Superflyguy
TYING flies to recreate traditional patterns or invent your own designs can be very satisfying.
To catch a fish on one of your own flies is a great experience and to win a competition with one is even more electrifying.
And so it was for Falkirk angler Alan Martin, who used home-tied flies to great effect on the Lake of Menteith in the first heat of the Scottish Clubs Championship.
Not only did 55-year-old Alan land the heaviest bag of prime Menteith rainbows for the evening but he helped propel his club, the Tartan Tyers, into the semi-finals of the competition.
His catch also puts him into the final of the Champion of Champions.
Tartan Tyers “A” won the prestigious contest last year with three different anglers.
This year Alan, Scott Aitken from Bathgate, and Andrew McAdam from Bo’ness are on board and they have had instant success.
Alan landed 10 rainbows, Scott four and Andrew six for a total weight of 42lb 0.1oz – just enough to pinch first place from the much-fancied former winners, Change FF “A” of Kevin McCabe, Jock Kettles and Andy Dunn, who also landed 20 rainbows weighing in at 40lb 10oz.
Third place went to Ayr Travellers “B” with a catch of 14 trout for 29lb 12.8oz.
Change and Ayr also go through to the semis.
Alan’s 10 fish nearly all took black and orange buzzers with yellow cheeks and had luck been with him, he could have almost doubled his catch – but nine dropped off.
Alan said: “I fished the same buzzers during a practice session the night before with a midge-tip line and the set-up worked but on the night of the competition, they weren’t working with the midge-tip so I changed to a floater and fished static.
“My first cast resulted in a double header but I only got one of them.”
The championship saw 12 teams competing, including two previous winners.
A total of 127 were caught with 68 being released, each returned trout counting as 2lb towards total bag weight.
The top five anglers on the night now go forward to the Champion of Champions.
They are Alan Martin, Tartan Tyers, 10 trout for 20lb10oz, Jock Kettles, Change FF, 10 for 19lb 8.8oz, Norrie Laird, Falkirk Municipal, eight for 16lb 5.3oz, Kevin Andrews, Ayr Travellers, eight for 16lb 4.3oz, and Martin Bateman, Dumfries & District Police AC, seven for 15lb 15.1oz.
Heaviest trout was a 4lb 8.8oz fish for Cumnock & District angler Derek Hill.
The Lomond Whisky Group have agreed to sponsor both competitions.