Sunday, 16th April

Lindores Loch, Day Session

Two-up

Disappointing lead-up No. 1 was that the day before, Saturday, was the warmest, all-round nicest day of the year so far, and looked like it would repeat itself for us on Sunday.  Alas, we got a strong, cold wind, and more brassy sunshine.  Disappointing lead-up No. 2 was when Andy informed us it had fished really well on Saturday.  When that happened in March, we got a bad dose of 'after the Lord Mayor's Show' on the Sunday.  Thankfully, there was no repeat this time, and the fish kept it going for the whole weekend.

With such a strong breeze, it was mostly a case of sitting at anchor.  And there was one problem, which was that the fish were gathered very tight into the area around the harbour.  The boats that went up the loch, or over to the railway shore really didn't do much.  Even when they came back and tried to get in to where it was happening, it was all a bit of a squeeze, and some folk were left on the outside, looking in.

Although the fish were clustered in the home bay, they were not all stockies.  There were some semi-residents in there, feeding on Daphnia (note the incidence of orange in the successful pattens), and a few buzzers.  Ian Macdonald and I gradually tuned ourselves in, arriving at a best bet of: Floating line, slow figure-of-eight retrieve, pair of nymphs (Diawl Bach and damsel) on fluorocarbon, with a goldhead orange tadpole on the tail.

Ian Mac with the first of the day)

Takes were coming at long range, early in the retrieve.  Many of them were snatchy, and some almost imperceptible.  We missed and dropped far more than we landed, but it was good sport.  Very late on, takes suddenly started coming at the end of the retrieve -- on the hang.  We reckoned that might mean they had dropped down in the water.  We both picked up the other rod with the DI-3, and were both into a fish first cast!

As mentioned above, some of our boats found it hard going -- not their fault -- just circumstance of the localised distribution.  Of those who stayed local and caught fish, Trevor Gibson was top scorer, with 16.  Trevor fished an intermediate line, taking most of his fish on a blob.  Alan Holbrook and Bob Norris did well with Bob on sinker and ace of spades (there's a blast from the past!) and Alan switching between orange lures on an intermediate and buzzers on a floater.

Dougie Skedd keeps a tight rein

John Robertson and Tommy Steven shared 11 fish, with John on floater and DI-3 with mini-lures and a Montana, while Tommy split his time between floater & buzzers, and DI-7 & orange booby.  Dougie Skedd took half a dozen to a figure-of-eighted DI-3 and minkie booby.  And a mention goes to Bob Temple, who did best of those who were left on the outside looking in.  Bob took 4 to a slow-retrieved intermediate and yellow dancer.

In all, the Club's 14 rods landed a total of 86 fish.

Photos:  Canon 10D with 28-135mm IS lens