Hope you'll all forgive me this little boast, but I'm totally chuffed.
As I've said in my other posts, I'm a total novice.
I'd planned a trip to Harelaw Trout Fishery in Nielston this morning but when I got there it was blowing a gale and lashing down - the guy running it said I'd be wasting my time, and I agreed so came home again.
But not wanting to waste a day off, I waited until after lunch then drove down to Craufurdland Fishery near Fenwick, Ayrshire, which is a lot more sheltered than Harelaw.
It was still lashing down but I don't mind the rain when there's less wind to drive it into my face.
Anyway, the loch had just been stocked and Ian, the guy who runs it, suggested trying a lure if all I was concerned about was catching some fish, so I did just that and landed a nice rainbow and a rather lethargic bluey.
Once the rain stopped after an hour or so, I noticed the fish were patrolling near the surface but not taking anything off the top, so I changed to a Hardy Butcher Gold and started casting in amongst 'em - and got two cracking rainbows.
The second one hit the fly as soon as it started to drop, and fought like a ******! It was a beautiful, thick-bodied belter of a fish.
It wasn't so much the four-fish haul which has left me chuffed - though that's great for the confidence - rather, it was the fact that the conditions changed and I responded to them successfully.
I've been greatly encouraged by all the posts on this forum where experienced FFers have talked about changing tactics when the fish aren't biting - thanks for the advice guys.
While I'm still struggling a bit to get my head round which flies to use in which circumstances, I feel much happier about experimenting.
Tight lines everyone,
Red Devil

Great to see that you had a great day out.

Sometimes I think the rain adds to the atmosphere...

Fazzer

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If you're too busy to fish then you're too busy.

Well done for sticking with it.

DB

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That wouldn't happen with a Pridex

Well done for your perseverance. I also ventured out into a fine morning yesterday, with in 1/2 hour it was blowing a gale and chucking it down. I'd paid for a four hour ticket and lasted the course, with 4 fish for my troubles

Good job Gary - just goes to show it's always worth making the effort, doesn't it. By the end of my day out the sky had cleared and there was lovely soft sunlight on the trees around the loch, which are starting to show their autumn colours. Magic, absolutely magic.

LOL; unfortunately I wasn't so fortunate; it rained constantly, more so when I opened my car door to get my waders off, my door cup-holder had 1/2" of water in it
You are right though, if you can brave the weather it makes it worthwhile; there was only myself and an old guy (70) fishing so we had the whole water to ourselves. I even managed to land 2 after stalking them

im glad you had a great day thats what its all about,i was out on Friday at Cowans Law where the wind and rain hardly let up,came well prepared ,waterproofs flask etc and my mate jimmy who likes fishing traditionals and nymphs,you should have seen his face when i took my first trout n he asked what it was i told him it was a modern take on a trad flea oh the bibio hmm not quite more like the "Blobio" black fritz,red fritz,black fritz lol,took my second on a sunburst blob a belter at over 12lbs on a dropper and went like hell,then the third to a olive buzzer,which is my prefered fishing but ill fish watever they want,all in all a great day out ,change flies ,depth move about and you shoudl get fish ps if we stopped doing things coz of wind and rain in Scotland nothnig would get done lol