Two Days at Cobbinshaw

On Monday, March 18th, I embarked on my first day of the fishing season at Cobbinshaw Reservoir. 

As a new member, I was eager to get out and get to know Cobbie.

I had booked a four-hour slot on one of the excellent Coulam boats.

The wind proved to be a formidable opponent but despite my initial enthusiasm, the southwest wind and strong gusts made for challenging conditions. Positioned in the north-east corner of the reservoir, I found myself battling against the elements, struggling to maintain control of my drifting boat even with the drogue set up.

After a series of fruitless drifts, I made the decision to relocate to the south-west  part of the reservoir. 

Here I found refuge from the exposed main body of water and felt more at ease navigating the slower drifts. Equipped with my sink tip line, I fished deep in search of trout.

Throughout the day, I made various changes of flies. 

It wasn't until the final hour that I struck gold, or rather, lime green and black. Opting for a single, eye-catching lure proved to be the correct choice for fooling a trout.

As my time on the boat ended, I reflected on the day with a sense of satisfaction. 

Despite the challenges posed by the wind, my maiden voyage at Cobbinshaw Reservoir had been a good one.

With the promise of future outings on the horizon, I eagerly awaited the next opportunity to visit Cobbie.

Ten days later it was a little different at Cobbie.

Weather conditions were much better as the wind wasn't as strong.

My day is best described as sitting in a boat waving a stick at invisible trout whilst listening to an audio book titled “ Standing in a river waving a stick” by John Gierach.

It was a very enjoyable day all the same and it was good to meet  a couple of fellow anglers when I got back to base. Although they too found it a little tough they actually managed to catch a couple of trout. 

I'm already looking forward to my next day out at Cobbie.

The Sharp & Gentles Way.

I've recently been attending the Sharp & Gentles Flytying Club and thoroughly enjoy my visits there. Im already benefitting and learning from participating in the tying nights with others who share the same enthusiasm of keeping the traditions of Clydestyle fly patterns relevant and to the fore.

The Fly Tying Club was started in 1957 by Bert Sharp, author of " Let's fish the Clyde" and " Lets fish again", Bert ran his classes for many years, passing on his skills and patterns for his beloved Clydestyle Flies.

After his passing in 1983 his close friend and UCAPA colleague Bill Gentles took over the club, teaching numerious enthusiastic flytyers in the Lanarkshire area and beyond.

Since Bill's passing the club is now run by a committee, and has a healthy membership of enthusiastic fly-tyers and fly fishers.

In an age when modern innovations overshadow traditions,  the Sharp & Gentles Flytying Club is a place where the echoes of the past resonate with the aspirations of the future ensuring that the craft of Clydestyle flytying will endure.

The club meet every Thursday from 7.00pm to 9.00pm from September to Easter at the Whitehill Neighbourhood Centre in Hamilton.

This week we were tying the Blae & Ginger and after a few days of practice at the vice I Im really pleased with the progress Im making.

On this particular version Ive stayed pretty much true to the description in Bert's book.

Ive tied this with a size 14 Fulling Mill hook, yellow Uni 8/0 thread, two turns of gold tinsel, two turns of light ginger hen kacke and pairded slips of Snipe secondary covert feathers.

It's just a pity that next week will be the last week of the current session however I look forward to club reconvening again in September, it will be something to look forward to during the dark winter months.

In the meantime there is plenty of fishing to look forward to for the next eight or so months and of course a bit of flytying here and there too.

Fair Thee Well My Friend!

It was with great sadness that I learned of the passing of longtime fishing friend Davie Graham who I oftened referred to on my blog  as the Hillend Veteran.

Davie left this earth for another place on the 15th of March, ironically the date of the start of the fishing season at Hillend.

Only last week Davie commented that he was sorry to hear that I had given up my membership at Hillend and said that i’d be missed. 

I told him I'd pop into the clubhouse to see him for a coffee and have a catch up with him now and again during the course of the fishing season.

Its such a shame we’ll never have that coffee.

Davie was a valuable, committed member of Airdrie & District Angling Club, He often manned the clubhouse and cafe, was a member of committee and the minute secretary. 

He knew the loch like the back of his hand and was a wealth of information on every aspect of flyfishing at Hillend. He often complimented me on my fly dressing which he was a dab hand at himself too.

We shared a boat on Hillend many a time. He was a fantastic fly caster and always happy to share his knowledge of the fly life at Hillend.

Davie was originally from Dalmellington in East Ayrshire and would ofter regale me with his stories and experiences of fishing the local lochs in that area  as well as his many fishing expetiences all over Scotland.

He had a family caravan based  at Bettyhill  in Sutherland and loved  his time there fishing with family and friends especially on the River Naver.

It was Davie who encouraged me to try the salmon fishing up there and gave me all the advice I required which I was pleased to see come to fruition when I caught my first ever salmon on the Naver a number of years ago.

In his later days Davie was given honorary membership of Airdrie and District Angling Club and I know he was looking forward to the season ahead. Its so sad he never got to see it.

Fair thee well my friend, Fair thee well! You will be sorely missed!

 

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Heres' to better days ahead!

As the chill of winter fades and the days get longer and warmer, anglers everywhere are preparing for the start of the new trout fishing season. For me, this anticipation has been building for months, as I've been busy at the vice all winter and eagerly await he chance to wet my first line of the season.

Last week marked a significant milestone in my angling journey as I officially secured my membership with the Cobbinshaw Angling Association. After more than three decades as a member of the Airdrie and District Angling Club at Hillend, it was time for a change. The prospect of fishing at Cobbinshaw Reservoir in West Lothian fills me with excitement, and I can't wait to explore its waters from the comfort of a boat.

While the venue officially opened its doors on March 9th, my first outing won't be until the 18th so I couldn't resist attending the open day at GAC last weekend. It was a fantastic opportunity to mingle with fellow anglers and share in the collective excitement for the upcoming season.

One highlight of the day was chatting with the folks from Flyfishing and Flytying magazine and watching some impressive fly-tying demonstrations. Meeting Stephen Smalley, a talented Lancastrian fly-tyer with a passion for loch-style wets, was a particular treat. His skill and dedication were evident in the stunning fly boxes he had on display.

No trip to GAC is complete without a visit to the Cookshill fly-tying materials stall. Steve Cooper at Cookshill provided invaluable advice and helped me stock up with some of his impressive range of natural flytying materials 

With just three days left until the official opening day of the 2024 trout fishing season, excitement is reaching a fever pitch. I raise a glass to the promise of better days ahead on Cobbinshaw, the Clyde, and beyond. Here's to new adventures and unforgettable moments on the water.

Before I sign off, I'll leave you with a glimpse of the GAC open day, my new fishing venue, and some recent vicework. Get ready, fellow anglers – the season of trout fishing is almost upon us!