Superb fishing this summer at Harlaw Reservoir

THE FISHING AT Harlaw Reservoir in the last few months has been superb. The colour of the natural fly and in turn the angler’s fly has now changed with black, especially black lures, being at times less productive, but will still catch fish.

Midsummer, bright sun and warm weather heralds a change to both trout and the angler. As the water temperature rises, fishing becomes challenging and requires a more versatile approach. The view is that fish feed deep down on the reservoir bottom. More likely, trout find a depth where they are comfortable, and temperature, oxygen levels and light conditions are best.

The trout will be fast to react to changing conditions when flies are on the water surface and the sun is not in their eyes. In these conditions dry and subsurface flies will account for a lot of the fish being caught, particularly early and late in the day.

I have learned to enjoy summer fishing and not worry about failures - only missed chances. At this time of year if I am fishing small lures, I will use fly patterns such as Yellow Dancer, Orange Dancer, Orange Fritz, Whisky Fly or damsel nymph. I will nearly always have a small black lure such as a rainbow dancer, hot head dancer, cormorant or Viva on the cast of two flies on the point. Orange is certainly a colour for lures in high summer with yellow a close second choice.

Apart from the colour and hook size of the angler’s fly, it is about finding the correct depth of water where the trout are active. In warm water conditions trout tend to feed less and may become quite sultry. Unless fish are active on the surface, the correct depth for feeding fish is found by trial and error along with experience.

A Harlaw, on a bright warm windy day, I started using a floating line with * five metres of nylon and two small lures.

I fished for an hour with only a few plucks at the fly. I then changed to a fly line with six to seven metres of sinking tip and the same cast – nothing. I replaced the black lure on the tail with an orange dancer and had four fish in an hour, only two of which were landed. The largest was 1.9 kg - a nice four pounder.

Fishing at Harlaw and Threipmuir: Full day permits £25 with a three fish limit. Full day catch and release £20. Evening permits from 5pm £20 with a two fish limit. Permits ONLY online mallenyangling.com