Summer fishing

Exploring our connections with Scotland Summer 2021

£5.95 ISSUE 3

with Simon Barnes

Ah, summer, and those long sunny days …. Hang on! As I write this we have hardly had our spring yet. It was minus 3 degrees when I took the dogs out this morning and yesterday we had snow showers every hour or so. The angler in Scotland so looks forward to some summer fishing. Warmer water, fly hatches and fish active. Summer can come late here. It always makes me laugh to listen to anglers down south who complain about winter temperatures. One said it was so cold the water was only 9 degrees. 9 DEGREES?! I look forward to those temperatures in late May… I remember an agriculturalist talking about days of sunshine in the south compared to up north. They had 235 days of sunshine compared to our measly 135. What he completely missed though is that our days of sunshine can be so long. In Shetland, at the “Simmer Dim”, there is still enough light to change a fly at midnight – and full sunlight returns by 2.30 a.m. Long days indeed. But what about the fishing? Well, in my trout farming days I welcomed the rise in temperature. The fish feed more actively and there are many hatches of fly. The temperature increase, whilst welcome, can be too rapid on some of our hydro-electric controlled rivers. When the water flows are cut suddenly, the rapid rise in temperature can prove troublesome for the resident fish and many can be caught isolated in pools as the water retreats. This makes them vulnerable to predators and to the danger of the pools drying up – not good. The lower flows and warmer water benefits the angler for some time. The fish, especially trout, tend to be concentrated and are more easily targeted. Casting a well-placed fly into these fish-holding spots can be very rewarding. As the temperature continues to rise, you may find the trout sitting in the faster current of well oxygenated water. Remember your physics, “as the temperature of a solution increases, its ability to hold gas in solution decreases”. So in the water the amount of oxygen decreases. This however is counter-productive with trout. As the temperature increases so does their metabolic rate and they need more oxygen. The water they choose is the fast, rocky runs of well oxygenated water. As the angler, you must adapt. In our many freshwater lochs the same thing happens. The water warms up (especially at the margins) and the trout will retreat to deeper, cooler, and more oxygenated water. Remembering these facts will help you to catch your quarry. The choice of fly in summer can be critical. The first flush of spring is over, and the prolific hatch of March browns and large dark olives are over. The trout have fed well on these and are now a little more selective in their choice. Looking in a trout angler’s flybox is fascinating and bewildering to the non-angler. How do you choose? Some entomological knowledge helps. Who hatches when, where and in what condition? Choose from summer spinners, sedges, mayflies, or heather flies. Being an angler requires not just stealth but serious observation too. What is hatching? How are the fish feeding? Are they taking flies from the surface or just below? Choosing the right fly makes all the difference. I was fishing with a friend one day, let’s call him Ken (well, that was his name). We were fishing a loch in Sutherland that was known to have a Mayfly hatch.

Now these weren’t just wee green Mayflies – these were full-on enormous yellow jobs that looked like a Spanish Galleon when on the surface. Stunning. However, a study of the ascending nymph showed me they had a greenish tinge as they emerged. So I chose my fly accordingly and after boating three or four fish to Ken’s none (not even an offer), he had to ask me what the successful fly was. I could see him looking forlornly in his box, but he didn’t have one. After I had caught a few more, he finally asked if he could have one.....

Ticks can be bothersome. When walking through heather it is easy to pick them up, so I make a point of wearing high-ankle boots with gaiters. Much easier than wellies or waders to walk in and you really don’t need to wade. I catch most of my trout near the shore, and often very close in so a softly-placed foot and a gentle cast will reap rewards. So go on, get out there! Space, walking, and fishing are so enjoyable and very good for your mental well-being. Go, the rewards are immense."

simbarods.com