The pool analysis makes very interesting reading this year. Dam did not seem to have as many resident fish this year, probably because of the new freshet regime. To date over 200 fish have been confirmed by video to have ascended the Borland lift so far. This I think is a record, and must go to prove that the old freshet and compensation water flowing over the lift was too fierce for the fish to sit in comfortably for any length of time. Phil's was disappointing once again. We are thinking of ways of improving it and also the Station pool. Middle as usual fished really well, as did Miltons. Well done to all those who stumbled and fought their way to Pandora's Box and Cliff. Next year we will make sure that the scrub alder is trimmed back to make the access better. Eleanors was not quite as good as last year, but Meadow was back in the number one spot. Grief was very disappointing, can any one tell me why? I shall give a prize to all those who catch a fish in Gate next season (there has to be a witness, video or photographic evidence). One other fish of note was landed in Ladies on a small Grey Wolf and only weighed about 1 lb, a Sea Trout.
One afternoon I took one of my most experienced guests to Fir. We wanted to try to catch a fish in 2 or 3. He elected to start at the top of Fir 2, so I went up to start at the tail of Meadow. All went well, and by the time I was just starting to fish the top of Fir 2 my guest was starting to cast a longish line out to the far runs in Fir 3. As I watched, he unfortunately managed to just over cast and caught a rock. There followed for the next two minutes the most wonderful display of all the various techniques you can use to become unhooked. All failed and as a last resort he stripped off a large quantity if line and then proceeded to do the biggest and most vigorous roll cast I have ever seen. The only thing that happened was he managed to cast all the line and the top section of his Sage rod out over the pool! There then followed a frantic scrabble to pull in the line and as luck would have it the tip had twisted its self round the line and was relatively easy to retrieve. The moral of this story is; tape your rod joints before fishing. ( luckily I had my digital camera at the ready!)
Sadly we have to say a fond farewell to David and Shona Allison. David has been on the Lairg Estate for 9 years, and felt the time was right for him to pursue a more stalking orientated career. We will all miss him and Shona terribly. I am sure you will all want to join with Annie and me in wishing them the best of luck at their new job.
Other comments to catch my eye were; "So excited - fell in" credited to a Drummond Shaw in Ladies. "Could not see fish when landing" Simon Lamb at 10.30 pm in Phil's. "Our first ever in Dam in 33 years" Mark Fergusson. "We had a 2nd cast in wall, 3rd cast in Field, 6th cast in Grudie, and a last fling in Broad".
Reid's cottage is now ready for letting. It sleeps four in great comfort, has two bathrooms, one including a shower. The sitting room has a view to die for (see the website for pictures).
Have a very Happy Christmas and New Year. Tight lines for 2002.
