It has been noticed that some of our trout have been feeding heavily on snails. Some anglers are unaware of the phenomena of the floating snail. When an area of the loch bed becomes overpopulated by snails a proportion of them simply float up to the surface and drift with the wind currents to pastures new. During this migration, the resident trout switch on to this easy source of protein and can be difficult to tempt with ordinary flies. The favourite fly used to be a heavily tied black and peacock spider fished on a floating line but nowadays suitably tied blobs should be perfect for the job.
Fishing activity on the loch is still pretty quiet but most anglers who are going out are catching reasonable bags.
Last weekend Mr Graham had four very good fish on a mini snake. Cupar AC kept 13 fish for 37lbs and returned eight on catch and release.
Loch regular Jim Russel had a busy day returning 20 fish on diawl bachs and brown buzzers on a midge tip line. Mr Fyvie had three on diawl bachs.
On Tuesday Mr McGrath and partner kept six for 18lbs on boobies.
On Wednesday Ron Thomson braved a day of solid rain and managed a nice brace for 6lb.
On Thursday evening Linlithgow AC kept seven fish for 18lbs, mostly on dry flies. Mr Cook kept three for 10lb on a white lure.
On Friday it was good to see angling writer Ian Muckle back after a long lockdown stay in Greece. Ian and brother Nigel returned 18 fish caught on various lures. Robin Smith returned eight on red diawl bachs and Jim Fairlie kept two for 7lb and returned 12 on rabbits.
On Saturday Mr Walker and partner kept five fish for 14lbs on diawl bachs and Mr Graham returned five on a mini snake. Best fish was a superb blue between 5 – 6lb. Two of Robin Smith’s fish on Friday were in the same weight range.
Graham Laurie
