Today was the annual friendly competition between Beauly AC, Loch Achonachie AC and Dingwall AC on Loch Watten.
Now last year BAC did very well at this with yours truly and regular boat partner Jim Braithwaite getting best boat and biggest fish - we had much to live up to this year.
To be fair the day got off to a bad start when I realised that the flies I had tied for the day, the box they were in and my clippers were still sitting on the bonnet of my Volvo. Bugger. I made do with what I had and - thankfully - they were all right where I left them at the end of the day.
So on to the day. After an eventful drive up (just how many Police cars ???
) we were all suited and booted and on the water for the 10am competition start. Conditions
Wacky. It was a nice day for April but for late July
Apocalyptically crap would be one summary.
Jim and I fished hard in changing conditions....
But there were no fish to be seen on the top and I rapidly moved down to a fast sinker (Orvis Hydros HD Depth Charge - or, bugger me that sinks quick) which brought follows all the way to the boat but no takes. I started to feel like Watten had seen some serious fishing activity as although I know you need to work it hard on occasion there's usually free rising/moving fish to be had. By lunchtime we had seen one fish about 300 yards away and that was it.
If I still smoked I'd have had a fag and pondered on things. Instead, I just swore as another fish followed the fly to the boat and... ohhh... wait... gotcha
The fish nailed the tail fly at the very last moment before lifting off. A hectic battle ensued and I was glad to be fishing a #6wt
Bonny fish landed which we knew was the only one that had been taken by any of the boats at the end of the loch we had moved to (Western end). Dead fish photo #1:
Despite fishing bloody hard I could not repeat it. No more follows, no more takes. Then it snowed. OK, it maybe was actually really heavy rain, but it felt like snow and duck me it was cold. Then the sun came out and we cooked. Then it...err..... rained some more, the wind got up and we froze. Then Jim hooked a belter which ran him ragged on a #5wt. I mean he couldn't stop it and he was
really trying..... netted by yours truly it was a super-fine specimen of Watten Brownie
By the time that was in the boat - hell of a fight - it seemed everyone else was heading in. It was only 4pm and the competition ended at 5. But we head in anyway. To our amazement Jim and I had 'retained' the Frank Durdle trophy for best boat, Jim had biggest fish and BAC cleaned the board with best bag too.
Here's the thing though, 8 fish in total were weighed in and BAC got 5 of them. Some very good fishers blanked.
It was a tough day, but fun.... and to the victors the spoils
I still can't believe we won best boat with two fish....... wacky Watten alright.
Bring on next years event
H
