Monday, 23 July 2018

Friars Carse July Course




Course attendees duly Doronwy & David arrived with their respective partners Jane & Gail followed by Pat Stevens who was looking after the fly tying side of things.
Introductions & evening meal over & Pat was soon demonstrating some tying techniques.
After a hearty Friars Carse breakfast it was onto the lawn to just run through the casts that we were likely to use, overhead, single & double speys & snaps. After a break for lunch it was down to the river to practise what we had been through in the morning session and to look at some sunk line work at the request of Doronwy.

Following dinner it was back out to the river as, cooler temperatures and less sun on the water we were hoping for some reward, We fished Marsdens & the Island Pool and it wasn’t long before I could see a bend in Doronwys rod, it turned out to be his first ever sea trout, small but perfect in every way. Quickly unhooked, photographed and safely back to grow even bigger – a nice end to the first day with both having had a great first day.
Both David & Doronwy opted to stick with the double handed rod and work on their presentation whilst fishing through with a constant change of flies, this time we spent most of the day fishing the top section of the beat from the Farm Pool through the Riding Stone right down to the House Pool without any luck but the casting was certainly improving. Pat also fished in the morning and manged some nice grayling & trout all falling to small dry flies. Due to very warm weather we retired to the hotel mid-afternoon to do some more fly tying ably instructed by Pat, Doronwy tied his first ever salmon fly which would get a swim after dinner
Wednesday, and it was time to recap on any casting issues before a last chance to fish, this time it was Davids turn to get a bend in his rod, a beautiful marked parr took his small double Willie Gunn, shame it wasn’t mum or dad but there is always next time.