Dounreay Fly Fishing Association crown Alex Donald club champion after Aivis Kreslins wins final competition of 2024
For a few years, Aivis Kreslins has been the angler behind the camera as he snapped the award winners in Dounreay Fly Fishing Associations competitions.
However, last Saturday he was in front of the camera after an outstanding performance in the final event of the club’s 2024 season.
On a breezy, early autumn day, nine members started to fish the remote Loch Caluim at 10.00 am, courtesy of the RSPB.
Due to the east-south-east to south-south-east wind, the south end of the loch was the most popular area and after trying the east bank and southeast corner Aivis Kreslins moved to the southwest corner where he started to catch trout on his favourite Intermediate line with Black Sparkly Hopper and Dark Purple Hedgehog flies.
He had to keep changing tactics as at times the fish were snatching flies as they landed on the surface then they went down, and he had to let his line sink until he hooked another one.
By lines up at 4pm Kreslins, had a bag of trout weighing 15 lbs. 11 oz. to carry to the car park weigh in, giving him a very comfortable first place, the Ken Macleod Memorial Trophy and nine Bank League points.
Toby Bracey finished a distant second with 8lbs. 7.25 oz. giving him seven points plus the bonus point for his 1 lb. 3 oz. fish that was the best of the day.
He had fished much of the west bank before the final half hour in the southwest corner using a Fast Tip line with a Viva Sparkler his best fly.
Alex Donald took third place and five points with 6 lbs. 12 oz. after fishing much of the day in the southwest corner with a 12-foot Sink Tip line and Clan Chief and Foam Daddy flies.
Robbie Hawken (6 lbs. 11oz. and 4 points), Michael Skerrett (5 lbs. and 3 points) and Kevin Imlach (4 lbs. 7.25 oz. and 2 points) completed the top six. Also weighing in were Willie Plank, Peter Creasy and Tony Chalmers.
When the Bank League table was completed Alex Donald and Toby Bracey finished with 38 points each.
The tie for the championship was resolved by a count back of their results and this confirmed Alex Donald as the 2024 Bank League Champion with Toby Bracey as runner up.
The rest of the top six were James Simpson 23, Neil Clyne and Robbie Hawken tied on 22 and Kevin Imlach sixth on 21.
When the Boat and Bank Leagues results were combined, Alex Donald emerged as 2024 Club Champion with Toby Bracey as runner up.
