Sunday, 21st August
Coldingham Loch, Day Session
The Weather Gods were having another laugh at our expense. Frazzled all session long, it was just starting to cloud over nicely as we headed up the road. Just to rub salt in, I got soaked unloading the car when I got home!
This was our first Club outing to Coldingham, and we found the loch in fine fettle, with the water gin-clear and well-oxygenated, despite the August temperatures (due in no small part to the aerator -- one of very few on Scottish waters -- see pic below). Hatches seemed to consist of a just a few sedges although, this being heather fly time, those who fished dries and went for heathers caught fish on them.
Reports were that the loch was fishing well, however the weather caused a down-turn in that reckoning! As well as almost unbroken sunshine, we had a blustery south wind build up as the day progressed -- never a good direction at Coldingham in my experience.
Just about any method and any fly was worth a fish or two, but not many more than that. Most were taken on floating line, though. Eric Singer and Walter Mowat had 5 to lures. Ian and Callum Mac had fish to dries -- F-fly -- and Diawl Bach. Stewart Barnes and Gavin Mac also had fish to dries -- heather fly, red sedge and daddy -- plus one to a snatcher. Tommy Steven slow-fished buzzers and Diawl Bachs for the top bag of 6, while boat partner Euan Cluness took 4 to a dry heather fly. Adrian Coats and Greg Milne took fish on good old wet flies.
Nearly there!
John Robertson and Richard Goddard had 4-apiece in their boat. John's secret weapon was this goldhead hare's ear nymph, tied on a mayfly hook. Richard had fish to Diawl Bach, black hopper and a borrowed copy of John's hare's ear. My sport came in 2 short bursts, the first fishing a team of neutral density suspender buzzers, and the second figure-of-eighting nymphs on a slow glass.
Success!
Most of the fish taken on dry flies were taken while anchored. Coldingham is a bit small to do much drifting, so anchoring is the norm. However, unless there is a supply of fish to throw at, dries are at a bit of a disadvantage in an anchored boat. There were really only a few sporadic oncers to throw at. Nevertheless, Stewart and Euan reported catching their fish mostly from covers.
The Club's 15 rods landed a total of 41 fish.
Photos: Canon 10D with 28-135 mm IS lens and polarising filter
