APRIL IN SCOTLAND
I was lucky enough to have access to an expensive and exclusive stretch of river in the north of Scotland a couple of weeks ago. I was ostensibly celebrating our ruby wedding anniversary with a week at the Inverlodge Hotel in Sutherland and the manager, Nicholas Gorton, arranged a little treat for me – a day on the local river.
The Inver is a short spate river that drains the surplus from Loch Assynt and takes it six or seven miles down to the sea at Lochinver, a small fishing port. The land owner has cooperated with the hotel and the local angling association to present a first class, carefully bailiffed salmon river with artificial weirs, fishing platforms, a lodge and well tended pathways. On one day last September, I counted thirty salmon in less than thirty minutes running up river from the first weir.
This April, the target was not salmon but wild brown trout. Even though the river is well tended there are wilder stretches that demand a strenuous climb to gain access and it was in these areas that I hoped to locate the resident trout.
The day was cloudy with intermittent rain but also brief periods of pale sunshine. I used my newly acquired key to gain entry to the private cark park and felt immensely privileged to be fishing in such a gloriously scenic and madly expensive fishery. Not only was I fishing for free but I was the only angler on the bank all day.
I walked up the pathway for a couple of miles to where I had decided to fish. The water was rushing through but not highly coloured and there were several rocky outcrops that provided underwater shelter and good feeding areas for the trout.
Tactics on the river
I put up a five weight Hardy rod with a double taper floating line finished with a twelve foot leader tapering to a two pound tippet; I was not expecting to catch any big fish. I started with a size 14 dry Greenwell’s and, noticing some small dark flies hatching, after a few minutes swapped to a size 16 self-tied black fly. No luck! I do not think I coped with the swirling water very well and my flies were not fishing naturally enough to entice any takes.
I stopped for lunch (venison butties no less) and surveyed my prospects. I suddenly realised I was under surveillance, too. From the top of a hill adjacent to the river I was being closely watched by three deer, their antlers clearly visible against the sky. I wondered if they suspected what was filling my sandwiches…..
Weighted nymphs
At this stage I decided to change tactics and try Oliver Edwards’ method of casting a nymph across and up stream. Then hold the rod high so that the leader sinks quickly and, at the same time, turn one’s body from upstream to downstream as the nymph sinks and follows the flow. I used a size 14 weighted GRHE on the 12 foot leader which was thoroughly degreased to allow for quick sinking.
I got several tentative plucks and, on the third cast, a little quarter pound, butter-bellied brownie took the hook. A lovely fish in prime condition and with a glaringly defiant eye. I had several more of the same during the next half hour. In an effort to find a better fish I tied on a heavy Czech nymph, part of a consignment form Sportflies.com that I had never used before. I has the sense of feeling the fly hit the pebbles on the river bed and bounce down the river. I think I was getting deeper than with the GRHE.
Sure enough, I began to contact heavier fish and eventually hooked one that gave a fierce fight as he struggled to get away from the hook. I was fishing barbless and upon guiding him into my feet, I was able to release him in the water. He was a good one pounder and I was tempted to knock him on the head and take him back to the chef at the hotel.
All too soon it was time to leave. Six hours went as quickly as six minutes. I enjoyed my day on this magnificent river and I was pleased to report success with a method of getting a nymph down to the river bed quickly thanks to Oliver Edwards. I do not get much opportunity to fish rivers and I had only tried Oliver’s methods once previously. He has published a number of videos and DVDs which are of excellent quality and contain expert explanations about flies and how to fish them to best effect on rivers. Try the following website for further information. www.essential-skills.tv.
Tight Lines!
Eddie Caldwell
