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May 2007
Contents

News
May 2007

Features
Fishing Memories John Gray delves deep into the memory banks

My Wee Burn Bob Graham re-lives his boyhood dream

Older and Wiser Bruce Sandison looks reflects on triumph and failure.

Orkney Allan Liddle steps once more across the Firth

River Profile - Euchries Beat River Deveron Trout fishing on a well known North East salmon river

Back Casts
A Piscatorial Companion Steve Sheppard

Fly Tying
Step by Step with Dennis Shaw The Black Brahan

Virtual Fly Box
Tear To a Glass Eye

DVD, Video Reviews
Wild Trout, Wild Places - Fly fishing Scotland's Wilderness Reviewed by Fred Carrie

Last Call
The Fates Bob Graham visits the Tweed


Orkney
Allan Liddle steps once more across the Firth
(click any thumbnail image for a larger version)

If there’s one place that stands out for me as a trout angler’s paradise then it has to be those scattered isles that lie just off our Northern coast that make up Orkney. With such quality abounding throughout the whole of Scotland (including Shetland which simply oozes trout fishing class) it would take a brave angler to call the best, but wherever was chosen then without doubt these arable isles would be amongst them. Ok I’ve waxed lyrical about this place on these pages before and I apologise a wee bit if I seem to repeat myself, but the sheer wealth of angling opportunity on offer here is well worthy of a second airing. Still there’s always something you’ve missed!

Although there are other places with more to offer in terms of numbers of waters to choose from it’s the quality of almost all the Orkney lochs that more than make up for that lack of choice. Well you might say lack of choice but given the size of these lochs along with the varied locations throughout almost all of these broken islands it would take the visitor years to get around them all. I’ve been heading in this direction for some twenty two years (give or take a few missed visits) and even then I can’t claim to have been round it all. Even on the waters I do know there’s always a surprise on offer ever trip.

So what about these waters then? Well, there’s the choice between ‘easy’ full of smaller fish to few trout trophy venues that offer the chance of that fish of a lifetime. Although there’s a great choice on offer throughout the smaller islands, with possibly the best documented of these to be found on Sandy in the form of North and Boo lochs and their regular supply of ‘rod benders’, there are others not so well known just waiting for the visitor to discover. But in contrast there are a couple of islands where you’ve to remind yourself that you are in fact still in Orkney. Given these are a predominately arable flat expanse of scattered islands where you aren’t really all that far from any loch, big hikes that are a feature of so much of our wild fishing simply isn't a feature of Orkney, or is it? I would certainly have said this until last season when I discovered Rousay and Hoy, two islands that have completely broken the mould for me with their upland waters in the form of Muckle and Peerie in Rousay and Heldale in Hoy, two islands that offer that ‘something different’ and two islands that have simply said to me ‘How could you have missed us for so long?’ Rousay’s ‘big two’ are crackers. Three quarter pound average on both these side by side upland lochs with fish that are very keen to attack a fly all over the surface of them both and equally as good from bank as well as float tube.

But it doesn’t end here though with a wee low lying weed bound loch sitting just to the North that is about one of the best small waters I’ve fished anywhere, Wasdale. A float tube water par excellence and one I’ll certainly visit many times again.

Hoy is more famous as a quality salt water - sea trout location, but it does have fresh water fishing. Until fairly recently it was very much overshadowed by those silvery cousins, but now, due to the hard work of the Orkney Trout Fishing Association, Heldale Water was ‘seeded’ a few years ago and offers quality fishing with fish again here a very healthy three quarter pound average. High sided banks with a quick drop-off makes bank fishing uncomfortable as well as possibly dangerous but with a float tube it’s simply great sport casting as tight as you can looking to pull fish right off that shoreline.

But great as these places are (and this, believe me is something of an understatement) they are the fantastic alternatives to the main fair. Mainland Orkney has some ‘belters’ amongst which are quite simply my all time favourites. The ‘Big Six’ of Stenness, Kirbister, Swanney, Boardhouse, Hundland and my number one Harray all lie within an easy reach of each other, all offer something different and all have their own character. And I’ve got to say that all of them, as well as those other fore mentioned venues, could almost be custom made for the float tube. This style of fishing gives a whole new dimension to all these waters as well as opening up some fantastic opportunities and access. By no means compulsory though with fantastic bank fishing and loads of boat hire locations to choose from, however I wouldn’t be without one.

Brackish Stenness is something of an enigma for me. Dour and tough with some of the most stunningly beautiful fish I’ve ever found but really hard and dangerous wading and a place where you’ve to be prepared for long hard hours. High rewards when it all goes right and worthy of at least one look during any visit, that’s if you can drag yourself away from one of the others, and where you’re as likely to tempt a sea trout as well as a broonie.

Kirkbister is probably the forgotten venue. Smaller fish and unfairly given the label of a beginner's water, a statement I don’t subscribe to for any water as I feel it both cheapens as well as undermines what can surely be described as one of the said lochs characters. It could be more accurately described as a Highland water. Geared accordingly there’s some great sport on offer here and some quality fish in the pound or more class to add the spice.

Boardhouse has a more ‘reservoir’ feel partly due to the fact that it’s the main supply to most of mainland Orkney and partly due to a lot of the reservoir tactics that often do so well on here. Don’t let this fool you though as it can be as good a ‘top of the water’ venue as the others with some fantastic weed beds and at the right time of year great olive hatches. Not too bad off the bank but better afloat it’s one of the few of these waters where long drifts can be set especially if the wind carries you along the shoreline or across those weeds.

