I always look forward to fishing at Coldingham Loch, dreaming of top of the water fishing and drifting along with pleasant company.
However –When I left home on the evening of the 8th, the temperature was a very hot 32C, on crossing the Kincardine Bridge, it had dropped to 28, at Linlithgow it had dropped to 21 and as I left the A1, it was 18 but when I arrived at the Loch, it was 14. In addition, a strong blustery cold east wind was blowing – this made it feel bitterly cold, but in the bright blue sky, the loch looked very picturesque. Nothing was seen to rise but I did see a single angler, who I thought was fishing buzzers, catch two fish.
Derek Kilgour and I were fishing together and as he had arrived at the loch early, had a walk around the loch and said it was cold and windy at the west end. However, we thought that we should head for the west end and get as close as we could to the reed beds. One or two fish were showing but in a very half-hearted manner. Derek and I both started with dries, we were getting fish moving to the flies but could not get them to take hold. Derek had the gumption to change and put on some mini lures and with his ace of spades extracted three nice fish, one of which was a blue. I stuck with dries, I think that if you want a role model for an idiot, I am your man, and what did my dries get me, no fish but – swirls and plucks.
Bob Whyte fished dries… Bob’s bits (of course!). He drifted along the slicks and had four fish plus many offers that did not touch his flies.
David Tyrie, using a floating line, a booby on the point and buzzers above it, had six fish – he was pulling these fast. His fish were caught all over the loch. His boat partner Stewart Barnes had a fish on a dry daddy. He got the fish near the cottage.
Trevor Gibson, anchored under the hill at the east end of the loch, fished buzzers under a floating line – Trevor was the man of the match with nine fish.
Towards the end of this evening session I looked at Derek – he had come prepared for the pleasant evening I was hoping for – Thin trousers and a fine cotton shirt – no jumper and no coat. In addition, he was trying to take shelter from the biting wind behind his rod. His posture reminded me of the nursery rhyme abut a robin sheltering from the east wind. I thought of offering him my cosy jacket but instead suggested we stop early – through chattering teeth Derek said he thought that was a good idea. Then a slick opened up and fish were moving in it – so we both bucked up and drifted the slick a few times with dries. Again offers but no hook-ups – we did see Bob Whyte get one of his fish on dries as we followed him along the drift.
The end of the day resulted in the seven members landing 23 fish – a rod average of 3.3 and on the day, I would say the club did well.
I hope you all have a better time at the evening sessions at Linlithgow on the 14th and then the Lake on 23rd – Hugh Thomson and I will be bobbing about on the Caithness lochs – we will no doubt give you a thought, something like wouldn’t the boys like to be with us.
See you at Linlithgow on the 7th July when I get back.
