SANACC

123rd Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship
2015

Sponsored by Ridgeline UK
Heats

Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship
Sponsored by Ridgeline UK
Heat 10 - Menteith 21st May


The last of the prliminary heats was held at the Lake of Menteith on Thursday 21st May on another cold and blustery day. The trout were to be found in the sheltered areas and in areas open to the worst of the wind. Forty one anglers contested this heat and a minimum of 7 fish was required to be in the top 21 that qualified for the semi finals. A total of 276 trout were caught with 8 competitors catching 10 or more.

Top rod was Michael Low of Crieff FF with 15 trout for 31lb 15oz. Michael moved about a fair bit during the day and took his fish at Lochend, Shear Point and Reedy Bay. His fish were taken on buzzers fished on a midge tip line with a cat booby on the tail.

photo:
Ewan, Michael and Peter

Ewan Clark of Strathtyrum AC was second with 13 trout for 27lb 5oz. Ewan was also fishing a midge tip line with buzzers and a booby on the tail and took his fish at Kates Brae. Peter Batchelor of Harrow AC was third with 12 trout for 24lb 11oz. Peter caught his fish at Lochend where he was fishing buzzers and a fab on a floating line.

The draw for boat partners in the semi finals will be done early next week and will be sent out towards the end of the week.

Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship
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Heat 9 - Carron 20th May 2015


Carron hosted the penultimate National heat and with 24 competitors the top 12 go through to the semi finals. The day was mainly bright with a stiff wind and like the last few heats it was cold. A total of 119 trout were caught and 6 fish were needed to qualify.

Top rod was Alan Hill of SPRA West with 9 trout for 9lb 14.5oz. Alan took his fish in Bin Bay and Burnhouse Bay where he was fishing a carron bunny, GA cat and a claret dabbler on a 5 sweep.

In second place and only 1/2 oz behind was Jim Youngman of Ellem FC with 8 trout for 9lb 14oz. Jim took his fish at the road shore west of Gull Island and in Bin Bay. All fell to black cats and white cats on a Di7. In third place was James Gardiner of Ruthven FF. James had 7 fish for 9lb 10oz which he took on a kate, GA cat and mini humi on a 5 sweep on ther road shore west of Gull Island.

photo:
Alan, Jim and James

Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship
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Heat 8 - Leven 19th May


Heat 8 started out with light winds that gradually decreased and for a short period conditions were excellent. However very quickly things changed as the the wind picked up and the sun came out and the fish became hard to find.

Brian Mackenzie of Neilston FF showed how it should be done by catching 14 trout for 16lb 7.5oz to be the overall winner. Brian took all his trout at the east and mid buoys on kates and sparklers fished on a Di7 sweep.

In second place was Tom Burnett of Stewarton AC with 9 fish for 9lb 10.875oz. Tom was also at the east and mid buoys and like Brian his fish were on kates and sparklers on a Di7 sweep.

In third place was Ian Simpson of Aberdour AA with 6 trout for 6lb 5.25oz. Ian took his fish at the west side of the bower on a viva fished on a Di7.

photo:
Ian, Brian and Tom

Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship
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Heat 7 - Harray 17th May 2015


