2017 National Heats - SANACC

The final of the 125th National Trout Fly Fishing Championship was held at the Lake of Menteith on Saturday 9th September 2017 and for the first time it was a total catch and release competition.  The competitors measured the length of their first three trout and were awarded with 35cm for each additional fish that was caught.  Larger fish were capped at 50cm.  A total of 307 trout were caught and of these there were thirteen that were over 50cm.

The competitors were faced with a flat calm when they arrived and a light breeze from the north east gradullay picked up.  It was mainly bright with occasional cloud cover and was a warm September day.

Nigel Winkle of our sponsors Ridgeline UK was on hand to present the trophies and prizes and prior to the result of the final being announced he presented the winners of the sem-finals with Ridgeline Igloo tops.  Once the result had been announced he presented the Champion with a Ridgeline Monsoon Elite II jacket.  The second received a Ridgeline Typhoon jacket; the third received a Ridgeline Torrent Euro jacket and the captor of the largest trout received a Ridgeline Turbulance top.  This was the fifth year that Ridgeline had sponsored the National Championship and Nigel told us that Ridgeline will support us again in 2018.

SANACC is greatful to Ridgeline for their continued support and also wish to thank 7plus7 Construction for providing the the hook mesures and R & E Hygiene for providing the waterproof paper that was used for the catch returns.  This year we were provided with "Famous Angler" whisky by Famous Grouse and each of the thirty boatmen received a bottle.  We are indebted to the boatmen for giving up their day to ensure that we had a successful competition.  SANACC also wish to thank Ian and Eleanor Campbell for recording the result and for the considerable time that they spent at short notice preparing the computer programme to deal with a catch and release match.  We also wish to thank Wendy and Wilson for preparing the buffet, Stewart Marshall for piping off the match and Quint and Douglas for their help and patience, partuclarly on run up to the Saturday.

The Championship doubles as the qualifier for the teams to go to the 2018 Internationals in Ireland and Wales and with the Team Manager, Gus Shepherd who was 15th, giving up his place the other 18 anglers who finished in the top 19 will be in the 2018 teams.

For a change conditions were near perfect for the last of our sem-finals at Menteith on 30th June.  It was overcast for most of the session with a light breeze and it stayed dry.  There were 23 competitors who between them caught 172 trout for 386lbs 10ozs.  The top 8 competitors qualified for the final.

Top rod was Brian Mackenzie of Neilston FF with 16 trout for 35lbs 7ozs.  Brian receives a Ridgeline Igloo top provided by our sponsors Ridgeline UK.

In second place with 15 trout for 32lbs 3.3ozs was Ian Simpson of Aberdour AA and his boat partner, Kevin Porteous of Frozen North AC, was third with 15 trout for 31lbs 11.6ozs.  Ian and Kevin took there fish in Gateside Bay and at the Malling Shore where they were fishing jelly blobs on midge tip lines.

Winter returned to Scotland when our second last semi-final took place at Carron on 29th June.  The 38 competitors had to contend with a north wind which blew as a north westerly over most of Carron and as a north easterly over the lodge end.  Not only was there a bitterly cold wind it rained heavily for most of the day and only relented slightly at 4.30pm just before the session ended.  It is doubtful if the temperature ever managed to get over 9deg.

However some flies still hatched and fish were to be found high in the water.  The 38 anglers caught a total of 97 fish for 100lbs and 3lbs 10ozs of trout was needed to qualify for the final.

Top rod was Mark Stephen of Stewarton AC with 6 trout for 8lbs 10.8ozs.  Mark receives a Ridgeline Igloo top provided by our sponsors Ridgeline UK

In second place with 7 trout for 8lbs 2.9ozs was Mick Tait of Kelso AA.  Mick was also fishing between the jetty and the beeches and all of his fish fell to dries.  In third place with 5 trout for 5lbs 9.5ozs was William Davidson of Black Bull FFC.  William stayed at the dam wall and took his fish on orange blobs and snatchers fished on a midge tip.

The fourth of the National semi-finals was held at Menteith on 27th June and the 47 competitors had to contend with constant rain throughout the day.  There was a light easterly breeze and the mix of the rain and the easterly breeze made it a cold day for the time of year.

