Misty day today

A bit of a drab day, little or no wind, from the SE and almost total cloud cover. However it was quite mild. No fish today on the Booby, which i have come to expect at this time of year. Over the last couple of years i have found it to be very difficult to catch fish from Barcraigs from December through to the end of February.

What the fuck!

Booby score's during T break. Strictly speaking, its just not Cricket, how can i catch a trout when im sitting on the dam wall having a cup of tea and admiring the scenery.

Here is how you do it. Cast a booby out as far as you can in the deepest water you can find, let it sink, sit down, have a cup of tea and relax. If you get lucky the line will tighten and next thing there is a nice Rainbow in the net. Its the first time its happened to me and i dont care what anyone says, it was fun.

This has nothing to do with Rowbank

11.5lbs,the fish were a bigger average size this year

Last week of the season, dont usually kill fish as i believe that they should all go back after mid October. However high ideals go out the window when a fish, this fish, gets one of it eyes badly damaged, by the second treble on the Rappala. These lures are great atracters and outstanding hookers but they can damage fish, that should go back. Its only through experiences like this that i realise why some waters insist on one treble per lure, the loose treble can maim the fish, neccesitating its despatch towards the frying pan when it would have been better if it was allowed to expend its energy on the reds.

Its Booby time

Plenty of Rainbows to be caught at the moment with the Booby. Get it right on the bottom and inch it along nice and slow. Had two come off on Sat the 24th and managed to bank another. The first one looked about 3lb ish but it came unstuck at the side. The weather was a bit rough it being increasingly windy throughout the day and quite heavy rain at times. Another couple of guys on the water bagged up with the Booby as well. The Pitchings are good places to persevere with.

A brace on the Orange Booby

Sat the 17th October, beautiful day with bright sunshine and light winds all day mainly from the S/SW. Fished the fast sinking line and the Booby hard on the bottom with a leader of around 2.5 feet. Two fish one of around 1.75lb and another of 1.25lb, a fun day and there are still soome Rainbows around for the catching, the Cormorants and the poachers hav'nt got them all yet.

This hot weather is just what we need

Wednesday evening 24th June, warm, strong easterly breeze, nice wave on the water. A few fish were moving sporadically off the Muirend dam wall, some very close in. I tackled up with a team of nymphs on the floating line, 5 weight, and worked my way along the wall. On the way back up near where the Spit used to be i hooked what i think must be one of the "Blue" trout, a rainbow of around 1.75lbs, with a very pronounced blue/grey colour to it, quite a good looking fish.

I was talking to another member and he told me that he had landed a fish of 4lb 10oz on the previous Sat, followed by one even larger, which he returned , due to being maxed out with fish at that point, perfectly understandable. The quality of these fish is beyond criticism, why waste money on trout fisheries when club waters can provide better sport at much less cost.

Barcraigs Sat Eve 20th June

Went up for an evening session, started at the Muirend dam wall, there are always fish here. Very little sign of fish on the surface as usual but i worked along the wall with a team of nymphs and fished them as slow as possible. Got nothing by the time i got into the west corner so decided to fish a short line back up. I was only casting out maybe three rod lengths of line but ive seen many fish move only a few feet out from the bank before. Sure enough i got lucky and hooked the 3.5lb fish in the picture. This fish did fight well, taking several long deep runs, it was quite a struggle to get it into the net. It took a size 12 PT, on a floating line. Im fishing a floating line more often this year , for several years ive been mainly fishing the intermediate.

The fishing in a decent club water such as Rowbank really is good value. Its as good as any fishery costing much more. If only the freeloading poaching crowd could just put their hands in their pockets and give us all a break things could be even better.