Sadly due to the fact my four year old knew there was a soft play around the corner I did not get much of a chance to really enjoy the experience of the Glasgow Angling Centre Open Weekend.
My idea of fun and his are two totally different things. Paul Young got him a shot in the police car which usually patrols the National Park however his look was enough to tell me he thought we were a bunch of boring old farts, I mean who wants to talk for gods sake when there is play to be had?
Still, I managed to run into some of the guys that I usually see however met no pals.
I watched the folk milling around and got the boy to hold on to my yearly stock up of stuff I need : two tapered leaders and some red mucilin. I also picked up some wee float things so I can cheat when using nymphs ..
There was one person I wanted to finally meet and it was Anne Woodcock of fishpal who I have been following on Twitter for a while now. She posted a very nice picture of us on Twitter.
After I had another saunter around the shop it was time to head to soft play and then a jaunt up the road on the train with the boy. This was Saturday by the way and the day was lovely and Spring like, the temp was around 11 degrees (we are getting closer people) and I could swear I could smell olives.
Saturday evening was all about getting my gear out, swapping stuff from my old waistcoat into my new Patagonia waistcoat , opening up new spools of stroft and sorting out my fly boxes. I also sorted out new tapered leaders on to my old 4 weight Lamson in preparation for that first crazy outing of the year.
Sunday was another day just me and the eldest as the youngest was not well. One of the famous Kelvin work parties was taking place not far from my house so the boy got on his scooter and I got on my walking boots and we walked it down the canal and then along the Kelvin. After a while the tweeting of the birds was drowned out by the sound of chainsaws and I took the boy down a track by the river which soon turned into a newly formed path. Quite frankly it looked great as before you could not get down here without a bit of difficulty. I could tell that James Burns and James Crainey had a hand in this as those to guys are like the A Team of the committee – they have power tools and know how to use the shit out of them.
Suddenly I got a whiff of something in the air, nope, not raw manliness and testosterone from the guys with their chainsaws as in the picture…
Nope, it was the rather nice scent of garlic which totally covered the banks. I have a strong memory from the start of last season sitting in the sunshine waiting for something to happen among the garlic (nothing ever did) and it really is the herald of spring in my mind. The boy got in on a bit of the action as well, seeing as how I thought wielding a chainsaw would be a bit dangerous I allowed him to chop up some wood with the choppy cutter thing.
Of course the esteemed chairman Atkins was their with a bit of sweat dripping off his brow and was proud of it. So was another new member who just thought he would be doing a spot of litter picking and instead was hauling stuff out the river with a grappling hook.
Later we went for a walk down the river which was all a bit exciting as I had never seen it from this angle before.
I cannot remember whether that bridge is the old train or road bridge? I have crossed it a few times and suspect it is the old bridge that used to take the train from Partick to Possilpark many many years ago.
I was standing talking to Jim Burns when we both spotted our first trout rising of the season. Of course I looked up quickly just to make sure it was not in fact a bird poo however as their were none in sight it looks like we had a rising trout on the Kelvin today. Sure, it just rose the once and then disappeared however it was an honest to goodness trout rising so I am well looking forward to the start of the season.
Have you guys been preparing?
Preparing for the season … actually I got an invite from a fellow flyfisherman of a neighboring syndicate
to join their clubs opener.
The day will start with a traditional breakfast, then we will head out to the river and see if we can
get any fish.
The afternoon will be spend in a rural pub for dinner and then the end is more or less open.
Alastair, I thought you favoured indicator flys when fishing bugs. I walked past the work party on Sunday, and I must say that Mr Burns was doing a fine job atop a ladder putting signs up, and you could hear the chainsaw for miles….
I was up fishing the tummel last week and I saw my first rising trout of the year – no idea what it was eating, there were no sign of any flies hatching, maybe it was just practicing. Gonna head over to the kelvin today and see what’s what. Also thanks to whoever was responsible for bolting those new steps onto the wall at the white house , much appreciated !
I have seen a few sings that spring is on the way. The daffodils are out, and I even saw some new born lambs last week. No kidding!
Hey Marcel – I meant to send you an email to ask you to contact Paul via the contact us page on the fishkelvin.com sit about the fleece and hat. Tell me, does your traditional breakfast involve sausages?
squigster, You should have came down, Pal brought cookies!
Alasdair – I thought for a moment there you were going to tell me you had already hauled in a few purely by looking at the river!
Alex, an old guy told me once that when you seen the first mole hills spring is almost here. I now see them in January.
OK, I guess you are still without a computer then 🙂
I will try and contact Paul for the fleece.
I guess the traditional breakfast and this will be the breakfast on the other side
of the border will be withouth sausages but will incorporate ham.
I will take some pics…
Yup, I am making do between my phone and my android tablet just now however it is hardly ideal. New laptop being delivered tomorrow hopefully: -)
Alistair the boy earned his cookies hope he gave his wee brother a cookie when he got home.
Marcel posted about breakfast. Now there’s an idea hot rolls on bacon wafting up the from the riverbank bet that would get more down to the work parties
The local flyfishing club I am member of holds an annual pike flyfishing contest
where they fish during the winter each month in the local waters.
At the end of every venue our own “chef” prepares something to eat right at
the waters edge with his field kitchen, it does draw people 🙂
Your club has a chef ?
Sort of … one of the members volunteered.
I will see if I can dig up any pictures and post it in the forum