Close to home

I was feeling really crook today so a visit to a local burn was the order of the day.  A 30 minute walk saw me at the banks of this wonderful wee burn. 

The water was running high, with a slight tinge and conditions looked ideal.

This Sparrowhawk will no longer reign terror throughout these woods.  This bird was found dead on the banks of the burn.

The 'Cliff Pool' was looking great

Judging by the amount of dead bracken any summer time progress would be best done by walking up the burn.

The lovely sight of spring approaching as primroses start to appear.

West Lothian is a land of real contrasts with wonderful birchwood like this only a few minutes from major towns.

No fish here today, but not to worry.  I had a great time exploring this wonderful place and look forward to returning again soon.

You wouldn't want to be fishing below the bridge when this was thrown over!

Opening Day 2012

Started my brownie season on my local river today.  It has been an exceptionally mild winter, but there has been no rain.  No rain whatsoever and the river was running l...o...w as I headed downstream to fish a new stretch.

Alison tries her hand at spinning

The stretch we were fishing was very overgrown and therefore very quiet and we saw no other anglers on this piece of water.  We did though enjoy the site of 4 roe deer at only 20 yards distance as they went about their business, not totally sure that we were there.

Alison with her opening day fish

Alison had the first fish and it was a lovely brownie of about 12ozs, which was soon returned.  We negotiated our way downstream picking our way through dense undergrowth and up steep hillsides as we searched the water.

Not a good day for this woodie!  I wonder what happened?

Fishing one of the deeper pools

Eventually I managed a 10" brownie on my '0' mepp

Iron (?) seeping into the river from the bank

The 'questionable' delights of fishing an urban environment!?

Alison shortly before raising a fish to her fly

So we had a fish apiece and would probably have done better if we fished the fly rods throughout the day, rather than just the latter part.  There was some rise of fish on at about 12 till 3.  Returned back to the car happy with our lot, having enjoyed a new piece of water but we really need some rain!

Still Searching for Silver

My weekly visit to the River Tay saw me on the banks of the river bright and early, arriving a few minutes before the ghillie.  I was tackling up but had to forget it for a minute to take time to wander down to the bank just to soak up the atmosphere of an early dawn.

Its a fine way to start the day

The hard work of the last week or two has paid off and any fishing beat on the River Tay should never be short of firewood, situated as it is in a beautifully wooded part of the country.

A couple of VIP guests were expected today and as often seems to be the case, they were in no rush, so I headed over to the other side of the river and made a start in my favourite pool.  The water was at 2' 2" so a good height and I fished through the pool with great confidence.  I started with an 18g toby, but soon switched to a 2" devon minnow with some lead ahead of it to take it down to the depths of where I expected a springer to be lying up.

The box of tricks....

A good height for here today at 2' 2" Frost still on the banks after a cold night.

From the tail of the pool looking upstream to the hut.

I fished through a second time but again nothing was doing.  I was surprised at this as I knew I was fishing carefully and I knew that as each day of the season progresses more and more fish should be coming through, but alas today it just wasn't to be.

Andy getting in some target practice at the tail of the pool.

Daffy's always bring a smile to my face.

What to try next?

A very enjoyable day in perfect sunshine and really feeling like spring is here now.  I'm back again next week, but only after I open my trout season on the 15th on my local river.  The next day I'll be back here.  I love fishing for all the differences it brings and the variety of places it takes you.