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Autumn 2013

Loch Internationals

Autumn International 2013
Lake of Menteith
20th September 2013

Glen Maree Contracts Ltd

Lochgilphead & District AC

Scottish Team sponsored by Fishers, Lake of Menteith Fisheries, WFFC 2009
Peek Imtech, 7Plus7 Construction, Glen Maree Contrscts Ltd., R. Clouston Ltd, Glencorse Reservoir, Principal & Prosper, Lochgilphead & District AC, BVG Airflow and Flyfish Europe
(click on sponsors logo to go to their website)


Autumn International
Friday 20th September 2013
Lake of Menteith

Position	Country	Fish	Lbs	Ozs

1st	Scotland	135	299	14.8
2nd	Ireland	107	247	4.7
3rd	Wales	106	243	4.0
4th	England	99	234	1.2

Report on the Autumn International

Scotland's run of success continued at the Lake of Menteith on Friday 20th September when the four home countries met to contest the Fly Fishing Autumn International. Having won the last two gold medals at Brenig in the 2012 Autumn International and at Bewl Water in the 2013 Spring International, Scotland followed up by winning the gold medal on their home water. Ireland narrowly pipped Wales for the silver medal with England in fourth.

Scottish rods filled three of the top four individual spots and had a clean sweep of the prizes with the Brown Bowl winner and the captor of the heaviest fish.

Some English and Welsh rods had travelled up early in the week and braved the windy conditions on Monday to put in some early practice on Menteith. For Tuesday's practice the wind eased slightly and although it was particularly chilly the fish were high in the water. All four countries found that there was a good head of fish in Menteith with a fair number of them over the 4lb and 5lb mark.

On Wednesday the wind dropped but the steady rain changed conditions from chilly to cold and although the fishing was good the trout were not as co-operative as they had been the day before.

The rain stopped and the wind dropped a bit on Thursday and the trout were back on again. By the end of the practice sessions it was clear that fish could be caught at Stable Point, Cages, Rookery, Sam's Point, Hotel Bay and Shear Point on one side and at the Plantation, Butts and Lochend on the other. Trout had been caught on the bung, washing line and dries and with a weather forecast for light winds gradually strengthening throughout competition day it was anticipated that there would be good catches.

The competition was fished on a partial catch and release basis with the first three trout being retained and an allowance of two pounds given for all returned fish.

The team managers were on hand as the boats returned at the end of the day to check on how many fish had been caught by their respective teams in an effort to gauge how well they had done however with some 'winding-up' going on the result was far from clear.

England were first to go to the scales and their 99 fish for 234lb 1.4oz put them in fourth place. Ireland went next and with 107 fish for 247lb 4.7oz they secured the silver medal. Scotland's captain, Wullie Leach, took his team to the scales and they recorded 135 fish for 299lb 14.8oz and took gold. Wales were last to the scales and their 106 fish for 243lb 4oz put them in third spot some 4lb behind Ireland. This was a clear cut success for Scotland being 28 fish and 52lb clear of the field.

photo: Scotland's captain, Wullie Leach,
receives the winning captain's badge from
IFFA President George Barron

The top individual rod and winner of the Brown Bowl and Phoenix Silver Salver was Ray Anderson of Scotland with 18 fish for 37lb 10.2oz. Ken Oliver of Scotland was second with 16 fish for 32lb 12.8oz.

The top rod for Ireland and third placed overall was Kenneth O'Keefe with 13 fish for 28lb 9oz.

photo: Ray Anderson of Scotland
receives the Brown Bowl from
IFFA President George Barron

The top rod for England was Anthony Fox with 13 fish for 27lb 6.6oz and the top rod for Wales was David Hoppe with 12 fish for 27lb 6oz.

The heaviest fish on the day was a magnificent rainbow of 7lb 4oz that was caught by Colin MacDonald of Scotland

Colin MacDonald - heaviest fish

Anthony Fox - top England rod

Kenneth O'Keefe - top Ireland rod

David Hoppe - top Wales rod

Scottish Team

Back Row: George Barron (IFFA President) Stan Headley (manager) George MacKenzie (International Secretary) Ian Hutcheon Ray Anderson Allan Smith Kenny Miller Peter Auchterlonie Derek Purves Keith Logan Ian Campbell (IFFA Secretary)
Front Row: Ken Oliver Neill Barrett Kenny Sichi Wullie Leach (captain) James Litster Colin MacDonald John Buchanan

Ray Anderson - Brown Bowl Winner

I was drawn with John Hood of England and as he won the toss he had charge of the boat and opted to go to Shear Point. I hadn't fished there during the practice days but knew from others in the Scotland Team that there was fish there. I set up with a booby and buzzers on a midge tip line while John set up with dries.

photo: Ray at the weigh-in

On our first drift I took one on the booby and thereafter we drifted in and out from about 70 yards. I hit fish or took fish most drifts and after I went four up on John he changed to a fab. I though I was a touch low in the water and change a buzzer for another booby. About 11.30am we moved to Hotel Bay and we both caught fish at a steady rate there.

We moved back to Shear Point about 1pm and by that time I had 13. We worked our way back and forward along Shear Point to Yamaha Buoy and had three on one drift. It was good deal slower in the afternoon but I managed to finish with 18. John finished with 12.