Swanney is a toughie. Peaty water hides those sheer pin breaking skerries, bank fishing is hard due to the fact that you can’t really see where you’re wading so beware and the fish can simply switch off for no apparent reason. But when you do catch it right it’s a water that really rewards especially in a big wave where the sight of one of those beasts crashing through the water to attack your flies is simply unforgettable. An adrenalin rush sure enough and for this alone, a reason to while away many an hour in anticipation. Not that it’s always a dour unrewarding place mind, more moody and temperamental. Give it your best shot but take my advice and go up a nylon size, when these fish hit you’ll understand why.

Hundland has often been described as ‘Wee Harray’ which is not altogether true. Yes it fishes very much like Harray and yes it’s a skerry strewn predominately shallow broken water. Yes it shares the same fly life and all the same tactics will work on both, but it’s best to remember it’s not Harray and has a character all of its own.
Good off the bank and off the boat but for me where it really stands out is, surprise surprise, out in a float tube. Especially in amongst the scattered skerries and wee islands along its bottom end where wading access is slightly hampered and boat access awkward. It’s the type of water that when it’s on it’s really on; a drop all else type of place, great fallback as well as a first choice.

Which really just leaves me to talk about that all time number one, Harray Water? Ok there are a host of smaller lochs scattered about the mainland offering both trophy fish as well as full of fish, but smaller types which are themselves well worthy of a wee look but, hey I’m not going to tell you all, I’ve to leave something for you to find out for yourself.

Harray as a fishing venue has it all. Weed beds, skerries, open water, intimate bays, points and islands, with a great choice of fly-life and fantastic very hard fighting high quality fish. Oh and the odd sea trout thrown in for good measure.


With a good mix of water borne as well as terrestrial fly-life on offer it’s not unusual to simply stumble onto an area of feeding fish although there are a few wee pointers to where and when a rise might be happening. With a lot if the loch surrounded by arable farmland on which there’s often a high number of grazing cattle doing the thing cattle do then it obvious that there’s going to be a few cow dung flies about. All you need for a big fall is a little wind and dry, warm conditions and there’s a good chance a small, dirty ginger dry or short lined wet will work wonders. Add to this the on going ‘kick up’ factor from all those cattle or the odd bit of work from a tractor or two there’s usually something getting disturbed and carried onto the water. Just think of daddies and you start to get the idea.

Still it’s not all 'off the land' with great olive and sedge along with some fantastic buzzer hatches to get those fish ‘in the mood’. And if that’s not enough then there’s a huge head of shrimp to help pack on the weight and these are very actively taken by the browns especially on those overcast days when the fish are hunting over the broken boulder strewn shallow skerries which are a big feature throughout Orkney; for me this is the epitome of what Harray is all about. ‘On the stones’ - as it’s known in these parts - there is no finer way to fish; this is about as memorable as it comes especially when you connect with a sizeable fish that’s been lying in ankle deep water and proceeds to put your heart in your mouth with leaps and surges all over those boulders in its bid for freedom. In fact it’s not unknown to hit fish in the float tube that leap above your head, which is a bit worrying when there are another two flies trailing! Puncture repair kit anyone? Finally if it’s hot don’t despair as the fish love to drop a little deeper and gorge on the huge blooms of daphnia. Ok this usually involves a bit of sunk line work but some fantastic fishing can be had for those who persevere. Or you could just opt for the daytime tourist bit and simply head out for the evening or night time forays.

All in all Orkney has more to offer than you can shake your carbon stick at. If you haven’t been here yet then do yourself a favour and look it up soon, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.

All the fishing is free under UDAL (Old Norse) law but it’s overseen by the local Orkney Trout Angling Association who do sterling work both in conservation as well as maintenance. They offer visitor season permits for £20 which I always strongly urge the visitor to take as it is such a small price to pay to help ensure such high quality fishing for future visits as well as generations.
They run a fantastic website well worth a wee visit which gives a great insight to the association, all flies required, local pattern dressings, where to join the association as well as a host of other local related information. Look up; www.orkneytroutfishing.co.uk

Accommodation is not too hard to find with an abundance of quality B and B’s as well as hotels, self catering cottages and caravans and a few guest houses and campsites to choose from.

For a full list of what’s available look up www.visitorkney.com
When I’m here I like to stay at a cracking wee B and B near Loch Harray called Kenila which is well visited by anglers and through this are pretty used to our often unsociable hours. You’ll also find a cracking wee self catering house here called Lochside which served us well last visit and is also well centred for both fishing as well as touring the place. Details for both are found on the web site.

Travel for me is almost always via the ferry but you can fly and hire a car if you want. British Airways do the daily run and the Orkney Tourist site above gives full details of both this as well as a rundown on local car hire companies.

There’s a choice of two car ferries as well as a passenger boat that runs throughout the summer months. For me I tend to stick to the Pentland Ferries run which sails from Gills Bay on the Caithness coast just along from John o Groats to St Margaret’s Hope on South Ronaldsay. A wee drive up via the famous Churchill Barriers and Kirkwall soon gets you to the best of the fishing. Visit www.pentlandferries.co.uk for further details. Or there’s the ‘big boat’ from Scrabster to Stromness run via Northlink (soon to change I believe). Visit www.northlink.co.uk.
Profile
Allan Liddle is a SGAIC qualified instructor and a quite simply a mad-keen wild trout fisher. Based in Morayshire, Allan regularly travels to every corner of Scotland in search of good trout fishing and is equally at home on vast lochs, the biggest rivers, tiny lochans or small burns. Allan has been a regular and imaginative contributor to the UK's premier angling publication, "Fly Fishing and Fly Tying" magazine for over six years and previously featured in every edition of the much missed "Scottish Angler". Allan is seldom short of a story or two, all based on down to earth, real world angling experiences. Allan Liddle lives near Elgin with his wife Dorothy and young son Archie.

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