[James Laraway]

So a rather delayed start to the season for me so I'm only just opening my 'usual' thread

As I hadn't made it out after the trout at all since the season opening I thought I should get on with it so went out yesterday evening to try a grab a couple of hours - evenings are not really the best at this time of year in the highlands but thought I would give it a go.

Arrived at the loch about 7pm and there were white horses everywhere - it was blowing a hooley! Forget the #4 glass, picked up the #6 carbon

Walked to my usual starting point and what is overhead ? Well it was either a golden eagle or a sea eagle - being harassed by crows and gulls. I think it was the latter as I saw some white on the tail

Anyhoo, no luck at the 1st spot so then headed to a more sheltered bay.

Rigged up with a sparkle tinsel needle tube on the point and a dirty great ( size 6 long shank) zulu on the dropper ( none of this small fly nonsense for me ! )

Quickly a fish splashed at the flies, then 2 casts later did it again. Time to downsize ?

I then switched to a black and red size 10 muddler on the point and a size 10 pink tailed kate ordie on the dropper.

Next cast I'm in. A lovely conditioned fish of about 3/4 lb. I'm off the mark for 2022 - took the muddler

A few cast later, another splash but no contact.

Worked my way along the bank quite often having to remove the flies from my back as the wind was real pain.

I looked off to the side where I had just been - was that a swirl I saw ? Hard to tell due to the waves.

I moved back the 2 m to where I had just been and first cast the line locked up. Get in.....

After a short fight ( its still cold in the hills !) its in the net and my season has officially started





the fly that took the fish ? The PTKO  - of course...

[Mike Barrio]

Always good to get the new season off to a start James 

[Terry Coging]

Great start James! Tried a PTKO yesterday but the fish were too deep - roll on some top of the water action...

[Alex Russell]

Hi James you are correct it's a sea eagle been hanging around for a few months now, there were two juvenile all winter, just wet a line there soon👍

[Steven Kidd]

That is a belter James, I always do enjoy your highland loch updates, so much colour variation in them troots!

Steven

[James Laraway]

So, seeing all those lovely Don trout I twisted my own arm and took the afternoon off to go out fishing. Nice warm wind from the south blowing down the loch.
Normally when I set the rod up at the car I rest it in the 'nape' of the wing mirror. Got my waders on etc, closed the boot, locked the car. Went to pick my rod up....
Why it is all bent ? Oh no, locking the car has folded in wing mirrors ! The rod is now  s-shaped !
I hit unlock and the mirror flipped out and you  know what ? The rod survived 
Lesson to self - NEVER do that again !!!
Back to the fishing...
 I arrive at my chosen spot and see a couple of small rises. Tackled up with my pink tailed muddler on the dropper and I forget what on the tail. Quickly missed a fish that came to the dropper so did a change of flies.
Pink tailed grouse ordie on the dropper and mini-humungous on the point.
5 mins or so later about 5 m down the bank a fish come for the dropper, missed and takes the tail fly.
What a brute....


the red mark on the photo shows 15.5 inches from the butt of the rod ( for scale)

[Sandy Nelson]

Cracking fish,  lovely dark colours. 

[Mike Barrio]

Yes, I like to see the dark colours of your loch brownies too 

Wing mirror moment would have pressed the panic buttons!

[James Laraway]

I honestly don't know how the rod survived undamaged. I always use my wing mirrors as 'rod rests' when I'm getting ready ( so I don't scrape or stand in my rods) but I'll be more wary in future. Carbon is clearly very bendy and resilient !!!!

Yes, I like to see the dark colours of your loch brownies too 

Wing mirror moment would have pressed the panic buttons!

[Stevie Rennie]

Good to see you’re in about some crackers on the lochs James 

[Terry Coging]

Travel up to the Assynt region on Saturday 
James - I'll be fishing in front of the bothy on Sunday if you fancy a meet up.
Some buddies with me this trip so no boat available though. If your tube is repaired...?
 

[James Laraway]

So, I ventured out for a couple of hours on monday night as the weather during the day was good. Arrived at the loch only to be faced with a howling gale and then got a proper soaking. Total disaster.

Last night was looking better so I thought i would chance my arm once again.

Arrived at the loch and it was lovely and calm. Result....

Launched the 'HMS Leaky' ( now not so leaky !) and thought i would give my new toy a try out - a #7 Haldin  with a Barrio #6  SLXi ( I thought i would give it a try with a #6 as i sold my #7 some time ago .......)

No sign of fish until I got up the far end of the loch, and then there were a few small rises. Of course i was on lures and an intermediate. Usually not an issue but the trout were just not playing so time for a change of reel to one loaded with a SLX floater...so i headed to the bank.

I hear a splash so re-launched....

Headed to where i thought id hear it, another splash. I move over - there it is again.

I ping out a cast with a segdehog on the dropper - a couple of tweaks and wham !  Big trout ! I'm too quick ! I feel the fish for a second then shes gone. Gutted.

Move down the loch - i see another rise and pop out a cast. I've hardly retrieved and there is a big bow-wave....but no take.

Further down again and there is a small, sipping rise right next to the bank. I cover it, almost landing the fly on the bank. A couple of tweaks and everything goes solid then a decent fish takes to the air, then bores deeply under the tube. After a very hard and dogged fight i have my 1st fish on my new rod...





A really solid fish to which the photos don't really do justice. Its much bigger than it looks - honest !

[Mike Barrio]

Great stuff James, nice Brownie! 

[James Laraway]

And i almost forgot the end to may tale.....

