Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championshp - sponsored by Ridgeline UK
Heat 1 - Lake of Menteith 19th April 2016
Winter finally gave way to Spring for the opening day of the 2016 Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship. The cold, blustery winds of the previous two days and the snow that hit many areas on Saturday became a distant memory as the competitors arrived on Tuesday 19th April at the Lake of the Menteith for the first of our ten heats. The 36 competitors were met with a sunny day and fairly light winds which was entirely different from the two days of practice that many of them had encountered. As they registered they all received a pack of fly tying fritz provided by Frozen North Fly Fishing. 2016 is the 50th anniversary of the Lake of the of Menteith and the Lake's Board have ordered various commemorative items including specially labelled bottles of beer which were presented to the top nine competitors in this heat. There are 387 competitors in this years' Championship and if this heat is anything to go by then we are in for a great year.
The 36 competitors caught a total of 162 trout for 310lbs 1.5ozs and four fish was need to qualify for the semi finals. 18 qualified for the semi finals.
Top rod was Kevin McCabe of Change FF AC with 16 trout for 32lbs 9.5ozs. Kevin started off at Lochend fishing buzzers and a booby on a floating line and took five of his trout in the first twenty minutes. Following a quiet spell he moved to the Road Shore where he picked up another 11 trout on the same set-up. Fourteen of his fish fell to the buzzers with two on the booby.
Scott Pozzi of Rainbow AC took second spot with 11 trout for 21lbs 14ozs. Scott started off at the Butts where he was fishing a cat and sparklers on a fast glass line. He had one fish there and moved down to Lochend where he picked up another two during the morning. His other fish all came from Lochend after 2.30pm.
Rab Maxwell of Clatto & Stratheden AC was third with 10 trout for 18lbs 11.5ozs. Rab spent his day working the Butts with size 14 buzzers and a candy booby on a floating line. Seven of his fish took the buzzers and the other three were on the booby and all of them were caught before 12.30pm
photo (below) - Kevin, Scott and Rab