Breezy
With such a seemingly pleasant day I could not resist my first evening session up the loch at Bridge of Allan, for the year. It is surprising to think that the longest day is only about 6 weeks away and the nights have fair drawn out now.
Before I left though it was clear a wee bit of a breeze had got up, but I was optimistic this would drop as sunset wore on, it usually does. Up at the loch, it was a little bit more than a breeze, with quite a stiff wind blowing from the colder East end of the loch, but I had my waders and was quite keen to give the east end a fish anyway as fish can often be found close in mooching around the margins. I set up with a three fly cast of Kate McLaren, Pennel and a Pheasant tail nymph on point and making my way along the north bank a fish splashed and I could not walk by, without giving it a cast. However, nothing indicated any interest despite dropping my flies right in the middle of the receding rings.
First fish was a beautifully marked Brown in cracking condition I would speculate an over wintered fish
Starting with a following wind
I decided to move on to where I planned to fish and tried this same team of flies but again had nothing indicating any interest so changed the top fly for one of the busy Wickham’s I had tied recently, and also changed the point to a Bobs Bits. The bank had loads of midges hovering about in the reeds and the odd fish seemed to be rising to something, I assumed these midges. On one retrieve a fish splashed at either the Wickhams or the Pennel, and I lifted fully expecting to hook into the fish but I was surprised to feel no resistance whatsoever. Evidently, the fish had not actually taken the fly.
The wind dropped a little and I thought things were set fair for a pleasant dusk, as the sun started to set above the Trossachs. But then the wind rose again and it got colder and colder. Despite throwing various dries and wets and a couple of buzzers at the odd fish showing here, I had no interest and I noticed, with the cold wind, activity noticeably ebbed. By now I had also changed to a single fly cast on a long tapered leader to see if the fish were disturbed by my three fly set up.
Number two going back
Change of location change of luck
I decided a move was in order and headed back finding a corner where the wind wasn’t too big an impediment. I also decided after a few casts that it was time to change things around- again! I had stupidly came out with my finest tippet being 6lb fluorocarbon. I usually fish 4lb sometimes less up the loch so made up a three fly leader of about 18 feet using the 6lb and put a beaded GRHE on the point, Diawl Bach on the middle dropper and a conventional Cruncher on the top dropper and cast out into the cold wind. I was varying the retrieve when I felt a solid thump and I was delighted to net a very nice Brown probably around a pound or so. A very attractively marked fish I suspect one of the over wintered residents looking at the fins on it.
Third Brown, slightly scraggy pectoral fins makes me think stockie, but look at that tail- immense!
After release, I cast again and recalling how I retrieved tried the same thing and bang, into a second fish, this time on the DB. A slightly smaller fish, again it went back and I cast out again. I was almost disappointed not to get a fish on my third cast, but not to worry I cast again, trying my erratic retrieve when bang, number three again on the GRHE.
I nearly had a fourth to the Cruncher, when a fish came to it but did not quite fully connect. By now I have, to be honest, and say I was freezing but content with three fish when for a while I thought I was going to blank AGAIN. But no, a successful couple of hours and a stunning night to be out despite the cold.
