Plan A and an Appointment with the Dentist

It wasn’t the nicest-looking day on Friday when I peered outside. I had taken the day off with the primary intention of going fishing somewhere, though was going to be constrained unfortunately by a dental appointment I had in the afternoon. I couldn’t venture too far from home. Though my weather app was telling me it wasn’t raining and wasn’t likely to for several hours to come, it was and didn’t look likely to stop for several hours to come. Looking from my office window across the football fields on the other side of the main road, you could see the rain being driven on the wind in fine plumes. Technically the weather app was likely correct, it wasn’t raining, I think the rain clouds had merely fell to ground level and were soaking everything they touched.

The wind was quite gusty too, it really was not great. I did have a plan B for the day but this had the potential for a rabbit hole I really wanted to resist heading down as well (nothing to do with fishing so I will spare you the details), but if I didn’t follow through on Plan A, Plan B was looking a certainty…..I had to resist. So while I heated a couple of croissants for breakfast in the oven I nipped outside and loaded my fishing gear into the car. My enthusiasm for it was around my ankles by now but it had to be Plan A. Once fed and suitably dressed for the conditions I headed out to get some fuel for the car and a few bits and pieces for my wife’s birthday which was on Saturday and tried to think where to go. Looking north the hills were shrouded in low clouds, much like it was all around, but I decided I would head up to Orchill Loch and at least take a look. Orchill is a loch I really like and not that far yet for some reason I haven’t been probably in about 18 months.

On the road along to the venue, there were quite a few flooded dips in the road suggesting the rain had been even heavier here, but at this point in time it was much like home, though the wind was stronger. I even stopped at the entrance to Orchill and peered though…did I really want to do this?…. I was here now…..

There were only three or maybe four anglers on the water, the only two I could actually see were huddled on the far bank against the wind that was driving rain into their backs. There wasn’t a lot of casting going on so looked like they were bungers…..chucking out a bung and just leaving it. I paid for 4 hours though by the time I was tackled up it was nearing 10:30 and I wouldn’t be able to stay until half past two as the dentist appointment was in Stirling just after three.

I was told by the fishery keeper that the two anglers I could see were catching on “tiny wee things” but that was all he could say. I imagined probably buzzers under the bung. The loch had a bit of a corduroy wave on though due to the wind direction, it was kind of in a strip and where there was shelter it was not that bad. I started fishing just across from the lodge in front of the new house (it’s not that new but if you know the loch you know what I mean) as this ensured the wind was blowing from my left to right, and not putting my head in the way of my flying hooks. I also kept the worst of the rain out of my face.

I started on a floating line ( maybe a bit optimistic) but had a heavy lure on the point so in the main the flies were fishing between 2 feet and the surface. I was surprised by how clear the loch was, it wasn’t gin clear but can’t be far off that level of clarity. I never had so much as a pull nor saw a fish for the first 15 – 20 minutes and I then changed to a full intermediate line and fished the same flies for another 10 minutes or so. I then decided another change was due so changed all my flies, taking off the goldy on point and replacing it with a gold beaded leggy damsel pattern. Initially, this made no appreciable difference until a couple of fish moved in casting range ahead of me, one was easy to reach, and on covering it, I had no indications of interest. The other was kind of into the wind and I had to wait for the gusts to relent for a second to cover it. As the swirls had been just subsurface as soon as my fly landed on target I immediately started retrieving to keep the flies as high in the water as possible before the line pulled them down and right away I had a gradual pull that turned out to be a Rainbow Trout of about 2lbs, it had taken the damsel. The guys I could see up the far bank had hooked several fish in the time I had been there and I reckon lost one or two maybe as well, but it felt good not to have needed to resort to the dark side so far!

After returning that fish I decided I had given this area a reasonable thrashing, I thought maybe I needed to hold my flies more just subsurface than the full Intermediate was achieving without me pulling it in quite quickly so decided to move and change to a slow intermediate line up the right-hand bank a bit. My plan had been to head up past the first prominent tree but as I got there a fish swirled on the surface and I ended up stopping to cover it. I never hooked it but employing the same tactic couldn’t help but notice that not one but two fish followed my flies in, right to the bank where I could retrieve no more and as soon as the flies stopped the fish lost interest.

On with the slow intermediate and I cast straight out, the wind was still from my left but it was less severe now and even the rain had relented somewhat. First cast with the “slime line” and I had a solid pull as a bigger rainbow took the damsel. This fish probably wasn’t 4lb but it was not far from that kind of weight and took a fair bit of coaxing to get in the net.

While the fly was debarbed I had a bit of a faff getting the hook out of this one, as the fish was so full of vigour it wouldn’t sit still and let me get a decent grip with the forceps don’t the hook shank and I managed to rip half the dressing off the fly. Another fly had to go on so I pulled a very similar but florescent green beaded version of the damsel ( no legs on this one) out my box. First cast with this and I had an immediate pull but it just failed to hook up. It never took long before I had a third fish to the net.

The sky had even lightened a bit now and I felt able to put my hood down which makes things so much less restrictive. Once I have three fish I am inclined to try other methods just on a whim. I was curious would the fish take “anything” fished at the right depth . I decided to tie on a Montana nymph. This is a fly that just never works for me, except on one occasion which happened to be here at Orchill when it could do no wrong one winter’s day about 10 or 11 years ago.

I tied it on and fished it for 10-15 minutes and not a touch. Back on the damsel and I was soon netting fish number 4. I was also getting quite a few nips and pulls and yes, might have dropped the odd fish too.

Dead reeds — These thick dead reed stalks were a nuisance if the fish got near them,.

I took a wander up the bank further and netted number 5 though this became a bit of a battle as there were lots of thick dead stalks of reeds or rushes into the right of the casting platform and the fish bolted into this cover snagging my dropper flies int he process. It took me ages to untangle it and get the fish out. I decided to move and managed a further two more fish for a total of “lucky 7” before I decided it was time to make a move and head for the dentist. So after an encouraging start to the day it ended up one of the best outings I have had in quite a while. Result!

And nothing needed doing at the dentist either!