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CLOUDS OF CAENIS GREET ANGLERS FOR TOMMY THOMSON TROPHY
Anglers heading for the Harray site last Saturday morning for a 7 o clock start witnessed incredible hatches of Caenis especially along the Brodgar Road. From a distance it looked like clouds of smoke from a good going fire, but up close it was even more remarkable with the road white, like a light covering of snow, with vehicles leaving tracks through these small white flies. Caenis is often referred to as the Anglers’ Curse and trout become preoccupied in feeding on them and become notoriously difficult, if not impossible to catch. The Harray trout on this morning were feeding hard on the nymphs at depth and those anglers who found big concentrations of fish took impressive baskets of trout.
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| Erlend wins competition with a OTFA record catch |
31 anglers assembled for the early 7am start, 1 angler didn’t and
was wakened from his slumber by a panic phone call from his boat partner
who was at the site ready to go, but no outboard! This was the only slow
part of the morning as they both went on to take first and second place
in the Tommy Thomson Trophy. Most boats headed for the “Golden Triangle”,
that vast area of open water between Bankhead, Pontooth, and Biggins/Nistaben,
with a few starting in Merkister Bay. There were fish rising at the start
and this continued to be the case for most of the morning.
Sport was fast and furious at times as trout were found to feeding at depth
on the nymphs of the Caenis. Some tremendous baskets were recorded and Erlend
Hutchison, once again, proved to be the man to beat with an incredible catch,
which secured the Tommy Thomson Trophy. His boat parner, Kevin Muir was
second, with other tremendous baskets returned by Ken Kennedy, Ian Hutcheon
and Stewart Wood. Heaviest trout was weighed in by Ken Kennedy, a fine specimen
going 1lb 11ozs.
Tactics were the same for most, DI7 and mini lures, with the Norski Lad,
Black Cat, White Cat and numerous variants of the black and green combination
scoring well. Erlend proved on the day, that it all comes down to technique
and method, most other anglers averaged a similar number of fish but whatever
he is doing, it put nearly twice as many fish in the bag, amazing to the
mere mortal angler.
Orkney anglers have been of at the SANA semi finals with mixed results.
Congratulations are in order for Malcolm Russell and Erlend Hutchison of
Merkister Flyfishers who successfully proceeded to the final at the Lake
of Menteith in September, joining Ian Hutcheon who takes his place as Fisherman
of the Year. Commiseration to Ken Kennedy and especially Sandy McConnachie,
who just missed out by 2ozs. Participating in these national competitions
is expensive in both time and money and might not be possible without generous
sponsorship from Northlink Ferries and support from employers OIC and RS
Merriman, Electrical Contactor. The best wishes of all Orkneys’ anglers
go out to Malcolm, Ian and Erlend for the final,
KK
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