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Early season float tubing has become popular on the Orkney Lochs |
March 2008
Normally, by this time of the month, you start to see a glimmer of hope
that maybe winter is beginning to loosen its grip and some softer spring
weather is on the horizon. It’s certainly not that in March 2008.
Gale force winds, torrential rain and sleety showers are pounding the Northern
Isles as I speak. Given these conditions, most other sportsmen would retire
to the clubhouse, cancel the game and find something better to do, but we
anglers are not so easily deterred, and tend to be some of the most optimistic
people going. Bearing this in mind, the flies for this month are intended
for some fairer weather and some early midge hatches on our lochs.
Top dropper is a variant of the Kate McLaren which has been very successful
in past seasons, with the addition of a Peach tail for use in turbid water.
It is especially successful when fish are feeding on the big black midge
which hatch very early on in the season.
Middle fly is a Badger midge, tried and tested over many years and originally
devised by Kirkwall angler Louis Munro. The fluorescent butt on this pattern
certainly has the trout homing in and again it is most useful in hatches
of buzzer.
Point fly is the Coachman. No additives, just as it was meant to be, this
is a very underrated and probably unfashionable fly but it can be absolutely
deadly at times, especially on Harray, where the inclusion of something
white in the dressing usually brings success. If the weather does not ease
and the lochs remain high and coloured then other flies to turn to would
definitely include Peach Muddler, Montana, Coch Zulu, Zulu, Bibio, White
Invicta and Dunkeld muddler.
KK
click on fly to view larger image
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All trout flies tied and photographed by Jim Adams text by Ken Kennedy