You’ll understand the headline in a moment, honest!

I spent a really pleasant, if somewhat drizzly, day at Carbeth fishery on bank holiday Monday. Dull and overcast, conditions for fishing looked promising, and on the whole ran true.

One of the mayfly spinners taking a wee rest

We had a smattering of mayfly coming off but due to the recent weather, nowhere near the usual intensity as yet.

I hope that they hold off until our competition on Sunday 31st May for the Maggot Dookers and Fluff Chuckers.

Why for the dookers I hear some of the fluffers ask? Well, the wee beasties need to rise up through the water to hatch, and anything that prompts fish into a feeding frenzy has to be good for both groups of angler!

Battle between the Fluffers and the Dookers will indeed commence on Sunday for the first time. We’ll have  a prize for the biggest fish out of the two, as well as individual prizes for each pond.

Anyway, back to Monday.

Kayla proudly showing off her Scooby Doo rod

Being a school holiday there were a few families out and this happy pair were fishing on the bait pond.

Kayla, who’s seven, and her dad Alan Kennedy had a great day as you can see from the photograph.

 However, it’s fair to say that wee Kayla had the better time out of the two!

Kayla had her bag of two fish for 4lb within 10 minutes of arriving and using (at the risk of sounding a bit Graham Norton) one of the ‘cutest’ rods I’ve ever seen.

I’ve seen these one-handed travel rods before, only about three feet long with a built in reel, however this one had ‘Scooby Doo’ all over it.

I should stress that I mean the cartoon character.

Kayla was priceless and put a smile on every one’s face she spoke to.

Up until she would ask some guy on a blank ”how many fish have you caught? I’ve caught two!”

The biggest fish of the day went to John Arnott

On the  fly pond, business was brisk but still quite demanding with most of the day flat calm.

 Angler John Arnott did extremely well to launch into this beautiful specimen of 7lb 1oz on a gold fritz, using an intermediate line.

It was John’s biggest fish to date and he didn’t seem to care too greatly that it was the only fish he managed to land that day.

 
Well done John, and good luck with your entry for a ‘Trout Masters’ badge.

We were delighted to welcome the Walker family and their friends to the fishery as they were visiting the area on a break from their home in North Yorkshire.

The Walker Clan ready and raring to go

We managed to sort out the guys with the tackle and advice they needed and off they went.

The fish had went off the boil for a while, despite the third stocking of the day, and we were keen to see our guests catching a fish.

Eventually one of the party, a wee girl, hooked into and landed a nice trout.

It was good to see and it was equally pleasing to see one of the mums, who was celebrating her birthday, catch also.

It paid off to keep at it, to earn the lads their first ever trout

But the ‘hardest won trout of the day’ award simply has to go to James Wood and his wee boy and nephew, Jack and James.

They threw everything at the water, bar dynamite (something which I gather would upset Graeme and Wendy!)

Eventually shear perseverance won through and I was so chuffed for the three of them.

Check out the shop next time you’re up. There will be a few special deals, including a great wee beginners box of flies.

A fine selection of flies that will work in May/June including nypmhs, wet and dry patterns

‘The Carbeth Collection’ will be a monthly box of  12 of the flies that are doing the business and are great value at just £8.95 with a free box and two lures thrown in!

Enough of the adverts, well apart from a final reminder for this Sunday’s competition for both bait and fly pond!

Draw for pegs is at 0830 with a 0900 start.

Till then,

Tight lines (and no’ on one of Susan Boyle’s eyebrows)

Paul