SANACC

SANACC Chairman Ian Campbell presents the trophy to Mike Cordiner

International Team for 2011

Mike Cordiner - 2010 Scottish River Champion

When did you start fishing
I began fishing at around 7 years old. My grandfather took me to my local River Don where we fished worm and devon minnow for the salmon. My fly fishing started at the age of 12 on a tidal stretch of the River Ythan, fishing for finnock and sea trout.

How did you get into competition fishing
I caught the 'bug' after fishing a few of my Club's competitions.

Which clubs are you a member of
I've only ever been a member of one club - Aberdeen and District Angling Association (ADAA).

What other competitions have you fished this year and how did you do in them
I got through to the semi final stages of the Lochstyle Nationals.
I qualified for the Scotland Stillwater Team and have been made team captain for the inaugural International.
Our ADAA team qualified for the Lexus final at Rutland.

Do you tie all your own flies
I tie everything myself but I will occasionally accept a fly tied by someone else, particularly if it's catching fish!

What were your previous placings in the River Championship
I've already got 3 Lochstyle caps but this will be my first one for the River Team. I've fished 4 previous river finals and came close a few years ago.

How did you approach the River Champiopnship this year
I tied flies in preparation but I didn't get too uptight about it. I didn't fish any practice days for the heat or final. I believe that it's possible to over practice on the river and a change in weather and water height can throw all your hard work out the window. I try to adapt to the conditions on the day.

I went out for the final with a very relaxed frame of mind. Obviously I wanted to do well but I wasn't getting all 'worked up' about it. Every one of the competitors wants to win the final but all I really wanted was a place in the team.

The day started with a long trek down through the woods with my controller, Mike Tait, for the beginning of Session 1.

I had a long streamy salmon run in front of me and I had a rod with a team of wets set up but a brownie was steadily rising in the slow tail of the pool upstream and this was my first target. After a few casts over the fish it sulked away and showed no interest, this made my mind up to head down to the run with the wet flies on a floating line.

I was wading carefully over the stony bottom in about 2-4 feet of water and the team of wet flies consisting of black spider, greenwell and hair's ear spider were fishing well. It felt that a fish could take at any time and it wasn't long before the first fish of the day made an appearance. A good grayling well over 30cm took the hare's ear spider and this fish helped take any pressure off. A few casts later and a very small grayling made it into the net. As the tail of the pool petered out I waded quickly down through the shallower water until I got to a spot that offered fast flowing water, but with nice runs and troughs that looked perfect for holding fish. I missed the first pull after only a couple of casts but soon after another fine specimen grayling was netted after a difficult tussle in the fast water. I went back in again and hooked yet another big grayling but unfortunately this time the fish came off inches from the net.

The session was nearly finished and I decided to leave this patch of water to save it for Session 2.

I started the second session half way down the salmon run again with the intention of covering the water quickly and concentrating again on the spot below the pool. The first fish of the session took the fly just as I was about to head downstream again. At first it felt like a big grayling but as the fight carried on, for longer than I would have liked, I got a glimpse of the fish, which was a huge brown trout that measured 52cm, once netted and measured.

After moving downstream towards the area I had rested, I was disappointed to see a fellow competitor running up the bank and getting in before me. Instead, I chose to get straight back up to the area where I had started with the dry fly. I was relaxed by the fact I had a fish for the session and I thought anything now would be a bonus. The tail of the pool was now less calm with the wind creating a slight ripple that would help provide more cover. I worked my way down the short section that I could access and had three takes in total, managing to convert one, a small brownie.

Finishing the session with two was pleasing but I knew that catching in the next two sessions was crucial or else the morning successes could count for nothing.

We trekked back up to the car, sweating heavily as we went. The next start point was around half a mile down from the main road bridge and we met a couple of other competitors on the way who confirmed some of the morning catches that they were aware of. Things sounded good but I didn't pay too much attention to this information because there were plenty others who I didn't hear about.

Eventually we arrived at my other start point and managed to get a bite to eat. As I was contemplating where to begin the third session, a couple of trout began to rise at the tail end of the long salmon pool in front of me. I began just above this and I started working my way down in the trout's direction.

There was only five minutes gone when a brownie grabbed the wet fly and was safely netted and released. A couple of minutes later and a second was recorded on the card. It was now dilemma time, stay and attempt to catch more, or rest it and come back for the fourth session. I chose to head off to the head of the pool, far enough away to leave the tail in peace but also allowing me to watch for other anglers.

