Double delight for FVO athletes
FISHING LAKE OF MENTEITH
Twenty young anglers took part in the Scottish Youth Qualifier to fill the vacant places available within the Scottish Youth Team heading to Loch Lene in Ireland in 2022.
Conditions on the day were flat calm with light drizzle all day which proved tough for even the experienced anglers.
Although most of the youths taking part had little or no boat experience and had rarely fished a water as big as the lake, 37 fish for 88lbs were caught, the biggest fish being 4lb 11oz caught by Cammy Craik.
There were six places available on the day and top rod on the day was Ryan Taylor (Aberdeen) who fished mostly at the cages with sinking line and a booby on the tail of his cast. Ryan was awarded with the best newcomer trophy and the David Bell Memorial Trophy.
Other qualifiers were Jake Humes, Sam Harrison, Cammy Craik, Kian Riley and Cameron Kelly.
The youth committee would like to thank all the boatman for giving up their time and their continued support for the team. Huge thanks to James Litster for his managerial input in the day and to Alisdair Mair for his efforts every Tuesday night during the season - and for many years with the lake’ s Young Persons Fishing Club aka the Cormorants.
This week the rope has been taken off Gateside Bay giving access to all 750 acres of the lake and the big fish that lurk around the pens in that bay.
ORCHILL
The weather has really cooled down the water and the fish are now a lot livelier. They have been taking a wide variety of flies from dries to all colours of lures with the retrieve varying from day to day.
Best bags: Paul Dancer from Wishaw had four fish for 10lbs 8oz on Dries, Brian Hutchinson (Perth) had two weighing 5lbs 12oz on a Damsel, A Burns (Perth) two for 6lbs 8oz on Dries, J Rae (Alloa) two for 5lbs on Buzzers, Eric Law (Paisley) two for 6lbs on Hoppers and Donald Blyth from Doune used a Black Nymph to bag a brace for 6lbs.
Barty Stirling (Buchany) released three including an 8-9lb brown trout on Buzzers, Shaun Clayton (Braco) released eight on Dries, John Burroughs (Buchany) one for 4lbs on a Daddy, Dougie McLeish (Buchany) one for 2lbs on a Yellow Owl, Archie Fisher (Stirling) four for 10lbs on a Yellow Dancer and an Olive Damsel and M&G Brownrigg (Callander) kept four fish for 10lbs on a Yellow Dancer.
SWANSWATER
There was a real mixture of weather last week with everything from mild and overcast to overnight frost and bright sunshine, with some strong winds as well.
The fish were generally still in the top three feet of the water, although they did go deeper in when the wind got up. They were well spread out round the top pond with the Far Bay being the most productive area on certain days.
Plenty of golds are still featuring in the catch returns from all three ponds with the biggest landed this week being 8lb 2oz.
For most of the week the fish were looking to chase so a fast retrieve was the best tactic. The majority of fish were taking either lures or nymphs with favourite patterns being Cat’s Whisker, Dancer, Damsel, PTN, Diawl Bach and Buzzer.
On the bait pond, maggots, spinners, and yellow or green power bait were doing best. The fishery is open from 8am to 6.30pm every day except for Thursday when it closes at 2.30pm.
Top cathces: Calan McLachlan 8lb 2oz gold, Alan Evans and Owen shared five for 18lb 6oz with Alan taking two for 9lb 4oz including a 5lb 4oz Rainbow, plus two releaed and young Owen taking three for 9lb 2oz plus two released, George Johnson five for 17lb, Donald
McMurchy five for 12lb 12oz including a gold, Stewart Nicholson five for 11lb 4oz, Danny Doherty five for 12lb including a gold plus two released, Willie Sharp made three visits taking five for 9lb 8oz from the Meadow Pond including two golds plus two released, five for 10lb from the small ponds including three golds plus one released and five for 10lb from the small ponds including two golds, John Tevan five for 9lb from the Meadow Pond including a gold, George Dobbie four for 10lb 12oz plus two released, Brian Paterson four for 10lb 12oz, Tam Baillie three for 8lb 8oz including a gold plus three released, Jamie McGowan three for 7lb 8oz plus seven released, Jim Allan three for 7lb 8oz from the Millpond, Eddie Blair three for 7lb 4oz, Jamie McLeary three for 7lb including a gold plus seven released, John Watt three for 5lb 12oz from the Meadow Pond plus seven released, Alan Mitchell two for 7lb including 4lb 12oz gold, Ian McDonald two for 6lb plus two released, Stuart Oliver two for 5lb 8oz including a gold plus seven released, Frank Barr released 24 in two visits, James Rhind released nine, Jim Donnelly released seven, Matthew Oliver released five.
Those doing well on the bait pond included Stuart Landsburgh 7lb 11oz gold, Michael Walker five for 12lb 8oz including 3lb 12oz Rainbow, Sam Parker three for 5lb 12oz including a gold, Martin Anderson two for 3lb 12oz, Liam Kennedy two for 4lb including a gold, Stephen Mulligan two for 4lb including a gold, Sam Nellies two for 5lb, Greg Thomson three for 5lb 8oz, John Fern four for 7lb 8oz including two golds, Eva Horsburgh three for 8lb 8oz, Robert O’Brian three for 5lb including two golds, Zack and Josh Hutchison shared three for 10lb including 4lb 8oz rainbow, Gary McAvoy three for 8lb including 4lb rainbow, Alan McAvoy two for 4lb 8oz, Ramsay Conroy four for 7lb 12oz including a gold and Sam Neilson two golds for 3lb 12oz.
Two local orienteers were crowned British champions as the final major event of the year was held on the sand dues of North Devon.
The delayed championship, originally scheduled for May 2020, brought together the best athletes in the UK and James Hammond (pictured right) was 6½ minutes clear of the field in the M16 race as he completed a full set of championship medals the first time this has been done in one season by an Under 16 athlete.
It’s all the more remarkable in that this was James’ first season in the class and he has an opportunity to repeat the feat next year.
Peter Molloy’s winning margin in M20E was less pronounced, but no less valid, as he claimed top spot for the third time in the championships (61.54), running on the latter stages to overcome principal rival Matthew Gooch (MAROC), and add the Under 20 crown to those won earlier at Under 16 and Under 12s.
Also in podium positions were perennial championship contenders Roger Goddard (M45L - 71.12) and Vicky Thornton (W60L - 61.12). who both won silver, while Steve Feltbower got up in M40L (73.07) for his second championship bronze of the year. Outside the championships classes, Jennifer Leonard won W50S in 57.52, while there were championship-best performances from both Marcus Pinker and Paul Hammond in M45L.
The following day, the FVO athletes guested in an English League race at Braunton Burrows, which counted for points in the UK Club League, and there was more success for the local contingent, as Peter Molloy enjoyed a second win of the weekend, coming home in M20 in 33.38, 31 seconds ahead of the pack, while Will Hensman won the M40 race in 29.28.
James Hammond was defeated for the first time this season, as he was 25 seconds down on MAROC’s Adam Barrie (28.37), having given his all the previous day, but continues to lead the classification. Ben Stansfield was second in M50 (40.24), and Marcus Pinker stepped up for bronze in M45 (41.17).
The results keep FVO in third place overall in the UK Clubs League, but with the remaining races in England, the chasing pack will be looking to close up before year-end.