Fraser on Fishing: Chicken leg may have been better option

It was a welcome return to the Lake of Menteith for a club outing only this time it was for fun only.

Clive Parry from Chester with a 5lb 4oz rainbow taken on a Tequila Blob from Lake of Menteith

On arrival it was quite windy and thoughts were to try and find some shelter either in cages bay, or at the chicken leg. As I was in charge of the engine I made for the cages and the rope that marks off the fish cages. Fish were head and tailing but for some reason would not take the flies.

My boat partner and lady angler went two up on me fishing two yellow owls ten feet apart and left static. However, despite all my efforts and different retrieves I could not tempt anything. As the night wore on the wind eased and for about two hours conditions were nigh on perfect for fishing dries.

As things settled down and fish were showing almost everywhere more boats appeared putting the fish down. In one last desperate change I went with a single Yellow Owl on a long leader and almost immediately I started getting an interest. Granted there were no solid takes to begin with but fish were coming up and splashing at the fly trying to drown it.

Perseverance paid off and I eventually got one coming up blind as the water erupted in front of me. The 2lb fish buried deep but eventually I managed to get its head up and net it. Blank off I put the fly back out into the same area and again I was rewarded with a good take. Not big by any means but it was a fish and it was a keeper.

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