I wasn't long in the water again before number three was netted. My smallest of the day but just over the 20cm limit. The next fish followed within a few casts and sitting on four fish now made me start to question whether or not to stop fishing and patiently wait for the fourth session to begin. I felt that there was still a lot of the pool to cover for Session 4 and so I continued, only to lose another brown trout at the net. I finally stopped with about ten minutes to go, feeling that the final session probably had to produce a fish if I was to qualify for my first Scottish River cap.

Now the pressure was really on, the most I had felt all day. I began again up at the head of the pool and patiently worked my way down, expecting a take at any time. Forty minutes had gone and I was beginning to feel that it just wasn't going to be my day when a trout took me at the opposite side of the river. I played this one very carefully, realising how important it could be. The fish slipped carefully into the net and a huge weight suddenly lifted from my shoulders.

I had heard through the 'jungle drums' that this was enough for a top five place, and that I was also in a good position to win the final. With this in mind I quickly got back in the water and concentrated again at the tail of the pool. As luck would have it, a small brownie started rising between where I was wading and the bank behind me. I quickly retrieved enough fly line to enable me to make the short cast. The flies slowly neared the location of the fish and with a short pull on the line it induced the small fish to grab the offering. It was quickly netted and the last ten minutes was spent switching between dries and wets over a wary fish sitting hard against the far bank.

It was time to stop now and I made my way over to Mike. I was now feeling physically and mentally drained by the day's events but at the same time excited at the thought of maybe representing Scotland in 2011.

I signed my score card at the end of the session and double checked it for any mistakes.

Back at the pub the cards were collected and a very welcome pint helped settle the nerves. Finally the result was read out and I was completely in 'shock' realising I had finally succeeded in not only gaining my first Scottish River cap but becoming Scottish River Champion.

Results Summary Including Sessions

Summary

The final of the Scottish National River Championship was held on the Pitlochry AC stretch of the River Tummel on Sunday 1st August 2010. Water conditions were good with levels and clarity being as expected at that time of year. It was generally overcast but with heavy rain around 11.30am and 4.15pm.

The winner, Mike Cordiner (Aberdeen & District AA) was drawn on the lower section in the morning and the upper section in the afternoon while Simon Cocker (D & B FF) who finished second was drawn the opposite way round. Fish were caught on a variety methods and while Mike took all of his fish on wets, Simon was successful with two nymphs fished under a dry. Session 4 (3.30pm to 5pm) proved to be the hardest time of the day with only seven of the 20 competitors taking fish. The leader board changed considerably after that final session with the three competitors who were lying 3rd, 4th and 5th after session 3 all failling to take fish. 76 fish were caught and released during the competition.

Session 1

After session 1, Richard McHattie (Aberdeen & District AA) led the field having taken 4 fish. Mike Cordiner, with 3 fish, was lying second and Simon Cocker (2 fish) was third. Robert Irvine and Hugh Skeoch (both Crown FF) were in 4th and 5th with 2 fish apiece.

Session 2

By the end of session 2 Mike (2 fish) had moved into the lead from Simon Cocker and Robert Irvine who were tied for second having taken 1 fish each. David Downie (D & B FF) and Dick Logan (Coldstream & District AC) both had 2 fish and were tied for 4th place.

Session 3

In session 3 Mike took 4 fish to consolidate his place at the top of the table and Simon (2 fish) was left in a clear second. Dick Logan, Ian Jones (Dunkeld & Birnam AA) and John Greep (Lothian & Borders Polce AC) each took 1 fish and moved up to 3rd, 4th and 5th.

Session 4

Mike (2 fish) and Simon (3 fish) kept their places in the lead and Calum Crosbie (Newton Stewart and District AA) with 2 fish came through to take third. John MacLennan (Earlston AA - 2009 winner)had a good 4th session with 2 fish which brought him up to 4th and Jim Fairgrieve (Edinburgh Breadalbane AC) with 1 fish moved up to 5th. David Downie who also had 1 fish took the 6th spot.

The International team for 2011 will be Mike Cordiner, Simon Cocker, Calum Crosbie, John MacLennan and Jim Fairgrieve with David Downie being the reserve.

At the presentation of prizes at the Ballinluig Inn SANACC Chairman, Ian Campbell, acknowledged the importance of the controllers and thanked them for their help during the heats and the final. He added that SANACC wished to thank the members of Pitlochry AC and their Secretary, Ron Harriman, for allowing the use of their water and for the assistance provided during the competition.

Photoghraphs

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