End of the trout season 2015

It was the last day of the trout season on the Clyde and many anglers were on the river enjoying the fine weather

Although the river was very low, there were plenty of fish to be caught. 

My good friend Bill with a nice brown trout from the River Clyde.
He had a few fish that day--what a great way to end the trout year.

We haven't had much rain for most of the season but there were still a few fish to be caught.
Here is Kev landing a nice fish just by Wolfclyde Bridge.

This superb grayling was caught by Kev earlier in the year.


So the trout seasons ended for 2015-- its now grayling time.
All we need now is a few days of heavy rain to clean the river out.
The trout will start laying their eggs on the nice clean gravel.
Hopefully the grayling will become active and provide some good sport through out the winter months

Although I didn't have a brilliant year, I managed to catch a few fish, my old bones start to ache. After an hour or so I like to sit back on the river bank and watch others applying their skills-- I often wonder --"why cant I do that"?

Competition Fishing

My experience in competition fishing/match fishing was in my younger days while living down South in London.
The river/lake would be split up into sections and each section would be divided up into pegs, which would have a number on it.
We would all draw out of a bag for where we would fish, for the duration of the match.
There would be a entry fee which would be divided up -- winner over all, second and third, then a smaller prize for winning your section.
The bigger matches would also be attended by a bookie, who would give you odds on the chance of you winning etc. so you could place a bet on how well you done.
The duration of the match was usually 5 hours, after which your catch would be emptied from your keep net,weighed and safely returned.
The hardest part of all this was getting to your peg and back with multiple rods and other fishing gear.
The actual fishing was the easy part--- you just sat on your box/seat and fished.
I won a few bob from time to time but it started to get very expensive.
The cost to enter, all your bait and bits and bobs.
You really needed a sponsor, such as a tackle manufacturer or even just an angling shop to help with the cost.
Of course. you needed to be successful--- winning often,getting your name in the paper/photo advertising what ever product your sponsor was supporting.
I wasn't that good - maybe not enough commitment -I gradually gave it up.
This was all back in the seventies and my interests soon changed to more pleasurable activities.

So now back in Scotland, I meet many fellow fishermen on the banks of my favourite river
The Clyde.
Anyway--my mate Kev managed to get me involved to be a controller/recorder for a competition he had entered.
Well it was nothing like my above experience of competition  fishing all those years ago.
I was allocated to an angler, who I would stay with for the duration of the match.
I was provided with a map,photos, measure, recording sheet and two flags.
Off we went in his car-- found the area he had to fish--trundled down the fields to the river, then he went one way and I went the other to where the flags were then staked for his particular beat.
It seemed like miles to me, I was knackered.
He fished between the two flags- I followed for 3 hours and I recorded his fish.
After that it was up the fields again to his car, where we zoomed off for another 3 hours at another section of the river.
Collected this beats flags at the end and finally back to the car.

My whole body ached I was exhausted by my efforts--just too old and unfit for things like that.
But I done it--I helped a mate out and saw parts of the river not known to me.
Watched another angler fish---how he done it---I think he done well.
Not sure if I would be up to doing it again--we will see.

       My angler for the day (John Watson ) he said he was just a beginner.
       I think he done well catching this lovely 2lb plus grayling

      A new fishing spot for me, The Roberton Burn where it meets the Clyde.
      To the left Lamington Water and right UCAPA
       I must venture back there some day.

Some photos from Canada

Just  a few days and I will be going home to Scotland.

It's been a great 4 weeks, staying with my daughter and her family, seeing my granddaughters 4th birthday while I was here--- she is certainly growing up fast.

The weather has been good this time, being in the mid teens to the early twenties, just right and not too hot as last year,where it was hard to be outside for any length of time.

The fishing has also been good, getting out on a boat twice for some walleye and bass fishing on the Detroit river.

I have to thank my friend Mel Diotte for taking me-- and for most of the shots posted on here. 

I also ventured out to the local marina with my grandchildren where we caught some small fish.

They were excited at first but their interest soon dwindled after eying up the playground at the back of them.

The birdwatching over here is always good -- with a lot of new species to see-- identification is hard though,especially the warblers, you can hear them but spotting them amongst the leaves is very hard.

Last but not least--- I celebrated my 68th birthday while here and thank my family for the presents and the great day--- I will remember it for a long time.

                              Another silver bass comes to the net

                                Not a big silver bass but we had plenty of them

                 Another small fish, this time from the walls of the marina

                                Not to be outdone, my grandson gets one too

 

          My granddaughter hooked this one, she wouldn't hold it though

      There's always someone coming round to see how your getting on.

      Mel,s friend taking his bike for a spin ( they do things in style here in Canada)

        A rose breasted grosbeak comes to the feeders in my daughters garden.

         One of many colourful birds seen in Canada.

            

            A thank you to Mel ( my captain and good friend) for taking me out fishing.

April 2015 on the Clyde

Well its nearly time for me to get packing for my annual trip to see my daughter in Canada.
I am going early this year to sample the Walleye run from Lake Erie up the Detroit River to Lake St Clare.
The ice has melted and they are already reporting the odd fish being caught up to 12lb.
Hope that they leave some for me.

Anyway I am back on the river Clyde with the trout season back in swing, so I have a couple of weeks to enjoy the trout fishing before I am off.

My Buddy Kev with a nice trout--one of many caught at the beginning of April at Wolfclyde Bridge.

Not to be outdone, the "Old Fellow" managed a couple at the same spot.

We are now getting some hatches of flies mid to late afternoon, so I am going to give the dry fly a go to see if I can entice a big Clyde Broonie.
I hope to update my Blog with the results, before I depart across the sea.

Last cast before I jet off to Canada and I hooked up with this nice Wee Broonie by the Bridge.
Thats it now--away I go on my hols.