Do you ever have one of those fishing days... You know, the good ones?

I have been blessed with some real 'corkers' this season that have seen nice brownies and big sea trout, mixed weather, good company and tackle that works. I wish I had kept a diary really

I only gave it some thought when my mate (the bank weed sniffer) and I turned up at a pool to fish to find it full of bewetsuited children having great fun. He looked at me and I just said 'well we all have to enjoy it don't we?'. We tackled up, I had no intention of going far, I just wanted to try a line that our very own Spencer had given me. Cast no 1 - a nice little wild brownie promptly released, cast no 2 - another brownie... Bank Sniffer had now gone back to the Land Rover to sort his cast out when another fly fisherman hoved into view (I didn't get to speak to him) I think I was dealing with my 3rd or 4th fish. Little children and dads alike were all interested in what was at the end of my line so I would show them these beautiful, yellow fin perfect, red spotted brownies (only tiddlers) and allow the kids return them for me. No matter what I put on the point of my leader yesterday, it had a fish - all wet flies / nymphs. Unfortunately Bank Sniffer was having a blank but seemed to enjoy the experience anyway; we chatted with folk and took in the sunshine by one of Dartmoor's (and by inference 'The World's') prettiest pools, drank coffee and ate mince pies that his missus had made.

What a great day... And the line, the Orvis Wonderline Gen III from Spencer? I was comparing it with a Cortland 444 on a 8ft Streamflex #4 - I have to say for my money (it was given to me) it outshone the Cortland in several distinctive ways; It is certainly more 'affirming' in the snakes and has the edge when it comes to shooting - for that particular rod, it rolls better (I have no idea why but it does), and oddly enough it was more buoyant too. I have shared this view with Spencer and told him what a git he is!!! Why? I had always considered Cortland 444 a great line as I use it in various weights and have done for about 7 years or so and at approx £40 a pop considered it 'premium enough' for me - Now I have this Orvis line that I will have to replace one day - and it is more expensive but now I've tried it how can I turn my back on it

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Time is a stream I go fishing in.

You may be a soap dodger but have you thought about cleaning your Cortland lines?

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"The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers"
Henry VI, William Shakespeare

- That may be true

However, this particular line was new about 2 months ago and was last cleaned probably 4 or 5 outings ago. Don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of the 444 (when I say over 7 years - thats about 4 or 5 different lines - I like them).

But I must give credit where it's due and for me, with that rod on that day the Gen III was good.



How about your good day, Blithy?

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Time is a stream I go fishing in.

I had one on the Lake of Menteith during an evenng session, had 15 to the boat between 2 in the 3 hours all on boobies, blobs and cast , had at least 15 follows and lst a few, just rolly polying 'em on floters and MT's biggest was 5lb and the average was 3lb what a night, also had one on hliday where i had 2 grilse in one night and lost a cracking 15 punner, all on ladt etnas, grilse flies and pink ladies

Isn't it a great feeling when you can do no wrong. Problem is you know it won't last lol. So milk it for all its worth while the going is good.

I have had a cracking year this year. Kennick has been really kind to me, more than it should of really.

Fished around abit over the last 12 months and the hardest day so far has been on chew last week, but still i managed 3 and dropped 3 through boat watching instead of concentrating on my flies duhhh.

I had a great trip in the West Highlands on holiday 2 or 3 weeks ago. I was camping overnight fishing a variety of lochs, on a trip over peaty, boggy, hilly, generally hard hiking for 9 miles. First loch I chucked my line onto the water to pull some line from my reel. Boom! a 1/2 pound golden speckled, beautiful brownie.
I fished about 9 lochs/lochans in total, the trout were coloured differently in every loch and ranged from 8" to good hard fighting 1lb'ers. I only stopped for a sleep at around 11, was fishing again at 5.30a.m and in total caught over fifty trout (3 times I caught 2 at once).
I couldn't do wrong and it is the greatest fishing experience I am ever likely to come across.
Unless next year yields even better.
My only regret is that I didn't stop to take photographs....
Tight Lines.......

DM , Glad you liked the Line , Cortland Line aint too bad but the Orvis Gen3 is better on Running water, lands down lighter, better for wild fish , thats my view anyway, for what its worth, .


Cheers
Spencer

The highlands are always a lot of fun, i had over 100 fish in ireland on my hols