BLUE TROUT
Wet and Windy November
A few months ago I fished the Delph Lake at Raygill Fisheries, Lothersdale in North Yorkshire and lost a good blue trout after a short and eventful struggle. At the beginning of November I decided to go back to Raygill and have another go for one of these elusive, hard fighting, blue fish.
It was raining gently when I arrived and there was a dreaded easterly wind blowing right into Lothersdale from Russia. Fishery owner, Bernard, commented that there seems to be more easterly winds than ever before, stating that previous years saw only one or two such winds and they usually brought snow. This year has seen the wind blow as much from the east as from the prevailing west. Is it climatic change or just one of Nature’s quirks? The significance of the wind direction is that Delph Lake, like many others, fishes very poorly in an easterly.
Old fashioned patterns
On this occasion, Bernard recommended that I try the Quarry Lake first. In the past few days a lot of fish had fallen to classical, traditional patterns including Black Spiders, Black Pennels, Olive Nymphs and Greenwells as well as to some of the currently popular lures.
It was cloudy, about 10 degrees, and there was a stiff breeze blowing in from my right side and I moved down the causeway to the point and decided to fish across the wind. In view of the blustery wind, I opted for my eight weight rod with a weight forward floating line. I used a sixteen pounds ten foot tapered leader down to a ring and then six feet of six pound Fulling Mill fluorocarbon tippet.
I tied on a chunky size 14 Blue and Peacock Spider and cast out into the waves aiming for a spot where I had noted surface activity whilst tackling up. Fish appeared to be almost static, holding station just under the surface and were content to let the food come to them on the wind.
Bearing in mind the expert’s advice in the fishing lodge, I let my fly sink for only five seconds and began a slow figure of eight retrieve. I had several short plucks in the first ten minutes and it dawned on me that I was perhaps retrieving a little too quickly.
Tactics
I slowed right down so that my fly must have moved with so little speed that, if it slowly crossed one of these static trout’s mouths, it would have been irresistible. The next two hours gave me the best sport I have experienced this year with a succession of fit rainbows up to three pounds falling for this tactic and then taking it out on my rod and line for being foolish. What hard fighting, obstinate fish they were. Typical Yorkshire.
About two o’clock, the rain came down heavier and I looked around and discovered I was the only person fishing; I caught sight of the ‘last of the few’ disappearing up the path to the lodge and decided to give the weather best and get out of the wind and rain.
A big fish out of the blue
As I thought about the dry warm lodge and a hot drink, my line tightened without me actually noticing the take and it began to disappear off the reel with some speed. I realised I was into something rather special when the bright orange of the backing appeared. I estimated that thirty yards of backing came off the reel before I halted the fish and headed it back towards me. It came easily at first, I suspect getting its second wind, for it was way again and the orange line reappeared. Once more, I felt the fish come to a halt and then progress to the right much more slowly, all the time giving bad tempered tugs at the line.
As before, the fish was recouping its reserves of strength and it began its third run away from me. Not so far this time and it halted, obstinately, in the depths. It felt a bit like sea fishing; pump the line and retrieve via the reel. Progress was slow but, little by little, the fish came closer in but remained down deep. I did not know what I had on the hook.
Eventually, a great blue-grey shape began to distinguish itself against the dark waters of the deep lake and reluctantly was pulled into the side. It was a blue trout, a double in my estimation and it needed both hands to actually get it in the net. It was a magnificent fish with such a rich pattern of blue shading around the silver of its scales and what first class condition of fin and tail.
I opened it’s mouth and saw that my hook had all but straightened and, as I took off the line pressure, the little hook fell out of the fish’s mouth of its own accord.
I was trembling a little from the struggle but more with awe and admiration at this exemplary trout; as fine a fish as one could ever hope for. I eased it gently over the rim of the net and watched silently as it took its bearings for a moment and, with a dignified thrust of its tail, it was away into the depths.
Getting it in perspective
Bernard reckons that Quarry Lake is fishing at the top of its form at the moment and should continue until really cold weather intervenes. The records show that Quarry Lake has given up literally dozens of doubles in the last couple of weeks. This includes rainbows, brownies and blues. My fish was exceptional for me but not quite so exceptional for Raygill Fisheries.
I am not too excited by big fish as a rule; I’m happy to catch good quality trout whatever the size. I have twice caught rainbows over ten pounds and once, a brownie. They put up grudging, solid resistance but I’ve never experienced anything quite like this blue trout. It had strength, agility, tactical awareness, craft; you name it. It was my first blue trout but I’ll be looking for more in the future.
Postscript
I went back again yesterday (16th November) because I could not get that big Blue out of my mind. The weather was worse and I was able to get on the point again. I fished the same method, small Black and Peacock Spider on a six pound fluorocarbon tippet – and it worked! At one stage I had a fish per cast but, alas, no blue trout. Plenty of hard fighting rainbows up to five pounds and bigger ones ‘topping and tailing’. The Quarry Lake is fishing on top form with small sub-surface flies or deeply fished Zonkers doing the damage.
CONTACT: Raygill Fisheries, Lothersdale, North Yorkshire
Telephone: 01535 632500
Tight Lines!
Eddie Caldwell
