Yesterday was the annual Day after Boxing Day charity “competition”. Its not a serious affair with the primary goal being to raise money for the Strathcarron hospice.
The competition was staked out for 28 entrants but on the day 23 turned up, on what was a fine is slightly breezy morning. Certainly a big improvement on the recent weather with Storm Barbara followed by Storm Conor right behind it and some pretty torrential wind and rain.
I was though thinking about this daft, frustrating sport of ours. I seen a few posts on one of those Groups that pops up on facebook of anglers new to the sport complaining that they had been out a few times and never caught a thing. Fly fishing is NOT an easy sport. If it was the easiest form of fishing, our angling shops and tackle emporia would not be able to move live or dead bait, spinners or other lures. Everyone would be fly fishing. You wouldn’t be able to walk by a stretch of life supporting water without being lashed by a fly line.
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I set my rod up with a single stalking bug, I always like to have a wee “footer” round the mouth of the burn before I start in earnest, as most anglers walk right by the spots where fish often hide out. My leader was a bit on the long side for this style of fishing but I made do and plopped the white and red bug by the foot bridge. Immediately a BIG rainbow popped out and looked to be about to take the bug but then it turned and vanished again. Another go and this time from where I wasn’t quite sure, but an even bigger, Golden Trout appeared, but again it didn’t like what it was seeing and turned away at the last moment. It makes for good fun!
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It was utterly gorgeous when I arrived and it looked perfect, with nearly perfectly still water, only the slightest hint of a breeze and the water itself was very clear. There were fish showing on top but if you stood a minute inevitably a fish cruised by about 4 feet down. And there were some big lumps of fish amongst them. Whatever else you could say, if you failed to catch it wasn’t for the lack of fish.
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The next couple of weeks sees me down here in Bristol for work related training and I like to try...
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