KML Trophy goes to Bracey after an evening of low returns at Watten
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Members of Dounreay Fly Fishing Association tried early morning fishing on Loch Watten a few weeks ago without much success, then they tried evening fishing last week with a similar lack of action in the still murky water.
When the 14 anglers arrived at the loch for a 6pm start, they found a flat-calm, mirror-like surface, and this continued until about the last hour of fishing before lines up at 10pm. However, the light south-west breeze that appeared was of little help.
Possibly the best part of the evening for some was watching a murmuration of starlings performing their intricate flight patterns above the reed beds at the north end of the loch.
The low returns that ensured another quick weigh-in at the Brown Trout Hotel saw Toby Bracey place three trout weighing 3 lb 11 oz on the scales. This was enough to give him the KML Trophy plus 14 Boat League points.
He had caught the fish fairly close to the Laid Bay shore with small Black Hopper and Sedge imitation flies on a Fast Tip line.
A nice 2 lb 7 oz trout was sufficient to secure the second place 12 points plus the best-fish bonus point for Les Robertson. He had used a Sink Tip line with a Lime Head Brochel fly.
A pair of trout weighing 2 lbs 6 oz netted third place and 10 points for Alex Donald, who had fished slightly clearer water along the Lynegar shore with Ian Swanson Sparkler and Clan Chief flies on a Di5 Sweep line.
George Robertson and James Simpson completed the list of successful anglers with single fish of 1 lb 6 oz and 1 lb 4.25 oz, giving them nine and eight points respectively for fourth and fifth places.
The Boat League now has Toby Bracey in first place with 61 points, Alex Donald second on 51 and Billy Thomson third on 44. The top six is completed by James Simpson (43), Aivis Kreslins (36) and Peter Creasey (33).
