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High and Dry on the Lake of Menteith: A Week of Superb Surface Sport

Posted by Craig Barr on

High and Dry on the Lake of Menteith: A Week of Superb Surface Sport

  There’s something about early May on the Lake of Menteith that always holds promise—but this year, the weather turned the dial well past “unseasonal.” Hot, still, sun-baked days stretched across my week, accompanied by little more than a whisper of wind. For most, these conditions might spell a challenge on stillwater. But the Lake, with its unique ecology and abundant fly life, turned up the volume on surface sport, as the fish took advantage of the consistent flies hatching all throughout the days. Upon arriving, each morning by the boat dock, fish could be seen rising, right across the...

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Winter Wonderland - Menteith, November 2024

Posted by Craig Barr on

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. ! 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,...

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Magnificent Menteith !

Posted by Craig Barr on

Magnificent Menteith !

After a phenomenal week in May, with an average of 27 fish to the boat, surely it couldn't better that. could it ? A practice day on the Saturday with friend, Fraser Mcconnell, saw us parked in the middle of the basin, in  pretty much flat calm conditions for the first hour, and bright sunshine, with a temperature 24 degrees! A tip off from Lake regular John Buchannon, told us the fish were on buzzers - happy days, right up my street. I fished a team of buzzers at first, then switched later to buzzers and diawl bachs. All flies...

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Magical Menteith - 6 Flies And A 4 Day Average Of 26 Fish

Posted by Craig Barr on

Magical Menteith - 6 Flies And A 4 Day Average Of 26 Fish

Scotland's Lake Of Menteith is one of my favourite waters, as it always seems to offer every style of fly fishing on offer, dries, nymphs, lures. All tactics seem to consistently work here at the correct time of year to fish it. The week was set for me to take 4 different anglers out fishing, and hopefully get a fish or two to the boat - This we certainly did, as our daily average was 23 fish. I was extremely fortunate to get near tropical Scottish weather, with temperatures in the low 20's for all 4 days., and a consistent...

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Rutland - Shrimps V Buzzers ! Which One Won The Battle?

Posted by Craig Barr on

Rutland - Shrimps V Buzzers ! Which One Won The Battle?

Every year I look forward to the visit of Irish angler Nick Hannon. Nick has joined me for the 3rd year in a row now, for a 3 day adventure on Rutland Water. We have had some ridiculously good buzzer fishing the past two years, however this season, a new food source was on the menu, the SHRIMP ! Could it now become the new March & April food source? As we headed out onto the lake, we decided on the sailing club bay, as a SW wind gave us nice shelter, for either our buzzer or shrimp set up...

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