One of my regular visitors to the site, Tommy, very kindly invited me to fish a place I have long wanted to go out on, Loch Coulter. The loch is operated for angling by Larbert and Stenhousemuir Angling Club who also operate the fishing on the River Carron.
I took Tommy up on his generous offer today, going fishing there with him for the morning on one of the club boats as his guest.
A great morning on Loch Coulter, mild, a slight breeze and bright without a glaring sun.
I arrived and having driven up to the boat house we got tackled up and got the boat set up for a few hours fishing. I took far too much as usual but its easier taking my boat box knowing everything is there, than taking a selection of flies or lines as I usually do bank fishing and then finding I left behind something I could have used!
I took along two rods, my light 4 weight which I prefer fishing much of the time and my HM3 6/7, which I haven’t fished for a while but being a lot stiffer is better able to handle a team of wet flies which was the preferred method for todays fishing. Nonetheless I had the light rod if we got some on the top action.
I was set up with a pair of Snatchers and a Claret Bumble on top dropper, Tommy had a fairly similar set up though think he had a Dunkeld on the middle of his cast.
We fished across the far side from the boathouse initially in Burn Bay and conditions seemed perfect, a slight ripple from the pretty gentle breeze, and an overcast sky but with the sun breaking through now and again. There were sedges on the water everywhere, in fact I don’t think I have seen so many in a few hours fishing. However there were precious few fish showing themselves. Tommy had first blood with a fish than boiled a couple of times at his top dropper right beside the boat but it never stuck.
I by this time hadn’t had a touch and decided to put on a slightly heavier cast, of a Cruncher, a black buzzer and a beaded PTN on point. I fished this for a short while and soon I got a stiff knock but again it never stuck- I wasn’t sure but it might have been a Perch as it was a fairly quick stabbing tug.
Tommy shows off the nice Brown Trout on a olive sedge pattern, safely returned
We fished on and I guess about an hour to an hour and a half in Tommy had his first fish between Poachers Point and Stockie Bay. It took a wet olive sedge pattern right off the top as it landed down, and was soon in, a fish of about a pound or so, and was quickly released back.
A couple more fish showed and I decided to put on a team of three dry flies, two sedge type patterns and the middle fly was a red CDC Hopper. By now we had drifted along the shore and then started to drift over towards the boathouse again, we weren’t far from the bank near the jetty when I had a fish take the hopper. Again it was a fish about the size of Tommy’s and it put up a very spirited fight.
It went back under its own steam as it jumped off the debarbed hook as I was hand-lining it to release with my release tool.
We then headed across to the shore with a small derelict tower type structure on it ( Tower Bay) and fished downwind this entire side along East Bay and to Sandy Bay but never seen much in the way of fish and never had any offers. After fishing another nearby bay, North Bay and with the sun coming out around midday we headed over to the weedy bay called Stockie Bay near the dam wall for a final session in the hope we might get some fish taking dries. There was abundant fly life, sedge, big Daddy Longlegs Crane flies, and the odd big Mayfly still showing here and there. We heard quite a few fish rise and spotted the odd splash but even covering some of these we never had any more interest. I guess the fish weren’t switched on, surprising in the conditions and with the recent rain which will have freshened things up.
Myself and Tommy on the boat
We fished about 4 hours which was long enough for me ( the longest I have managed in quite some time) , I was starting to feel it a bit, but had had a great time and am indebted to Tommy for inviting me. I think we did Ok getting a fish each, though in typical fashion as we loaded the cars we seen three fish rise just out from the jetty in about a minute!
thanks for that!,i dont think. talking about the fotos,thanks for the company, pity about the lack of fish showing, but there will be another day, hopefully.
Tommy, much thanks for inviting me. Was great to meet you and to fish a place I have wanted to try for some time. Will reciprocate sometime soon. Will send you the full size pics. 😉
Fish look in cracking nick. Glad you managed to get out and get some action. Looks a nice water. Bet it enjoys some fantastic evening rises.
Yes Mark it’s an interesting water and much bigger than I anticipated. It’s absolutely hoaching with insect life so I would imagine it could be amazing if you catch a rise. The conditions were perfect yesterday but the fish weren’t too active. Can’t fail to enjoy a day like that and had a great time.