The twice that Iain and I fished Beanie with Eddie this year one day was very windy and one day was bright sunshine. Loch Park on Sunday was both!
We stood in the car park and faced the teeth of a gale that was blowing from west to east straight up the loch. Being made of sterling stuff we tackled up, inflated tubes and headed down the the far end of the loch. Park is very weedy, but the bottom end is fishable, especially from a tube.
After a quick cuppa we set sail.
Here's a tip. The launch area is marshy so if the wind is blowing onshore be the first one into the water. That way you don't have to be the one that inhales the marsh gas!
I headed for the far bank as the water is clear and the day was bright and the only shade was by the railway track.
The hunch was correct. I had one of Allan Liddles sting in the tail daddies on the dropper and third cast, bang! The 16" trout that nailed it really meant to have it so out came the forceps. Ten minutes later, bang, number two! This was another 16" trout. Over the next hour or so I sadly failed to land another three trout of about the same size, either by having too much slack in the line (did I say it was windy?) or by just being a dick. Iain did better and landed a 20"+ trout that made his day. I'm pretty sure that he got a photo so hopefully he will post that after his Assynt trip.
After lunch the sun had moved round and the shade had gone so it was a case of just paddling and prospecting. I shortened my length of line to just the head, dropped down to one fly (daddy of course) and just flicked the fly here and there. That resulted in two short rises and one more 3/4lb troot. This was my last day at the troot this year so I went home a happy bunny.
I'd like to thank Allan Liddle for all his help this year. The Corrie Killer, Bibio Emerger and the Sting in the tail Daddy have been the business for me. All are taken with confidence and all are taken best in the smaller sizes which has changed the way I have fished this year, for the better. The daddy especially has been the pattern that I have been after all these years - low riding, leggy, right colour and just trouty! Thanks Allan.