On Sunday the 17th May, 22 anglers who had qualified for the Scottish National Fly Fishing Championships fished in Prelim Heat number 7 on Harray Loch. Conditions were far from ideal with a strong, blustery, west wind, with bright sun, hailstones and rain at different times during the 10am to 5pm session. It would be fair to say that most anglers were glad to see 5 o'clock, after a very hard day.
Following the pre match briefing from Andrew Morgan, the boats set off for their preferred areas. There was very little practising on the loch the day before as the winds and showers were a good few notches higher in strength, keeping all but the hardiest of souls off the loch. Only one boat stayed south of the Ess Holms with most heading for the north western corner at Scarataing and Esslemonts. The corner at Josey's, Tenston and the Horeshoe all had odd boats for the first few drifts of the day. Most anglers were obviously seeking out the most sheltered areas in the hope of finding some midge hatching and feeding fish. As the day wore on, and the wind dropped slightly, anglers ventured more to the downwind shores like Kirkness, Biggings and Nistaben as fish were becoming hard to find. Most anglers chose to fish the shallow to very shallow ground along the shores and over the skerries, but there were fish to be had in the deeper water as the weigh in was to show.
It is a travesty when such an important competition is hampered by such inclement weather, but there is always a result at the end of the day and it was Ken Kennedy who came out on top, by a considerable margin, with a basket totalling 15 fish for 10lb 14 ozs, runner up was Neil Chalmers with 8 for 7lb 6 ozs and third was James Bews with 10 for 7lb 3 ozs. As I kept telling my boat partner on the day, when fish were becoming scarce, it's not all about winning a prelim but about qualification to the semi final, and save winning one for the final! These three accompanied by the other qualifiers, namely, Jim Harcus, Colin Sutherland, Norman Irvine, Stuart Leslie, Andrew Morgan, Sandy McConnachie, Jimmy Grant and finally a special mention to Bill Taylor, the only angler from across the Firth who entered the Harray heat this year who also qualified comfortably with 8 fish.
Successful tactics varied widely with some taking the imitative approach with midge patterns while others scored well with mini lures, but personally I think that location was everything, with the result showing that time and again,with both anglers in the boat qualifying together. The vast majority of anglers fished intermediate or sink tip lines to fish over the shallow water, Ken Kennedy and Colin Sutherland, having tried that without success, changed to fishing the deeper water and in to the downwind shore along from Bankhead to Kirkness and found plenty of action on the faster sinking DI5 Sweep line. Successful fly patterns included Snatchers in various colours, Hutch's Pennel and variants thereof, Peach Muddler, Merky Hulk, Erlend's Cat and dark coloured Hedgehogs.
The stewards on the day, Alan Craigie and Billy Thomson did a superb job, motoring round the loch on a very uncomfortable day is not much fun, but the competition could not go on without them, many thanks boys. The match was fished on a catch and release basis, with the first 6 fish being kept to weigh in. Congratulations to all the qualifiers who all go forward to their chosen venue for the semi final, tight lines wherever you are.

photo:
Neil, Ken and James

Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship
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Heat 6 - Lake of Menteith 12th May

Once again the competitors were faced with a strong chilly wind which was blowing from a westerly direction this time. 54 competitors took part in heat 6 and between them they caught 144 fish. The top 27 qualified for the semi finals.

Top rod was Jimmy McBride of SPRA East who had 10 trout for 23lb 7.8oz. Jimmy caught all his fish in Butts Bay on buzzers and blobs fished on a floating line. In second palce was Stevie Bett of Strathtyrum AC with 9 fish for 19lb 1oz. Stevie took his fish at Lochend on buzzers fished on a midge tip. Third place was taken by George Charters of Black Bull FF who had 8 fish for 17lb 14.8oz. George also took his fish on buzzers and blobs on a floating line but took them at the Rookery.

photo
George, Jimmy and Stevie

Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship
Sponsored by Ridgeline UK
Heat 5 - Carron - 5th May 2015


With 24 competitors in heat 5 at Carrron the top 12 go through to the semi-finals. Carron fished very well yet again in adverse conditions with a total of 102 trout for 130lb 1.6oz being caught.

It was cold; it was wet; it was windy and it was character building. Top rod was Calum Crosbie of Newton Stewart & District AA. Calum fished his heat in the River Championship on Sunday and just missed out on a place in the River final but he made no mistakes today when taking 10 trout for 11lb 12.5oz. Calum fished from the Cemetry Bank to Gull Island and took his fish on a cat and a kate snatcher on a 5 sweep line.

In second place was Gregor Fleming of Alba Fly Fishers who had 10 trout for 10lb 15oz. Gregor took his fish from Cemetry Bank to the far side of Gull Island on a cat, frazzle dabbler and a mini shuggy on a 7 sweep line. In third place was Ronnie Robb of Stewarton AC. Ronnie had 9 trout for 10lb 5.6oz which he took on sparklers and cormorants on 5 sweep line on the far side from the dam to the willows.

photo:
Gregor, Calum and Ronnie

Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship
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Heat 4 - Lake of Menteith - 30th April


There were 57 competitors in the fourth heat of the National at the Lake of Menteith on 30th April and once again anglers had to contend with a chilly day. The competition was on a partial catch and release basis with the first 3 trout being retained and 2lb was awarded for each fish released. Heavy fish were capped at 4lb. The top 29 competitors progress to the semi-finals

It may well have been cold but the trout were not put off and the 57 competitors caught 550 fish for 1,131lbs 4oz. The top eight anglers caught 20 or more fish and a minimum of 8 fish was needed to qualify for the semis.

photo:
David McMillan snr, Scott Aitken and Andrew McAdam

Top rod was Scott Aitken of Tartan Tyers FF with 26 fish for 52lb 14.2oz who was closely followed in second by David McMillan snr of North Shetland FF with 25 fish for 50lb 10.2oz. In third place was Andrew McAdam of FAFA with 24 fish for 49lb 0.4oz.

