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COOL WEATHER BUT HARRAY’S RED HOT
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Brian Watt top rod on the day with a cracking basket of trout |
In ordinary angling circles, a cool northerly wind, and intermittent bright sunshine would put paid to the hopes of a good day’s fishing, but Harray is no ordinary loch, and on Saturday it fished it’s socks off.
An entry of 35 anglers meant that the Bullen Cup, the annual Kirkwall versus Stromness event was hotly contested, and right from the 11am start, there were rods bending into fish all over the loch. Concern that the harsh, extremely cold winter, which had seen the loch frozen over for long periods, would have an effect on the condition and numbers of fish early season, were completely unfounded, and good baskets were the order of the day.
Most of the popular areas fished well, with the exception of Merkister Bay, which probably suffered from too much boat pressure. Bankhead, Scarataing, Kirkness, Nistaben and Ballarat seen most activity, and remarkably the south end of the loch was left pretty much unfished.
This was the first OTFA fly competition on Harray to be fished to an increased size limit of 11”, with Brian Watt top rod on the day with a cracking basket of trout. There were numerous other great efforts which included baskets from Sandy McConnachie, Stewy Leslie, Norman Irvine, Fanta and Ken Kennedy. Heaviest fish was a beauty of 1 1/2lbs from Brian Forman who is obviously trying to take the “Big Fish” title from Billy Thomson this season. With this being the Bullen Cup, the aggregate weights are tallied up and it was Stromness who won the day, giving Stewy Leslie the cup
Tactics were wide and varied, with most the most popular being the intermediate line over the shallower stones, to a fast sinking DI7 off the shores a bit. Peach Muddler received a big mention at the weigh in, others included Kate McLaren, Merkister Maid, Hutch’s Pennel, Viva, Erlend’s Cat, and Donny Murdo.
This week sees the Spring Fly Fishing International fished in Ireland on Loch Conn. The Northern Isles are well represented with Shetland anglers Stevie Leask and Davy McMillan joining Orkney’s Erlend Hutchison, Sandy McConnachie and Brian Watt in flying the flag for Scotland. Best wishes and tight lines for them and their team mates.
KK
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