Four More Wets!

The first week of the new fishing season has now passed and I'm pleased to report that Ive had a couple of successful and enjoyable trips to the local Loch.

I didnt bother visiting the Loch at the weekend as I know from past experience that the first weekend of the season is always extremely busy.

Instead I did a bit of cycling on the local back roads to aid my fishing fitnesss.  

I also replaced my old tying chair which had seen better days and which was giving me back problems. So for the first time in a while I sat comfortably on my new chair at the vice tying a few flies over the last couple of days for my Hillend Box and a few for my Highlands & Islands box too.

The green tailed Kate is a pattern I've neglected using the last few years but has been sucessful for myself and others at Hillend in the past.

The Soldier Palmer has been a pattern that seems to be a bit of a bogey fly for me at Hillend despite its excellent reputation.

Therefore in this variation Ive included an orange head hackle.

The other two patterns pictured were tied with the Machair lochs of the Outer Hebrides in mind as I was reminded by a couple of my angling friends that patterns with a bit of yellow in them are  considered  a good choice for such lochs.

Now that the weekend is over I'm off for a run out on the bike then later today after dinner I will head up to the Loch to fish the last few hours of light.

First of the season!

On the opening day of the season this year I decided to head up to the local Loch when I finished work just for a couple of hours! 

It didnt start too well though! 

As I was driving up to the Loch I realised that just as I was passing the old Craig Institute building that I had forgotten my membership card!

So I about turned and returned home for my card! 

When I eventually got back up to Hillend I parked up and made my way along the South Shore eventually  deciding to try my luck in the Easterroft Bay at about 5.15pm

I set up with a Blae & Black on the point  and a Zulu snatcher variation  on the dropper! 

I fished from the old concrete jetty round to the area we know as the Cliffs without a touch.

I then decided to retrace my steps fishing back towards the jetty. 

Just as the rain started and my Hope's were fading I got an almighty take and a lovely coloured brown trout leaped from the water trying to rid itself of my Zulu snatcher!

After a brief fight with a couple of heart stopping runs the trout succumbed to the resistance of my rod and came peacfully to my net! 

After taking the obligotary photo and releasing the fish back Into the loch I punched the air with delight as I cant remember the last time I caught a trout on the opening day of the season! 

I had a few casts more but decided it was time to head home when I caught my flees on a tree on my back cast!!!

When I got  home I had some explaining  to do to the cat as I had promised her a fish! Maybe next time I'll take one home for oor wee Belle!!! 

Let's Go Fishing!

The nights are definitely fair drawn oot! And at last the five month wait is over, the 2021 trout season is upon us!

My ever increasing number of fly boxes are full, my rods and reels have been checked and cleaned, lines and leaders are at the ready and I can only hope that my waders still fit! But I doubt it! 

I am full of enthusiasm and I've had my first Covid vaccination, however the latest travel restrictions are somewhat disheartening!

I'm lucky I suppose that I have Hillend Loch within the limits of this authoritarian Orwellian Scottish Government's travel restraints.

Trips to the highlands and beyond will have to wait for now! 

Its pleasing to note that my local fishing club have now stabilised and put some of the past troubles behind them.

Over the next few weeks it looks like I wont be travelling much further than Hillend Loch's North Shore, Mound, Boathouse Bay, Lowe's Bay, Woodside, Narrows,  Eastercroft Bay, Big & Wee Moss, Braco Burn and Shields Burn which to be honest I'm really looking forward to as over the last couple of years I havent fished much or appreciated my local Loch as much I should have!

Let's Go! 

Greenwell's Glory!

I recently tied a few Greenwells/Glory for the forthcoming season, put them in my box and never thought much else about them until I posted a pic of one of my patterns on a well known social media page!
That was when the confusion started!
As I was told that the pattern I displayed was not a Greenwell's Glory at all as I had included a few light furnace hackles for a tail. I was informed that the original dressing of the Glory didnt have a tail and that I had infact tied a Greenwells wet which includes a tail. Perhaps someone was just having a laugh?
So off I went to my bookshelf to try get a definitive answer on the correct dressing!
Stan Headley's book of Scottish Flies and John Reids Clyde Style Flies both suggest a tail.
However there is no mention of a tail in Bert Sharpe's Let's fish the Clyde and Tom Stewart's Fifty Popular Flies.
Still confused I reached for A.Courtney Williams' Dictionary of Trout Flies in an attempt to clear up the puzzlement.
As you will probably know the Greenwell's Glory is a very old pattern dating from the middle of the 1800's of that there is no doubt.

it is well documented that the pattern was devised by Canon William Greenwell of Durham and tied by Tweedside flytyer James Wright.

However within the pages of this book is the description of the Greenwells Glory which is beyond all dispute as the following dressing comes from a letter handwritten by Canon Greenwell and dated 1st June 1900.
Wing. Inside of Blackbird's wing.
Body. Yellow silk.
Hackle.  Coch-y-bondhu
Hook. 14.
So there you have it! For the attention of the Flytying Police (Vice Squad) The pattern I tied is just a Greenwell's Glory Variant!