After the recent heavy rain and it turning into a pretty nice evening last night I decided to take a few hours to myself up the club loch. I thought the rain might have freshened things up a bit and the fish might be a bit more willing to come out to play than they have been on recent visits.
I arrived at the back of 7 and was expecting to find a few cars there what with the apparently ideal conditions. No one there, but then I noticed two characters up by the boom on the dam wall. They were eyeing me somewhat suspiciously and I thought they could only be up to no good. The stack of beer cans and the carry- oot would seem to back this up. Once out the car I went up the dam to see what the water was like, it was mirror flat- maybe not ideal? The bigger of the two came over. “what’s up bud…. some f**kin huge fish jumpin mate, everywhere…… what ye up tae, bud…?”.
Just up for a fish, what are you doing?
“Aw, amm oot ma face mate, been ‘o’n it aw day, like man……”,
you’re not fishing? I said….. no sooner had I said it than I wished I maybe hadn’t.
” Eh, well, aye just the bubble and worm, aw right?”
I sort of felt like I had been parachuted into the film, Trainspotting. While they were clearly drinking, I think there were other substances involved.
I said, you know its fly fishing only?
” Aye, fly and worm, thats what I said.
” Bubble and worm you said, ”
Aye, bubble and fly, ah dinnae ken what I am saying man, what’s up? thats the same as you….”
No, I’m fly fishing, there is no worm or bubble, and anyway do you have a permit…..? ( I was committed now unfortunately!- maybe I should be committed to an institution for going this far) .
“Well, ah dinnae ken,”…. turning to his wee mate ” Di we huv a permit…”
The other started to come over….. Also off his face, he looked like he had probably found other uses for crisp packets beyond the consumption of potato based snacks. ( Neither of them were “wee laddies” they were in their mid twenties I would reckon at least.)
“Ah’m homeless mate, where would I get a permit…. you think its funny like, gonnae try to slap mi (or words to that effect). ”
No I said, just telling you , you can’t fish without a permit, if you have a line out I am merely asking you bring it in, if you want to sit and have a drink , go ahead, I am not bothered, but the water is permit fishing with the fly only and the fish are paid for by members.
“The first one headed away, look we are leaving at 8 o’clock aw right, bud?”
OK I said, but please bring your line in, I am just asking politely.
I was by now back at the car and started to tackle up, I was very conscious being here on my own with this lot, while doing this I managed to text off to my wife at home and asked her to phone 101 for me and ask for the police to come up- they have keys for checks on poachers though not seen them up in a while. While this was happening the bigger one shouted over.” Is it aw’right to go swimming?”
Now frankly I wasn’t expecting this it wasn’t particularly warm, and in fact it started raining, a passing shower, plus my recent experience with swimmers wasn’t great either!
Actually no you’re not allowed to swim, and I would strongly recommend against it as the water might be colder than you think but people do, as long as they stay away from where I am fishing, its up to them. The words had barely left my mouth than there was a huge splash! The bigger one was in the water.
The phone rang: the Police. Fortunately the one in the water was distracting the other, so I was able to speak to the police without drawing attention to myself. They were on there way.
There was some “baiting each other then the smaller one was in the water too”.
By now I had got my rod set up and was heading back up onto the dam, they then got out the water…..utterly bollock naked! While it is secluded up there its a popular spot for dog walkers, cyclists, runners etc so rarely is it utterly devoid of other people. Tonight it was though, nae luck!
I started to fish but wasn’t really relaxed and covered a few rises on the mirror flat water with my sedge pattern, but never got any interest, I decided to fish on the dam so I could stay close to the car. The pair of poachers were now getting dressed and I would say about 30-40 mins had passed since the police called, still no sign.
They then came back over. Is this the “lost Loch”? Now I have not heard that name but am aware of a disused reservoir up behind Dumyat where I believe people fish freely. Nope, this is Cocksburn Reservoir, it’s on the sign at the gate. “Oh we never come through the gate “was the reply. I then pointed out that the boom they were standing by had a plaque on it that also said the name…… This got the wee one annoyed, “I’m severely dyslexic, I cannae read signs”, Ok I said, whatever, ” Maybe I shouldn’t have, the wee one was getting wound up again..”You think its funny…..”…but his mate seemed to calm him down.Despite homelessness and dyslexia They were able to operate and afford a mobile phone, and what looked like a 24 pack of Stella. Some calls were made and they started to head down the main track. ( In fairness at least they took their rubbish with them).
A fish rises well out in the loch
I fished on and maybe about another 20-30 minutes passed when I heard the sound of a car coming up the track- the Police. They never seen them, I reckon they had got picked up probably before the police were on the road up.
I apologised to them for wasting their time, and they were OK, saying they would have been quicker but weren’t local when they got the call so had taken a bit time to get over but said I had done the right thing being alone up here.
So maybe some time for some fishing. I took a stroll around the North side and soon fish were rising in the margin near the boat mooring . I cast again and again over them with a series of small dries, some got no interest, others ( small and black patterns) had swirls, and sips but never contacted a fish when I lifted. It was actually great fun but a little frustrating. I was sure I would get one when I swapped to a black parachute fly. One of the fish rose to the right and I went to lift off and cover it , as I did a fish hurtled out the water in pursuit but missed ( would have been a spectacular take if it had connected!). I reckon I maybe missed a couple as some CDC patterns I tried were clearly greased with fish slime when I got them in but if the fish took them they were extremely subtle about it.
Again and again I covered, again and again they would look but not ( obviously) touch, I managed not to spook them once, there must have been 2-3 in the area but I just couldn’t connect, but it made for absorbing fishing.