However the conditions appeared to suit the trout and the fly life and the fish were on the feed for most of the day with hatches of fly in many areas of the lake.  The 47 anglers caught a total of 350 trout and 10 fish were needed to qualify for the final.  The cut-off weight for the 15 competitors who qualified for the final was 21lbs 8.4ozs.

Top rod and winner of the Ridgline Igloo top provided by sponsors Ridgeline UK was Ronnie Gilbert of Menteith Ospreys with 22 fish for 44lbs 12ozs.

In second place with 17 trout for 35lbs 12ozs was Ian Hutcheon of W.S. Sinclair FF.  Ian took all his fish at the Malling Shore where he was using a candy booby and crunchers on a midge tip line.  

Jim McKinaly of East Kilbride AC was third with 14 trout for 30lbs 14ozs.  Jim took his trout on cormorants fished on a midge tip line at Hotel Bay, Plantation and Malling Shore.

Semi-final No3 at Leven was won by James Simpson of Frozen North AC with two trout of 6lbs 4ozs and 5lbs 15ozs. Both trout were capped at 2.5lbs. James receives a Ridgeline Igloo top provided by sponsors Ridgeline UK. Billy Neill of Kilmallie AC was second with a trout of 3lbs. James and Billy qualify for the final.

James took his fish on a muddler and mini shuggie fished on a fast glass line.  Billy was also using a fast glass line and his fish took a green tag kate.

The second of the semi-finals was held at Carron on 15th June and with 33 competitors the top 11 qualified for the final.  Conditions were good at the start of the session with a stiff south westerly and good cloud cover.  The wind gusted a fair bit throughout the day and by mid afternoon the competitors had to cope with torrential rain.

There were two father and son combinations in this semi with Charlie Wilkinson and son Gary representing Cupar AC and Brian Kennedy and son Andrew representing Caley Liners FF.  Both Brian and Andrew Kennedy qualified for the final and although Gary Wilkinson also qualified he was not joined by his father.  The 33 anglers caught a total of 87 fish which included rainbows of 6lbs 5ozs,  5lbs 10ozs,  4lbs 3ozs, 3lbs 15ozs and 3lbs 12ozs. 

In second place was Colin Macdonald of Saltire FF with 5 trout for 6lbs 11ozs.  Colin took his fish at the Willows where he was fishing mini lures and a blob on a slow glass line.

In third place was Brian Kennedy of Caley Liners FF with 5 fish for 6lbs 4.2ozs.  Brian took his fish at the Willows and Carron Bay with hoppers and bumbles fished on a slow glass line.

There were 33 anglers in the first of the semi-finals and on their arrival Lintrathen was a flat calm.  By the time they took to the water a breeze had picked up which gradually increased to a fairly strong wind.  In late afternoon the wind dropped to finish with a good breeze.  It was overcast for most of the day and other than a shower shortly after the start it stayed dry.

A total of 111 trout for 212lbs 5.4ozs were caught and a minimum of four trout were need to qualify.  The top 11 qualified for the final.

The last of the heats was at Menteith on 26th May on what was probably the hottest day of the year so far.  The sixty two anglers arrived at Menteith to find cloudless skies and a flat calm.  As they set off there was roughly an even split of boats betweeb those turning left and those heading for the cages/mallin area.  After an hour or so a southerly wind picked up to produce a good wave.  Some competitors mastered the conditions while many struggled.  Between them the anglers netted 246 trout for 543lbs 14.8ozs which included trout of 7lbs 4.4ozs (James Kerr), 5lbs 14.7ozs (James Kerr) and 5lbs 10.1ozs (Ralph Irvine).  The top 31 anglers qualified for the semi-finals

The penultimate National heat was held at Carron on 24th May.  Conditions were near perfect with a westerly wind and cloud cover for most of the day.  However nobody told the trout the conditions suited them and many competitors found them hard to tempt.  There were 23 anglers in the heat and between them they caught 76 fish for 89lbs 7.4ozs.  Four anglers caught eight or more fish and Colin Reid of Strathgryfe AC caught a magnificent specimen that weighed 10lbs 10.2ozs.

