Opening Day - Loch Landsaidh, Highlands of Scotland
Its been a long closed season, longer than usual, almost to the point of being intolerable. That extra day on the end of February is just too much. If we have to have an extra day in any year it should be in the season. Whoever stuck it on the end of February was cruel beyond belief.
Anyway today the torment ended. We had to mark the occasion, so days off were booked, as was a boat on Landsaidh. We have just had a 6 month closed season. Of the two boats on Landsaidh one is wood the other fibreglass. The wooden one requires some work doing to it. Put those two together when do you send the wooden boat off to be fettled? No you and I would do that, but they've done it now. That left us with Dr JRJ "the other boat". Last season this would have been a problem. Dr JRJ has a high transom, so it needs a long shaft motor. Three of us were planning to go today. Between us we have 6 outboards to choose from. You guessed it. Not one is a long shaft. So...
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Introducing the "TLD" (Transom Lowering Device). This was its first time out, we decided it was a 100% success. Really it worked brilliantly, well done Mike.
We are getting a little ahead of ourselves so lets go back a bit. We loaded up the car and set off to the pet shop in Dornoch. We arrived for opening time, forgetting that this is the Highlands, 09:00 means 9 o'clockISH. It wasn't open. About this time Mike realised he'd forgotten his life jacket. The shop opened, we got the keys for the gate and set off back to Golspie for Mikes life jacket. Around 9:45 we arrived at the loch. Graham was already there fishing with his new Hardy's 9' 6wt, (his new pride and joy). To our surprise one or two fish were rising, always a hopeful sign. The bad news was that Dr JRJ was in the water. We had been told that the boat wasn't in the water and we would have to put it in. The fact that it was in the water also meant that it was locked to the mooring. I stayed with Graham, while Mike went back to track down the key.
While he was away I discovered my lighter was missing. Graham didn't have one so that was not good. Usually there is one in the hut, of course the hut had been cleared out for the new season. No help there. Fortunately Mike had one, so disaster was averted. He arrived back with the key and we loaded up the boat.
Normally we only fish two to a boat. Three makes thing, well, interesting. Another project through the winter was to build some boat seats. These were also a success. We can now fish in comfort. My seat still needs a swivel so both of them found much amusement in turning the boat around between drifts to make me stand up and man handle the thwart board round the other way.
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Graham was first into a fish. An over wintered blue of about 1 3/4 lb. Very well mended, with a tail like a shovel. He took it on a Copper John varient from his birthday box of flies. The first fish on his new rod. Mike got into, and then out of a brown of tiny proportions next. It skipped across the surface and fell off. That was unexpected this early in the season, but another good sign.
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(As you know Graham is "getting on" in years, so he falls asleep at odd moments!)
My turn came next, a 10" jewel of a brown. Taken on a wire woven bead head nymph. We don't take the wild fish so sorry no photo of it. (You wouldn't appreciate a picture of me anyway.)
A while later Mike connected with one that stayed on this time. Another over wintered fish. A rainbow of about 1 1/4lb. It seems the loch hasn't been stocked yet.
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He had it on a Green and Black spider.
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And demonstrated his fish handling skills.
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(Go on bite now!!!)
The wind couldn't make up its mind which way to blow. We had it in all directions from south west to south to east then flat calm, finally it settled into a strong westerly.
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It also got rather cool, so we adjourned to the hut to warm up. Then to Mike's car so we could put the heater on. When we got out I stopped the engine but left the electronic key in the slot. We attempted one drift but the wind was too much. Graham got out his big rod and tried to dap. There was no further action from the fish so we packed up.
Graham was in work at 5 so he shot off in his car. Then Mike discovered the flat battery in his car. The car was parked facing the loch on a sloping car park. We couldn't push it up the hill, and it wouldn't help as the electronic ignition will not permit a bump start. We had no option but to walk down to the nearest house (about a mile and a half), and seek help. Fortunately the estate owner was in and gave us a jump start.
Back in Golspie the weather was fine, very little wind and lightly overcast. In fact ideal conditions for fishing. What a difference a few miles and a couple of hundred feet elevation makes.
Hopefully this is all our disasters out of the way for the season. Or maybe its a case of "start..." No I'd better not say it!
Cheers,
A.
