Winter Wonderland - Menteith, November 2024

As the daily temperatures plummeted, to just a degree above freezing, it could not have come at a better time, as I had booked two days fishing at Scotland's Lake Of Menteith.

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Day 1 started off flat clam, but soon a bitterly biting North wind set it, making it feel pretty grim to say the least. Not deterred, I carried on in search of the fish.

This was my first time at the Lake in November. I had heard it can produce some fantastic fishing, so had to pay the lake a visit, to see for myself.

Joining me, was current England Youth Angler, James Penwright, though this time not to fish, but to film. James has studied sporting media at college, and rumour has it, he is very good at it, and from what I have seen of his work to date, he's certainly got a talent !!

I had 3 rods set up for the day. All based on my instincts for the time of year, and more importantly, the immediate weather. I had a floater with an indicator set up, with an egg fly, and two buzzers, a di-3 for mid-water, and an Olive Slinky lure, and finally, a di-7, with a lovely pink snake booby !

I started the day in Gateside Bay, as in the calm water I noticed a fish or two topping. The indicator I thought would be the way to go, however, 2o minutes or so in, no so much as a pluck!

Quickly remembering it was blooming freezing, I switched to the DI-7 and snake booby, thinking the fish must have gone down. Same response as the indicator, not a sniff !

Both of these methods I had tried in Gateside Bay, and around Dog Island, but neither produced.

It couldn't work here could it!? A fly I had been catching superbly on at Rutland , just 48 hours before I was at the Lake.The Flash Attack olive Slinky lure! Scottish based friend, Roddy Clotworthy, knows all about the Olive Slinky lure, as he fished around me on Rutland, when I netted 16 fish, to his, not such a good day !!

I switched to my Di-3 and within minutes It ripped tight - unbelievable !! It happened again, just minutes later, leaving me perplexed as to how I didn't so much as get a sniff, on the indicator or D-7, yet within 5 minutes on the di-3 and the Olive Slinky lure, I had two !

Within the shelter of Gateside, and near the "Hairy Hole" (such a lovely name !!), the odd fish were moving, and this odd fish, was consistent. Both takes on the DI-3 were within the first 10 seconds of a slow fig of 8 retrieve, indicating the fish were seizing my fly higher in the water. I switched over to a fast glass, and what a move that proved to be. Now fishing the fly even slower, which is my most favoured approach with this fly, it was a crazy last hour or so, boating 5 fish in total, losing a good few more into the bargain.

The Olive Slinky is best fished as slow as you dare. I had fished 3 days in a row on Rutland, the week leading up to my visit to Scotland, and the Olive Slinky lure had caught me 30+ fish, including a brown around 5lb, and a brown for boat partner Mark Johnson of approx 6lb! Most of these were taken on a floating line, fishing the lure, as if it was a team of buzzers - dead slow ! Its streamline body, and light weight, holds it high in the water - right where the trout wanted it !

Day 2, still, the temperatures hovered just above freezing, however, the wind had noticeably subsided, leaving most of the Lake like a mirror. Could this mean a hatch is possible?

Gateside Bay was certainly holding good numbers of fish, so with shortened daylight hours, we headed straight there. Before heading out, I had said on camera, I fancied buzzers today - could it be??

It wouldn't take an Einstein to guess what I started on - you got it, the fast glass & Olive Slinky. Well, to say it was magical, was an understatement.

Fish, after fish, came to the olive slinky, fished on the fast glass, slow as you dare, with a 15' leader, Flash Attack's Warrior F1 Flurocarbon.

The best was yet to come. After 6 or 7 fish on the Flash Attack Olive Slinky, more fish started to move, and they were to taking buzzers., some of which could be seen right next to our boat, and they weren't tiny either ! When I saw this, well, it was music to my ears. An immediate switch to a floating line, and a 3 cast buzzer set up, was done in minutes.

Having fished the Lake in May, and caught plenty on the Silver Vicar buzzer, I wasn't messing about with my choice. Three size 10 silver vicars it was, on a good 18' leader.

You couldn't write it. It was just fantastic. Like the Olive Slinky, it seemed fish after fish came to the net, and some absolute belters too, up to 6lb !

A good long cast, allowing the buzzers to drop in the water, and just keep the line tight, & inch it back ridiculously slowly, and I watched the tip, just take off !

Every fish on the buzzers took the point fly, incomplete contrast to the olive slinky, where the fish were certainly taking it in the top 2'. The buzzer, I felt must have been approx 10-13' deep, as many takes were a good minute or so into the cast. 3 size 10 barbless buzzers, 8lb Flash Attack Fluro, the flies were certainly getting down, with an 18' leader thrown into the mix too.

The first day was damned cold, and slow to get going, but when it did, It certainly warmed me up. Day two, was just immense, certainly helped by the drop in wind, which, in the shelter of the light breeze, it felt very pleasant in the wind, thus also allowing for a short lived buzzer hatch. As I have discovered at Rutland this last couple of weeks, during the short days fishing, it is often that short spell of time, any warmth arises, that the fishing is at it's best, and the Lake was no different.

A Youtube video of the two days will becoming out shortly - watch this space. If it can capture just half of the exhilarating sport I had, you are in for a treat. Rod wrenching takes, cartwheeling 5lber's, torpedo moving fish, this video has it all. A big thank you to James Penwright, for sitting in near zero temperatures, for two days. I am sure he has captured some fantastic footage, for you all to enjoy !

Tackle used -Greys Cruise 10' #7, and Greys Tail 10' 7# rods, matched with the Cruise reels. Flash Attack's 

The Vicar buzzer and Olive Slinky are available at www.flashattackflies.com (The Olive Slinky will be available from 30th Nov) Our Warrior F1 Flurocarbon, is attracting massive attention amongst anglers too. It's the best I have ever used !!!! Also available now online (100m spools)

I will be hosting a weeks guiding in May (poss.earlyJune) and a week in September. If you would like to share a boat for the day, please either PM me or, email me at craig@flashattackflies.com for details.

tight lines

Craig