Jan claims first place in Loch Watten bank competition
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Tales of "the one that got away", or the numbers of free-taking undersized fish, were heard among members of Dounreay Fly Fishing Association as they arrived at the lochside weigh-in following their Loch Watten bank competition last Friday evening.
As fishing started at 6pm, a light north-west breeze was giving a nice ripple on the water but the wind veered towards an easterly direction before falling away to flat calm for the last hour of fishing before lines up at 10pm. The weigh-in was completed in near record time as only five of the dozen anglers came forward with fish.
As proof that the old “traditional” flies still work for some anglers, Jan Hughes produced a fine basket of three trout weighing 6 lb 10.5 oz to claim first place, 12 Bank League points and the Robertson Cup. He also bagged the bonus point for best fish of the evening with one at 2 lb 11.75 oz.
Jan had fished the west side area from north of the Red Shed then south towards the weigh-in at the Oldhall berths with Greenwells and Loch Ordie flies on a Double Taper floating line.
Alex Donald also had a 2 lb-plus trout in the bag of four for 5 lb 7.5 oz that gave him second place and 10 points. He had fished the Kiddies' Corner section of the east bank with Loch Ordie and green or orange Half Hog flies on a Midge Tip line.
For the third place (eight points) bag of two for 3 lb 4.5 oz, Ian Cannop had fished around Sandy Point, trying three different lines before having success on a Midge Tip with Westie and Stimulator flies.
A single trout weighing 2 lb 7.5 oz gave Neil Clyne seven points for fourth place, and another single secured fifth place and six points for Kevin Imlach.
These results have caused a change at the top of the Bank League as Alex Donald now leads on 26 points. He is followed by Jan Hughes on 21, Toby Bracey and Neil Clyne are tied on 18, Ian Cannop is fifth on 17 and Kevin Imlach completes the top six with 13 points.
DFFA’s next event is the All Night Loch Watten boat competition on Friday, June 18.
