A 7lb Hillend Rainbow Trout

 

Went to the North shore today at Hillend for the first time this season. It was blowing a gale when I arrived. So I sat the car for a bit and had a wee nap then some soup and a bite to eat.. Then when the wind calmed down I ventured out onto the Big Moss Hole. There was actually some fly life in evidence and the wind wasn't cold at all. After about an hour of fishing I caught this 7lb rainbow which was amazing to watch as it leaped from the water trying to throw my fly. It was fooled by one of my gold beaded black lures. I fished on for another hour and a half or so as there were some fish showing in this area. Unable to fool anymore fish I gave up and walked back to the car then went back round to the clubhouse to get the fish weighed... 7lb exactly. A member of the committee told me it must have been one of last years fish as there haven't been any fish that size stocked this year. Fair to say I was very pleased this afternoon.

The Dangers of Fly tying



 

I cant believe it .This is my long weekend off and I haven't been fishing yet. I hope to rectify that tomorrow.
I did go up to the loch tonight but didn't bother fishing as it was rather windy and cold and decided maybe tomorrow would be a better idea.
So tonight I have been tying a few flies. Ive been tying the usual trad wets as well as some North Country Spiders with the new hooks I purchased the other day whilst visiting the GAC.
When I got home I looked at the packet of hooks I and couldn't believe the warning that was printed on the packet. lol. I never realised that fly tying could be such a dangerous pastime.

Last cast of the day

 

I went up to the loch a bit late today as there was a comp in progress. I waited until the entrants were heading for the clubhouse to weigh in their catch etc before I ventured onto the loch. I made for the boathouse bay. I fished there for some time without success so I decided to head back to the car but on the way back I stopped to have a few final casts from the north shore of the narrows . After a couple of casts I was into a trout. It gave me a good fight. When I was unhooking and photographing the fish, two chaps [ I could call them something else but there maybe children reading this] came along and plonked themselves into the area I had just caught the fish from and proceeded to cast spinners into the loch. I was going to say something to them but I just shook my head, laughed and went back to the car. Some folk need to learn angling etiquette. The trout was fooled by my dropper fly which was a cloaked bibio dabbler I tied recently.

The Hillend Predator

 

Off I went up the loch this afternoon at about 2 o'clock in what looked like a nice spring day. When I got there the wind was blowing in a westerly direction but it was still very cold especially for this time of year.
I decided to try my luck somewhere along the south shore so off I walked along the cycle path. On my way down the track I met three desperate characters from my work who had packed up and were making their way back to the clubhouse. I spoke briefly to them and it emerged that they had been drowning maggots and worms as well as catching five trout between them.
I continued on my way down the south shore until I reached the Eastercroft Bay. I set up with a Humungous lure on the point and a bibio cloaked dabbler on  the dropper which I tied up last night after watching Davie McPhails latest tying demo.
I spent some time in the bay but nothing was doing so waded round to the area that we at Hillend call the cliffs. After a short time there  hooked into a fish, It had taken the point fly, but I knew right away that this wasn't a trout. I experienced that familiar jag, jag and boring down thing that they do,then after a short fight I brought him to the surface. You've probably guessed by now that it was a pike! yep one of the Hillend Predators. It wasn't a monster just a jack.
I continued on fishing and moved onto the wee moss but without anymore success. As I made my way back to the clubhouse I stopped at the Big Stane and waded into have one last chance. It was then that I felt that dreaded sensation of my right foot getting cold as my boot appeared to be filling with water. Yes, I discovered my waders have a leak. I will let them dry overnight and inspect them in the morning to see where the water is getting in. I sense this is going to cost me as I will probably need new waders.

No fish fooled today!

 

I would have been foolish not to take the opportunity of fishing for a few hours up at the loch today on this the first day of April.
It looked very pleasant this afternoon when I drove up to the loch and I commented that it looked and felt like a nice spring day.
On arrival at Hillend it was anything but as a bitter east wind was blowing down the loch and there was still a fair bit of sow still lying at the back of the woods and over at the mound.
I squelched my way through the woods today as I had decided I would try my luck at Lowe's Bay and the Mound area. All  to no avail as I never connected with any fish at all, not even a take.
The water was particularly cold today and the air temperature was very low. I had to take several breaks today to recover from the freezing conditions and get the feeling back in my fingertips. It really was icy cold up there today. So no fish today I hope you enjoy the pics of the Hillend environs

Good Friday Fishing!

