater . I always get there and wish I was fishing, so tonight I decided that’s what I would do. We have a Boxer dog staying with us just now, he (Boston) belongs to a couple who live in the estate here. In fact we might well be adopting Bozzie Boy in the near future as his owners look to be moving to the Middle East to work. But that’s another story. He is a bit of a fussy eater and knowing how our own Chester used to love a bit fresh fish I thought if I could catch a wee Rainbow it might be a nice change for him. I am not much one for taking fish, I don’t get any pleasure from giving the last rites to a fish but if it’s going to be used for food I don’t mind so much and in any case commercial fishery fish are essentially reared for food one way or the other.

It was a bit grey and dank when I arrived for a brief two hour session. I dropped my missus off at the car park with the dog, they were walking home. As I tackled up, Alastair very kindly came down from the house to get me my ticket and save me the walk up there. He said the three ponds had fished well during the day but it had turned a bit cooler and it had seemingly gone off a bit in later afternoon. There were no particular patterns taking but a black spider was worth a go he said. I was already rigged up with a team of three buzzers on a floating line. An olive quill buzzer on a heavy hook on point, a tiny glass buzzer on middle, and the Coulter Midge on top. I decided to start in the Mill Pond though Alistair did warm me it was a bit weedy. My first few minutes with the wind at my back  let me see that most fish seemed to be moving on the other bank but there was one angler there already . I soon had my first offer, a very hard pull, I seen the fish twist away but it never stuck. I pulled in the flies for a look and the Coulter Midge was decidedly bent. Maybe these light hooks aren’t ideal for stockies? I sorted it and fished on. The angler opposite soon wearied of no sport and decided to move so I moved round to his spot. The wind was somewhat awkward and in my face but there is a bit more room for a back cast so I could live with it. I soon had another offer, again it never stuck this time it looked like the point fly on a more substantial hook. It too had taken a bit of a twist. The fish were hitting the buzzers with a degree of ferocity that really jarred but they weren’t sticking. Again I sorted the hook, I was in too minds to change the pair of them but decided to fish on and hope for the best.

A Coutler Midge buzzer pattern

A red butt Coulter Midge, that took another beating tonight

I was trying to cover the moving fish and very soon had the gentlest of takes and my first fish, a  blue trout came to the net on the Coulter Midge. About a dozen casts more and I had number two, a rainbow on the glass buzzer. I had one more offer again hitting the flies really hard, again the Coulter Midge, this time it was beyond repair, bent wide open. I decided to move to the Meadow Pond and once there changed the damaged fly for a fresh one tied on a heavier buzzer hook. I only had one small one on a heavy hook but it was a variant tied with white breathers and a pearl tag. Let’s see if it works?
I hadn’t fished long when I had another jarring take. It came twice, bang, bang, but it never stuck. I checked the flies, the point fly was looking like it had taken the pressure there, it was slightly twisted again looking but otherwise OK. I decided to keep going. Soon another take, this time on the Pearl Coulter Midge, number three was released. The wind was proving difficult for a spell and I edged round the side near the lamppost. I don’t like fishing here but the casting was easier and I covered a fish that rose to my left. Bam, number 4 took very hard but stayed on this time. But what a fight, it took an age to get it in, a fit Rainbow of maybe 2 1/2 pounds. This was on the quill buzzer on point. Once in the debarbed hook came out easy and it was away.
There was only about 5 minutes left. I had one more hard knock before number 5, the most vivid Aquamarine Blue trout I have ever seen took the Coulter Midge in the top lip. It swam off and I decided to call it a night before I emptied Alastair’s pond! 5 landed and 5 lost, and I think this wee midge pattern is proving it’s worth.
The Dog was happy too.