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MONTHLY REPORTS
February - Start of Season Report
I guess it’s safe to say it has been a pretty poor start to the Orkney game angling season. The sea trout fishing opened on Monday 26th February. A good number of regulars took to the ebb from the crack of dawn until last light, but a poor tide and south easterly wind proved far from ideal conditions on the day. By all accounts most anglers struggled to take a few fish if any, and most of these were taken early doors. By far the best basket on the day was taken by Kirkwall salt water aficionado Ian Robertson with 9 for 11 lb and including a nice 2 lb 14 oz specimen. Most of Ian’s fish came from the Orphir shore. Bob Heddle, guided by Brian Foreman, took four in the 1 lb range, also from the Orphir shore. The weather stayed in the east for the rest of the week and into March. It got colder and windier, with snow at times and sport was severely hampered. Hoy is just not the place to go in an easterly gale, and those who ventured there struggled – with even some blanks recorded. But a few good fish were taken from the east Mainland including a 3 lb 5 oz for Sean Brough; 4 lb 12 oz for Paul Miller and 3 lb 10 oz for Stewart Wood. One of Brian Foreman’s guests, a gentleman from the Emerald Isle, took a fine 3 lb 8 oz fish from Burray.
Loch opening day for brown trout, 15th March, is seldom productive and does not have the same turnout as for the salt water stuff. Weather remained strong easterly and very cold, with snow flurries. Some of the smaller lochs were churned up and ice formed in shallow areas. So, as I write, 20th March 2018, I’ve not heard of any brown trout being taken. But it’s early days yet and I’m sure reports will start to come in at the end of the month when and if the weather improves.