Frustration!

My two most recent visits to Hillend have been rather frustrating! 

Last Wednesday night I had the boathouse bay to myself, probably because it was a rather murky night with a brisk cold easterly wind blowing down the loch. As a result there wasnt much fly life around and I only saw a couple of fish showing all night. 

However I did fool a troot with the fly pictured top here. Never the less i only managed to hook  play and lose it,  much to my ire as it was the only troot action I encountered all night! 

On Friday night I ventured down to the wee moss area where I once again hooked, played and lost a troot this time fooled by a suspender buzzer pictured here.

On close inspection of my flies I noticed that the hook got straightened. 

Since then I've tied a few more SBs on good strong kamasan hooks. 

Heres hoping that my next time up at the Loch proves to be more successful. 

 

Tying a Claret Bumble

So I'm having another try at making a flytying vid. Hope you find it both  useful and enjoyable!

 

Jack & Blue

I ventured out afloat @ Hillend today for the first time this season! 

The day out on the boat was made all the more comfortable this time around as I was using a boat seat for the first time which was gifted to me by a fishing buddy! 

It might look bit rudimentary however it made some difference for this auld yin!!

It was a tough day fishing wise as I only managed to fool one pesky jack pike which was showing the scars of an attack from its elders as well as a nice plump blueback troot which put up a great fight, leaping from the water several times to avoid my net! 

All in all it was a very enjoyable day at the Loch.  I'm now Looking forward to future days on the boat when the troot will hopefully be more active! 

Dabbler Fashion!

Dabbler style patterns are among my favourite style of flies to fish and tie.

According to Ted Malone's excellent book, Irish Trout & Salmon Flies, the Dabbler style is of Irish origins and credited to Donald McClearn of Dromore County Down, whose schoolboy nickname was Dabbler. It makes sense I suppose that Donalds style of cloaking the mallard fibres be named Dabbler style.

However Ted goes onto say that there is no such fly as The Dabbler but just a new style of old traditional Irish trout flies dressed "Dabbler fashion."

As you know I'm not keen on giving names to patterns I tie, just incase they are not accurate! However on this occasion I'm going to make an exception and declare that here is a Claret Dabbler tied by the Hillend Dabbler! Which according to Ted's point of view must  really just be a claret bumble pattern tied Dabbler Fashion!

It's fair to say that I'm a dedicated follower of Dabbler fashion! 

Charlie McLean

A couple of Charlie McLeans! 

This Hebridean wet fly pattern was a favourite of the late Bruce Sandison. Bruce got to know about this worthy trout pattern whilst researching his excellent book "The Sporting Gentleman's Gentleman."Which is a collection of fascinating and entertaining stories about Highland Gillies.

I'm lucky enough to have a copy of this book which I managed to source in a wee secondhand book shop in Thurso whilst in that area on a fishing trip a few years ago.

Today I refreshed my memory by reading chapter 2 "Hebridean charm and the heather Isles."

In this chapter Bruce gives some insight into Charlie McLean a man who appears to have been a very popular gillie and a bit of a character too.

Bruce mentions that the fly was devised by one of Charlie's guests as a mark of affection for Charlie’s ability and unfailing courtesy.

I recommend you track down a copy of Bruce's book.

It really is an enjoyable read.

Sunday Night!

On Sunday night I visited Hillend Loch or the first time in around three weeks or so! 

I chose to fish from the south shore between the wee Moss and the Big Stane! 

I arrived on the shore about 7pm. The wind was blowing from the west and was surprisingly quite cold.

I started fishing with a daiwl Bach on the dropper and a Pheasant tail nymph on the point.

There was a fair wave on the water as I began fishing but I just didnt feel confident with the two small nymphs so it wasn't too long before I made a change to my set up. 

I stuck a yellow dancer on the point and a black snatcher on  the dropper and within a handful of casts I got a response. 

The fish had three attempts at my lure before finally sticking! 

A nice rainbow of about 2lb was netted and dispatched to take home.

I didnt bother continuing on for much longer after landing my trout so soon packed up and headed home to feed the cat! 

A bit of this, that and the other!

Its  been a frustrating time for me of late due to a  bout of sciatica.

I've not been fit enough to get out and about with my rod and reel.

However I'm spent my free time at my new vice tying this that and the other, with the my summer trip to the Outer Hebrides in mind! 

Ive really enjoyed using my new vice which has so many advantages over my old regent!

Pictured here is a dozen colourful examples of my recent vice work!  Which I hope you enjoy! 

My condition is improving and I hope to get out and about in the next week or so!

In the meantime I'll just keep on keepin' on! 

New Vice!

For over a year or so Ive been contemplating on upgrading my 20 year old regent vice.

The jaws on my regent have been playing up a bit as there seemed to be a fault of some sort as they were very stiff and seizing up on the odd occasion. Still very usable though.

I considered replacing the regent with another as I really like the simplicity of mounting the hook in the spring lever action jaws.

However after much thought I decided to opt for a rotary vice and all its advantages.

Budget played a part as I really was tempted  by the vices in the £500 bracket however I just couldnt justify that cost so in the end I opted for the Wolff Indiana Atlas vice.

First impressions are encouraging. its certainly a solid  piece of kit and beautifully designed and engineered.

I have to admit that I found mounting the hook a bit fiddly, having to adjust the jaws etc. However I seem to have it set now to suit the size of hooks I'll be most commonly using.

I've tied a few flies with it now and found it to have many advantages over my old regent.

The obvious benefit of the rotary function goes without saying. Its fantastic for winding on tinsel bodies and ribs as well as for ease of tilting the jaws upside down for tying in beard hackles and generally all round inspection of the fly..

In conclusion I'm very pleased with my new vice. It was quite strange using a new style of vice after all these years. 

I felt a tinge of sadness when I put my old regent away in the cupboard as it has served me well for over 20 years however I'm really looking forward to using the new Atlas vice now!

Bug Fluff!

The number of syntheitic and  natural dubbing suppliers these days in the fly tying world is bewildering. 

However I would like to highlight and bring to your attention a new kid on the block in the person of wonderful flytyer John Ferguson from Dalmellington in Ayrshire,  who is the man behind the recent dubbing enterprise called Bug Fluff..

John's dubbing is carefully selected and  prepared from natural hare fur and comes in various shades in handy plastic boxes.

I have found it ideal for preparing bodies on some loch style wets as well as forming bodies on small emerger patterns. However I find it most useful for tying various nymphs.

The natural spikiness of the hare fur is really suited for the nymph bodies and thoraxes.

So if you are in the market for hare dubbing give John a call at bug Fluff and I'm sure he will be more than happy to help you out. 

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!!!