Buzzers were the answer in this heat. Scott took all his fish in the Kates Brae area and they all fell to buzzers fished on a floating line. David took his fish in the Shear Point area and again they were all taken on buzzers but fished on a snowbee buzzer line. Andrew also took his fish in the Kates Brae area and he was also fishing buzzers on a floating line.

The heaviest fish of the day was a cracking brown weighing 5lb 2.4oz which was caught by Allan Whyte of Strathgryfe AA.

Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship
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Heat 3 - Lintrathen 28th April


Winter returned when the 35 competitors turned out for the third heat of the Championship at Lintrathen on 28th April. A bitterly cold wind kept the temperature in low single figures and while most competitors sought out the more sheltered water others chose to search out the rougher water at the bottom of the wind. Success was to be had in both sheltered and rougher water with the heaviest fish being taken in the rougher water at one of the coldest parts of the loch.

The 35 competitors caught 91 fish for 163lb 7oz. The competition was on a partial catch and release basis with the the first three fish being retained. Heavy fish were capped at 3lb and 1lb 8oz was awared for each fish returned. The top 18 were set to qualify for the semi-finals but as there was a tie for 18th place the top 19 went through.

Top rod on the day was George Whyte of Menteith Ospreys with 13 trout for 20lb 7oz. In second was Kevin Neri of Raemoir TF with 8 trout for 14lb 3oz and Campbell Wilson of ABC&D AC was third with 5 trout for 9lb 12oz.

George and Campbell were in the same boat and they took all their fish at the Rhododendron Shore. George was fishing blobs and cormorants on a fast glass line while Campbell was fishing blobs and a viva on fast glass. Kevin stuck to the rougher, colder water at the Sawmill end of the dam and took his fish on blobs and snatchers on a di5 line. Kevin's heaviest fish was a superb specimen that went to the scales at 7lb 4oz and he took it on an orange blob.

photo left:
Campbell, George and Kevin

photo right: Kevin with the 7lb 4oz trout

Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship
Sponsored by Ridgeline UK
Heat 2 - 23rd April 2015 - Carron

Once again the sun shone out of clear blue skies for the second heat of the 2015 National. Many competitors were expecting a very hard day but the trout in Carron were not put off by the sun and a minimum of 5 trout was required to qualify for the semi-finals. The 39 competitors caught 254 fish with 8 competitors taking 10 or more. The top 20 competitors qualified for the semi finals.

Top rod was the 2014 National Champion Ronnie Gilbert who had 17 fish for 19lb 3.5oz. Competitors killed their first three fish and were awarded 1lb for each fish released thereafter. The heavier fish were capped at 2lb. In second place was Ronnie's boat partner, David Wales of Select FF, who had 16 fish for 17lb 13.5oz. Ronnie and David spent most of the day at the Willows. Unfortunately Ronnie and David had to leave before they were photographed.

Third place went to Nigel Burns of Crieff FF with 16 fish for 16lb 8oz. Nigel took fish at both dams and at Burnhouse Bay on a mini humi, claret dabbler and a cat on a di5 line.

The heaviest fish which weighed 3lb 6oz was caught by Dounreay FF Association angler Tony Chalmers who qualified in 16th place. Tony caught the trout on a sunburst blob fished on a midge tip line in Burnhouse Bay.

photo below left - 3rd placed Nigel Burns

photo below right - Tony Chalmers

Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship Heat 1
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Lake of Menteith 21st April 2015


The National started on Tuesday 21st April with the first heat at the Lake of Menteith and with clear blue skies and gin clear water it was never going to be that easy. There were 48 competitors in the opening heat and between them they caught 257 fish. The top 24 qualified for the next round and a minimum of 4 trout were needed to get through.

Top rod with 24 fish and well clear of the field was Kevin McCabe of Change FF AC. Second spot went to Allan Gamble of RAF Fish Hawks with 13 fish and third placed with 14 fish was Jock Kettles also of Change FF AC. The heaviest fish of 5lb 2oz was caught by Andy Gourlay of Leslie Llanilar.

Kevin moved about a fair bit during the day and picked up his fish at Reedy Bay, Hotel Bay and the Malling Shore. He was fishing a team of buzzers on a floating line.

Allan Gamble spent his day between the Rookery and Sams Point and was fishing buzzers and a cat booby on a floating line.

photo:
Allan Gamble, Kevin McCabe and Jock Kettles

Jock Kettles took most of his trout at the Malling Shore and was fishing buzzers and a fab on a floating line.

Andy Gourlay spent a fair bit of time landing his 5lb 2oz trout which he caught in Cages Bay on a size 12 black buzzer fished on a midge tip line.

Unfortunately one competitor was disqualified for fishing an oversize fly.

left:
Andy Gourlay

right:
boats at the start