 

Today as I set off to the loch I drove out into driving sleet and snow so I decided to make a diversion and visited my mother and waited for a change in the weather. An hour and half later the weather changed and I was off up to the loch. On arrival I met Iain a work colleague and we walked round towards the boathouse bay. I fished at the gorse bushes for a wee while without a response then I moved into the bay where I was encouraged with a couple of takes a short while later I managed to hook and land a rainbow of about 2lb which was fooled by a Humungous on the point. It put up a good fight but I eventually managed to play it out and bring the trout ashore. I must remember to start bringing my net with me as it would have saved me from some heart stopping moments. For the last couple of years Ive not been taking my net as I cant be bothered carrying it around but I think I will have to start taking it again as it will make landing the trout a whole lot easier.

The New Hillend Dabbler Podcast

 

My new podcast is available to listen to and download here

https://soundcloud.com/hillend-dabbler/the-hillend-dabbler-podcast-04

Rain , Sleet, Snow and Trout

 

 

I manged to get out on the loch for the first time yesterday and then again today. The weather was atrocious on Sunday afternoon when I arrived so I sat in the clubhouse for a while then had a wee nap in the car as I waited for the rain , sleet and snow to cease.
I then set up and tried various southshore locations for trout but had no success.
So off I went this morning back to the loch on my way round to the boathouse bay I met two work colleagues , Tam and Iain who were fishing at Teds tree. After a wee chat I walked round into the bay and set up with a gold headed black lure and a cormorant on the dropper. Once again the weather was making the fishing uncomfortable with swirling wind and the odd snow flurry. after half an hour or so I made contact with my first trout of the season which was fooled by the dropper fly. Not the prettiest rainbow trout by any means but it was welcome all the same as it was my first fish of the season.
After landing the fish I stopped for a break as my hands were numb with the freezing conditions and warmed them with a nice wee pot of soup which I cooked on my portable stove.
While I was having my soup Tam and Iain joined me in the bay. I never caught any more fish although I did get a good take which I failed to hook into. Just as I was about to leave Iain hooked and landed a magnificent brown trout of 6 1/2lb which put my 2lber to shame. Iain was fishing Hillend for the first time and Im sure its a fish he will never forget.

Let the fishing Commence!

 



The long awaited new trout season starts today. For me the 15th of March marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Soon new life will begin everywhere around us as our wee corner of the world heats up. Who knows what the new season shall bring? I hope for memorable days and nights on the loch and of course I can also expect a few disappointing outings on the loch too. Soon my thoughts will turn to fishing trips to highland lochs and lochans but for now as winter fades and the new season begins Hillend Loch will be my stomping ground. Although the new season begins today I won't manage up to the loch until Sunday. I will therefore report back on Sunday evening, hopefully with some tales to tell.

Hillend Mini Lures

As I type this we here at Hillend are having frequent flurries of snow,Its obvious that we aren't quite over winter yet. There may yet be more cold snaps to come in the first few weeks of the season.With this in mind I thought I had better stock up on some mini lures which I am short on at the moment. I admit they are not very pleasing on the eye and will never be things of beauty but they are effective in cold weather These few lures Ive tied should see me through to April when by that time the loch shall have hopefully warmed up a bit.

Airdrie & District Angling Club Prices 2013

 

With the new angling season fast approaching I thought it would be a good idea to inform the Hillend Dabbler readership a breakdown of the permits/memberships costs for this season 2013.

Adult Full Member £80

Sen Citz Full Member £60

Junior Full Member £55

 

Adult Assoc Member £90

Sen Citz Assoc Member £65

Junior Assoc Member £60

 

Lochside Day Tickets remain at £11 for Adults & £8 for juniors.

Day Membership Tickets can be purchased at £9 for Adults & £6 for juniors.

Day Memberships are available from the following outlets.

 

Hillend Fishing Lodge

Sunny Convenience Stores Caldercruix

Airdrie Angling Centre

Owl & Trout Pub

 

Boat Charges remain the same as last season. Electric outboards are available at £10 per session including 2 batteries