SWANNAY PROVIDES PERFECT START TO 2008
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The long awaited fly fishing competition season commenced on Swannay last Sunday, 27th, and both weather and trout provided a very pleasant afternoon. A tremendous entry of 37 anglers assembled for the 2pm start, and with the SW wind light and quite warm, compared to what has been lately, spirits and hopes were high.
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A delighted Ian Hutcheon after his Swannay win |
The boats spread across the loch for the start and the usual drifts, Long
Points, Louden Hill, Jimmy Smith, The Knowe, and Ernoo’s were most
popular. There were a few anglers who were into fish immediately; others
took a while to put a fish in the boat. This made all the difference at
the end of the day, as fish were more plentiful in the latter part of the
afternoon as a heavy buzzer hatch brought the trout on the fin.Ian Hutcheon
had 3 fish on his first drift, and these and 5 others picked up throughout
the day, helped him secure the Walter Leask Cup with a basket of 8 fish
for 7lb 14 1/4ozs, closely followed by boat partner Sandy McConnachie with
7 fish for 7lb 4 1/4ozs. Sandy had 5 fish over 1lb, which puts him in the
driving seat for the Bryan Clark Trophy. Other anglers who caught well were
John Leask with 6 fish for 6lb 1 1/2ozs, and Bryan Thomson with 6 fish for
6lb 1/4ozs. Jimmy Grant netted the heaviest fish of the day, a nice specimen
weighing in at 2lb 4 1/4ozs.
Tactics on the day were what has now become the norm on Swannay, especially
early in the season, namely, sinking lines and mini lures. Lines used successfully
varied from DI7 right up to DI3 and intermediates, with fish certainly higher
in the water as the day went on and the wind dropped. Flies were the usual
variety in basically black and silver, with McConn’s
Ace of Spades, Christmas
Tree, Montana, Zulu, Hutch’s
Pennel all mentioned in dispatches in the post mortum.
Most anglers agreed that it had been a very enjoyable start to the season,
with the bonny day adding to the comfort and joy at being afloat again.
It was also very pleasing to see some new and some weel kent faces back
on Swannay. Can the good weather and the fishing continue until next weekend?
The fishing might, but the weather definitely didn’t.
KK
click on highlighted flies for large image
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