Where I park sometimes has sheep and cows . Last night I noticed towards the end of my trip a bunch of highland coos has gathered round my car. This made me nervous as they do have some fair horns and i was worried they might scratch the car, so i finished fishing early and went to 'shoo' them off.

There were no scratches...... however......... I had forgotten that cows like to lick cars ( i think it must be for salt) , and as i approached a wee coo was licking my car like an ice lolly - the dirty wee beggar. By the looks of it a few others had given it a good going over earlier in the evening so i know what I'll do doing tonight - washing the licks off the car

[Terry Coging]

Our group of 5 had a good week around the Ledmore Lochs in mid June in spite of being blown off or not even getting on due to the gale force winds.
Loch Cam could not have been more different from when James and I fished it last Sept. There were hatches of Mayfly that brought the better fish up. We had to stay in sheltered areas but had plenty of fish. Our day Loch Veyattie was almost a disaster. The engine was in poor condition and I had to repair it so that we could lower it into the water. It started ok but travelling upwind it seized halfway up the Loch. Oil all over the place.  Rowed someway back until seeing our pals ,who towed us back.  Got another boat with engine pm and caught a few.  We all fished Borralan on Tuesday where there were continuous small hatches of Mayfly and some large sedges. I was delighted when my boat partner, a novice with Parkinsons, caught his first ever wild brownie on a mayfly.  I lost count of fish I boated on the wafting rod. The other 4 went up to Loch Urigill on the Wed. I stayed on Borralan, the walk from car to boat on Urrigil being too much for me. I had a super part day (the pub was open) Used the same leader and two flies from the day before on the wafting rod and boated 37 with several approaching a pound. The mayfly caught best  before lunch then the big sedge was the fishes choice pm. Had lots of double hook ups and dropped more fish than landed. The average size of fish was better than normal and obviously the big flies were bringing up the older fish, some very dark with big jaws. TBC...off fishing to Carsinton water today.

[James Laraway]

what a contrast to last year Terry when there was virtually no wind and boiling weather- and this year you were almost blown off the water !

[James Laraway]

So it has been very quiet on the fishing front for me this year but i got out today in the tube, destination a loch near Fort Augustus
I was meant to go yesterday but illness put paid to that so saturday it was. Sadly the wind was up but i was hopeful

Set sail in the tube and was quickly into a fish, about 8" or so. A nice start as the loch is not one that gives you a lot of trout. However the next one was much better and after a good scrap I had a lovely fish in the net.

Due to the wind i was trying to stay in the sheltered bays and in the next bay a popped out a lure over the weed and into deeper water ( the water shelves very quickly) and was quickly met by good resistance and another lovely trout.

Ended up with 8 for my day - including 2 very nice ones (for this water anyway)  so I was well happy

A few photos

[Mike Barrio]

Great stuff James 

Bonnie fish, lots of spots and yellow bellies 

[Alex Russell]

Nice one James hopefully be able to join you next time, a timeless week on the Findhorn last week no water, now it's raining, that's what I get trying to catch a silver yin, should stick to the trout👍

[Stevie Rennie]

Good to see you’re back in about the action James, some bonnie plump bellied fish there 

[James Laraway]

lets do something before the season is out....

Nice one James hopefully be able to join you next time, a timeless week on the Findhorn last week no water, now it's raining, that's what I get trying to catch a silver yin, should stick to the trout👍

[James Laraway]

So I had my last trip of the season after the wildies on Saturday before the season closed ( it was meant to be friday but the weather was absolutely wild !) - so I headed off down to Fort Augustus again with the float tube.

It was about a 10 min walk to my 'launch point' - so i tried out my new carrying straps. What am amazing difference. Comfy ,secure and no slipping off your shoulders. If you float tube i would highly recommend getting some 'proper' straps ( they were < £20 !)

Started with a fast sinking line and was into a smallish fish in about 2 mins from my start. Game on thinks me. 25mins later no more fish so i struggle on with a couple of tentative offers. The weather is 'changeable' - nice and sunny one minute, then blowing a hooley and tipping it down the next. I stop for lunch ( only started at 11am) and decide to change to my new Smallstream 2 #8
My 'new' rod is a Haldin #7 8ft glass. It cast the #6 SLX ok ( 13.6 g) so i opted to buy the #8 SS as it weighs the same as the #6SLX
I change flies to a pink tailed grouse ordie on the dropper and a marabou and angelina fibre baitfish on the point ( as the trout love a lure on this loch)
I pop out a wee cast while i pull more line from the reel. The flies are about 3m out where there is a drop-off. No sooner do they land than a trout head and tails for the grouse ordie and a lovely golden trout is landed. First cast with my new line and I get a fish - doesn't get much better than that !
I head back along the bay i had just fished with the sinker but now with the SS floater - with very different results. I get fish after fish and I'm soon up to 7 fish - all on the pink tailed grouse ordie!
Its time to head back along the bank to the car . Normally i dont fish the bay on the way back to the car - but this time i thought i would so I paddled back casting close to the shore
Within 5 casts a fish comes to the dropper and misses. I stop my retrieve then the line pulls tight - fish on.
I see it down about 5 ft  twisting and turning ( the loch is very clear) - its  a good 'un
Best fish I've has from the loch and boy is it fat.
Sadly the photos dont really do it justice ( but it was starting to rain and i wanted to get the fish back)







Have to say i love the Smallstream 2 line. It was my first session with it and its performed excellently - especially when on the Haldin 78 - which I have to say is an absolute WEAPON of a rod and is perfect for throwing my favourite sort of flies ( flugglies)

[Mike Barrio]

Great stuff James, I'm really chuffed that you like the new Smallstream line 

Nice fish 

[Stevie Rennie]

Nice report, rod and fish James