Ken Oliver - 2nd

I was drawn with an Irishman, Tom Sweeney, who gave me control of the boat all day. I thought that the drifts at Sam's point would be wrecked by the passage of the boats going to cages, for at least an hour, so I turned left onto the far side of Shear Point drifting into International Bay. First blood went to Tom, but moments later I was in on a booby, and that was the last Tom saw of a fish for near two hours and 8 - 1 down. I was amazed that we had that side of the point to ourselves and could see Ray working the harbour side and getting a few fish.

This continued for a while longer and then I ran into a spell of about 1/2 an hour where I was getting hard solid takes . . . but no hookups and when I checked my flies . . . no point or bend on the booby . . . ooops ! Quick change of flee and I was back into fish straight away. A fair few boats started appearing around 2 ish and things started to slow up and the fish were on the buzzers now.

With the score sitting at 12 - 3, we slipped out of the combat zone and over to Hotel Bay where we met Colin MacDonald. We had a few tentative takes and follows with fish bow-waving after the booby and Toms blobs but no solid takes after an hour so back to International Bay.

A couple or three drifts saw my score up to 14 but things were slow compared to earlier so we moved out onto Shear Point to find fish rising, and two drifts thro with no answers saw my boat partner and I changing up to dries for the last hour. I managed two more on the hoppers and my boat partner another one then time stopped play . . . .

Kenny Miller - 4th

I was drawn with Jack Spratt, captain of the Ireland team, and although I lost the toss we discussed which areas were working and he agreed to go where I suggested.

I set up with a sedge, diawl bach, cormorant and a booby on a sink tip line while Jack put on a two fly cast and we headed over to Reedy Bay to drift down to Hotel Bay. We were further out than I wanted to be and as a boat had come inside us we moved back to Sams Point.

We drifted back and forth from Sams Point over the Sunken Island and down either side steadily picking up fish. I changed to a floating line and dries and picked up three but after seeing the number of follows that Jack was getting I changed back to my original cast but stuck to the floater.

Like many others I lost my share of fish and was burst twice and lost the full cast each time. I was fortunate to be drawn with Jack who was great company and had an excellent boatman in Jim Crawford. We had a good day and I had 13 trout and Jack had 9.

Colin MacDonald - 8th

I was drawn with Mark Macleod from England. Mark won the toss and after a discussion we opted to go to Gateside Bay for the start. There were at least 6 blue caps with the same idea of starting in Gateside.

I started with a midge tip and 3 flies, booby, diawl back and a cat on the top dropper. I was quickly into a fish on my second cast and lost a fish a few minutes later which broke my cast. Fish were being taken along the rope so we moved into a space at the rope and I was quickly into my second fish. A few moments later I had a slow take and tightened into a large fish and after a lengthy battle and several near misses with the rope we netted a fish of 7lbs 4oz much to the delight of my team mates around the bay.

After a quiet spell we moved to Sams Point where my boat partner picked up his first fish. At 1.30pm after some encouragement from Jim Law our boatman I caught 3 fish rapid between Sams Point and the Sunken Island. Mark had 2 fish on this drift.

At 2.00pm Mark wanted to fish the Butts and although I hadn't fished the Butts I knew my team mates had done well on dries at this end of the Lake. A change to a floating line and with me with the inside line at the reeds, I took my 7th fish. After an hour I had lost 2 fish and Mark opted to return to Sams Point where I picked up another 2 fish on dries. My last fish was taken at the jetty at 5.50pm on a dry fly. I finished the day with 10 fish to Mark's 3. I would like thank Jim Law for all the encouragement and keeping us entertained and Mark for his company, on a very enjoyable day.

Allan Smith - 12th

I was drawn with Keith Cadogan of Wales and after I had won the toss I opted to go to Shear Point.

I set up with a booby and three buzers on a midge tip line and got off to a great start when I picked up three fish with three casts. That put me 3 - 0 up on Keith but as we worked back and forth between drifting onto Shear Point and into International Bay he pulled that around and went 6 - 4 up on me.

It slowed up a fair bit between 1pm and 3pm and we kept working away. I had another good spell towards the end of the session drifting into the harbour and by 6pm I had 11 trout and Keith had 12.


Autumn International
Individual Scottish Positions
The Full Result is on the IFFA website at www.iffa.net

Position		Fish	Lbs	Ozs
1st	Ray Anderson	18	37	10.2
2nd	Ken Oliver	16	32	12.8
4th	Kenny Miller	13	27	9.2
8th	Colin MacDonald	10	27	2.2
12th	Allan Smith	11	23	15.4
15th	Keith Logan	10	22	3.4
20th	Neill Barrett	10	19	12.8
21st	Derek Purves	8	18	13.4
24th	Wullie Leach (captain)	8	17	14.2
31st	John Buchanan	7	16	5.6
36th	Ian Hutcheon	7	15	8.2
41st	Peter Auchterlonie	6	14	2.6
43rd	James Litster	6	13	13.2
48th	Kenny Sichi	5	12	3.6

Team

Wullie Leach (Captain)

Club: Falkirk Municipal AC

Previous Caps: 5

Ray Anderson

Club: Leslie & Glenrothes AC

Previous Caps: 2

Peter Auchterlonie

Club: St Fillans & Lochearn AA

Previous Caps: 11

History: Scottish National Champion 2010, Brown Bowl 2013 & 1999, Phoenix Silver Salver 2013 & 1999. Has had a gold medal in all four countries.

Neill Barrett

Club: Gilmerton Miners FFC

Previous Caps: 1

John Buchanan

Club: Newton Mearns FF

Previous Caps: 12

History: Brown Bowl 2000 and 2012, Phoenix Silver Salver 2000 and 2012. Has had a gold medal in all four countries.