The drive over the Lammermuirs en route to the Watch Water Reservoir is a delight on a sunny early summer morning. The bucolic charm of the villages. The open vistas over the hilltops. The prolific wildlife. So it was on this outing. I arrived at the car park to find everyone in good spirits in anticipation of a good day in near ideal conditions. Boat partner, Darrell Young and I set out with high hopes. Darrell had some info from an acquaintance about where fish could be found and what they were likely to take. He had set up a midge-tip, with a lime green FAB on the point, an orange-headed Diawl Bach in the middle, and a green-headed Diawl on the bob. He had been given the flies by his friend. I, as usual, had to be different. Dry flies were my choice. A foam beetle, size 12 on a dropper and a hare’s-ear shuttlecock size 14 on the point. We made our way to the suggested spot and began our first drift. Almost immediately, Darrell was into a fish on one of the Diawl Bachs. Shortly after, another fish hung onto one if his Diawl Bachs.
We carried on drifting. A third fish to Darrell. I was starting to think I might be barking up the wrong tree. Darrell was into fish and I was feeling like I had no flies on. We repeated the drift. Suddenly, things were reversed. Fish were taking my dries and not the Diawls. The foam beetle was working its magic. We started to see odd fish moving at the surface. Where it had been the beetle being chosen, now it was the shuttlecock. The beetle was drawing swirls and splashes but no hook-ups. The shuttlecock was being taken firmly and confidently. Darrell’s nymphs were being ignored. He changed to dries. A grunter in particular. It was being ignored, while the slimmer, more delicate shuttle was being swallowed with some gusto. By now the fly was a sorry mess. Very little of the dressing left, it still took fish. I fancied a change, although I was still drawing fish. I rigged-up a dap. It wasn’t as well received as I had expected. I did hook a fish, but it fell off. I missed another. Several wee brownies had a go, but didn’t hook-up. I set up a washing line for the last hour. It was a signal for a last burst of activity, but not to me. Darrell took several more fish. I got one more. We finished with eighteen for the boat. Good sport on a beautiful day.
The Club’s 10 rods landed 51 fish.