The top 12 qualified for the semi-finals.

A field of 18 anglers fished the National Qualifier last Sunday the 21st , in what is the first step on the road to representing Scotland in next years home internationals. Light winds and clear blue skies were the forecast which proved to be correct until about midday, when the SE breeze strengthened into a good blow.

Andrew Morgan organised the heat on SANACC’s behalf and the officials on the day were Brian Forman and Fanta.

All the very best to all the qualifiers in their semi finals at the Lake of Menteith.

All three anglers were pulling sparklers and traditionals on a di7 in the Hole O'The Inch.

For most of the day almost all of the boats were in the open water between The Butts and Kates Brae.  The top 29 anglers went through to the semi-finals and the cut-off point was 8 fish for 16lbs 3.5ozs.

The top rod was Jock Kettles of SANACC with 9 trout for 15lbs 3.3ozs.  Jock took his fish at the Rhododenrons and the Sawmill where he was fishing blobs on a Di3.  His boat partner, Frank Ross of Monifieth Trout AC, had 4 trout and qualified in 9th.   In second place was Kevin Neri of Raemoir TF with 8 trout for 14lbs 5.6ozs.  Kevin took all his fish at the Sawmill end with blobs and cormorants on a Di3.  Kevin's boat partner, David Marfizo of Brechin AC, had 6 trout and qualified in 6th place.  The third spot went to Neil Anderson of Monikie AC  who had 8 trout for 14lbs 4.9ozs.  Neil caught his fish at the Rhododenron end and at the dam on cormorants and a blob fished on a Di3.  Neil's boat partner, Derek Pozzi of Thalassa AC, had  6 fish and qualified in 5th.

Heat 5 at Carron was fished in a chilly east/northeast wind which produced a reasonable wave.  There was cloud cover for most of the day with the trout being more co-operative in the afternoon as the temperature rose slightly.  The 35 competitors caught a total of 125 fish (47 returned) for 147lbs 8.9oz.  Included in the fish produced at the scales were trout of 7lbs 7ozs and 6lbs 1oz.  During the practice days fish of 12lbs and 14lbs were reported to have been caught.  The top 18 anglers qualified for the semi-final stage and the cut-off point was 4lbs 9.5ozs.

Top rod on the day was George Telford of Avonbank FC with 13 fish for 14lbs 2.5ozs.  George took all his fish in Carron Bay where he was pulling a GA cat and snatchers on a di3.  His boat partner, Grant Gibson of St Boswells, Newtown & District qualified in 6th place with 5 fish.  In second and third places were boat partners Allan Gamble of RAF Fish Hawks (10 fish for 9lbs 4.6ozs) and Kevin Malcolm of Strathleven FF (7 fish for 7lbs 14.5ozs).  This boat pairing took all their fish on black buzzers fished on snowbee buzzer lines in Lone Tree Bay.

The next heat is the rescheduled Linrathen heat which is being held on Thursday 4th May.

What a difference two days can make.  On Tuesday we had blizzards and gales which caused the cancelleation of heat 3 at Lintrathen.  Two days later heat 4 at the Lake of Menteith was fished in near perfect conditions.  It stayed dry throughout the day and generally there was a light north west breeze which picked up to a fairly strong wind for a couple of hours in the afternoon.

There were 54 competitors in the heat and between them they caught 499 fish for 1022lbs 4ozs.  The heaviest fish went to the scales at 6lbs 0.7ozs and fish of 5lbs 6.8ozs, 5lbs 3ozs, 4lbs 13ozs and 4lbs 6.2ozs were also weighed-in.  The top 27 qualified for the semi-finals with cut off weight being 18lbs 0.1oz.

The Championship moves to Carron on Tuesday 2nd May for heat 5 and to Lintrathen on 4th May for the rescheduled heat 3

The day started off with a cold westerly wind which lasted throughout the session. The sheltered bays seemed to be the places that were holding a good head of fish that were willing to take.

Heat 1 of the National Championships started on the Lake of Menteith on the 18th of April.   37 anglers took part and caught a total of 275 trout for 585lbs 15.2ozs  The top 18 qualified for the semi-finals and 5 fish were needed to get through.