The hard way and the easy way

[atomichaggis]

Not being in Norway can really piss on your fishing! but I made an effort to get a bit of fishing in when I was up in Scotland.

First attempt was on the river Kelvin which is a tributary of the river Clyde which runs through Glasgow, Which looks a little something like this:

Seriously urban! the lower part is so full of junk that I could hardly believe any fish would come up it, but incredibly, they do. Turned out to be hard to find anywhere to flyfish from tho. There was always some problem with access to any promising looking pools or too overgrown to get a cast off. The day resulted in a blank but there has been tons of salmon taken there lately, largely on flying C's. I had planned to fish the Kelvin regularly but only managed to go once due to alcohol related interference.

Next attempt at fishing was a trip to Loch Thom up in the hills above Greenock, which lies a short train ride to the west, our goal being wild Brownies. After arriving at the station my uncle and I began the hike upwards. After about on tenth of the way we were both almost having a heart attack so we called a cab

We made our way to one of my uncles favourite spots and set up just in time for the weather turning sour

Uncle had a tiny one one before I was set up, which turned out to be his last

I got set up eventually and fished a Kate McClaren above a ke he, which is pretty much all you need on Scottish lochs.

I got a couple of tugs after only a few casts which was promising. A few casts later and bang! I was into a small Brown Unfortunately this was the last trout I was to catch this day, the wind made fishing hazardous at times and the only other fish I caught was a small Perch.

This slippery little customer was the most noteable fish of the day:

The Scenery:

So the day ended on a tiny Brown for Uncle and a small Brown and Small Perch for Me, then began the arduous task of getting back down to Greenock on foot. The loch seems much smaller when you drive around it! I was knackered before we got around the loch to the track that leads even further up the hills then down the other side to Greenock. Much effort, Little fish!

Next fishing trip was a turkey shoot! We got an invite from a friend of Uncle's who breeds trout down in South Lanarkshire to come and fish on his pool So another train ride out to the sticks and we were there in Lesmahagow where we were picked up and driven to a local fishery to pick up some wood and have a cuppa. Then it was off to the place we came to see, This place was super cool, not only does he breed trout but also Quails, Ducks, Swans,Insects and Rabbits and has built a whole complexes of enclosures for the birds and rabbits as well as pools for the fish and Insects. It Cleverly draws it's water from the river Nethan, fills the pools and tanks and overflows through marshland which filters back down to the Nethan. Most impressive was that this guy had built this place with his own hands.

I done a little digging as a favour before we began fishing. We also set up a tank with a pump in for the fish to recover, the idea was to pull out the bigger cock fish and put them in a seperate pen before they are stripped for breeding.

Copper beadhead Hare's ear nymph was just the trick here, I had at least 15 fish before uncle, who was using the usual Loch flies got a bite Stubborn old goat fish half the day before finally changing!

Fish sizes were nice but I couldn't manage to hook 'Jaws' who is responsible for breaking 2 flyrods to date!

I fished that single fly all day until I stuck it in a tree I then found a similar one in the box which gave me a fish per cast for about 5 casts then my tippet snapped off and I called it a day.

Uncle started catching fish after changing to some beadheaded nymphs tho not quite as successful as the hares ear His best fish was a result of foul hooking in the adipose fin... what a fight

The sights:

Fantastic day, Fantastic weather, Many fish, Little effort! Bit of a turkey shoot but it put a smile on my face

Not sure what's next... Might talk my brother into driving me down to the south coast of England for a bit of saltwater fly before I start making plans to return to Norway.

Endret June 2, 2009 av atomichaggis

[Gamlingen]

Hello,

Good to hear from you and thanks for a nice report! Good training before the real thing back in Norway! Have a good trip down South!

[atomichaggis]

Gotta keep that rod arm happy!

[permagnar]

Great report! It's nice that you're back out fishing again Any good chub-fishing in your areas?

[Karl Inge S]

Nice photos of the city-and the trouts were quite nice I`ll say

Keep èm coming!

[atomichaggis]

Great report! It's nice that you're back out fishing again Any good chub-fishing in your areas?

Well I'm currently down in England near Milton keynes which has Chub by the million! I could wow you with some Chub pics but I am pretty desperate before I do any course fishing

I wanted to take some on the fly this year but due to a very rainy summer the river ouse is very coloured so I have struggled. I might have another try tho... will need to fish illegaly tho on a good shallow stretch of river where I won't buy a permit

Here is a pic I took a year or 2 back:

Some of those are fish are absolute lunkers.

Nice photos of the city-and the trouts were quite nice I`ll say

Keep èm coming!

Not bad considering I don't have the 'big feck off' camera or personal camerawoman anymore