Hi Guys

I was tubing a highland Loch yesterday beautiful weather and peaceful

Place was heaving with shield bugs, hundreds of them !! Lots drowning bugs which insisted on climbing onto my tube and then flapped there wings like crazy.

Im pretty sure i saw trout taking them or certinally having a go at them.

No idea what species are ? ive seen lots at Millhall fishery one day in Polmont/Falkirk but they were a differnt species. Smelly little buggers if you pick them up ! but i knid of like them

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Englander

"Barbless since 2008"

Vision GT Four catapult 9' 6#
Vision GT Four SW 9' 9#
Vision 3 Zone 9' 5#
Vision Cult 9' 3#
Shakespeare Trion 9' 5/6#
Cortland Endurance 9' 6#
Shakespeare Expedition float tube
Vosseler DC3 reel
Okuma Helios 8/9 reel
Greys G series 3/4 reel
Snowbee Geo 3/4 reel

Looks like Forest Shieldbug Pentatoma rufipes.

Like this one from my website.

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Don't worry, be happy.
Sandy
Carried it in full, then carry it out empty.

Our own Stan (troutheaven) did an article on these in Trout and Salmon. It was covering obscure flies that trout have a wee taste for when they are available.

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It is in truth not glory,nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting,but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with his life.(Declaration of Arbroath, 1320)

Aye, they are also known as stink bugs (a defence mechanism), but trout love 'em. Lake of Menteith is a favourite place for them, but usually associated with later on - August/September time. Someone else mentioned seeing a load of them, so they are maybe shifting their season or some other reason for their early appearance?

Col

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My hovercraft is full of eels