Monday, 18th September
Lake of Menteith, Day Session
The forecast was decidedly dodgy -- storms and tail-ends of hurricanes and things. However, although it turned very soggy in the afternoon, it was not bad at all for mid September. In fact, at times it was absolutely perfect. It started flat calm, and at times returned to visit. Not good when you are suffering a severe bout of tennis elbow! As last time, you were looking for feeding fish on top in such good conditions. And as last time, you weren't finding them. Just an up once rise over there, then another over there. Enough for a fish or two on dries over the course of the day, perhaps. Not enough to spend the day fishing dries, then, but when you got an odd chance at a riser, and you covered it with pulling stuff, you had a very good chance of a take.
Eric Singer and John Miller get off to a steamy start
As last time, fish were to be found all over the water. Between us, we had them on all manner of methods and lines. Tommy Steven and Dougie Goddard had 4 apiece, figure-of-eighting in Hotel Bay. Tommy was on Hi-D and boobies, and Dougie on a fast sink washing line, taking all his to Diawl Bachs. The two Bobs, Allan and Whyte, had 8 trout and a pike in the heronry and the plantation area. They fished cat's whiskers and pheasant tails with a slow retrieve on Di-3 and intermediate lines.
Kenneth Cockburn into his first of the day
Most of our remaining boats fished International Bay, and out and round the shoulder, to the pink buoy that isn't there (Quint -- any chance of putting it back? -- It was a great mark). Kenneth Cockburn and guest Brian Lincoln had half a dozen, all in the morning before the juice came on. Ken was on intermediate and slow retrieve with a green marabou lure (surely that's a damsel? Ed.) and buzzers, while Brian was on a floater with good old trads: a black pennell and a kingfisher butcher.
Not the best tail of any of Stewart's fish, but this was our third attempt, the previous 2 having disappeared
over the side before I could press the shutter (this one went over as well, but we left the fly in so we could retrieve it!)
Trevor and Alan had half a dozen in the same area, but didn't fill in the back of their cards -- again!!! Stewart Barnes and I had our fish on a variety of flies, with Stewart's tactics proving the best: a slime line and a 'f*ck-them-about' figure-of-eight retrieve. Stewart took 8 to hot-head damsel, yellow dancer, cormorant and sparkler.
Eric Singer matched Stewart's 8, fishing floating line and size 12 and 10 cormorants. Eric's boat partner, John Miller had fish to cormorant, orange booby and claret hopper.
Hurricane?
Top rod was Dougie Skedd, who had a boat to himself (due to a no-show). Dougie fished Portend Bay and Lochend with a fast glass and a washing line set-up of these three flies: cat booby, HE stick fly and a woodcock and hare-lug. Dougie caught and returned 13 fish.
We had another couple of lumps in the catch: a 7 lb 10 oz and an 8 lb 13 oz.
The club's total for 13 rods was 64 fish.
Photos: Canon 10D with 28-135mm IS lens
Pop quiz for you... does a fast shutter speed freeze a helicopter's rotor? Answer
You'd think it would fall out the sky!
