The Orkney Islands are a fair trip away from around 12 hours driving. So the good lady and I stayed at Lanark overnight or should I say New Lanark by the River Clyde. Arrived in the Orkney Isles to glorious sunshine which didn’t last the week mostly dull and grey with one full day of rain. Temperatures ranged from 11.5C to 18C. The food was largely good but a little disappointed with Kirkwall which is virtually surrounded by sea and the largest town with very few fish dishes available outside Haddock and Salmon (yes plenty of cages up here in the estuaries I suppose ******* up the sea trout! No wild salmon here.) I did mange to have a supper of Megrim and chips which I haven’t enjoyed since a visit to the Scilly Isles a good few years ago. The hotel we stayed at in Kirkwall was an adequate 3 star. I spoke to a couple of Fishing Shop proprietors, just down the road from the hotel, who were very helpful and as I had the idea of furthering my wifes introduction to fishing asked where might be a suitable place to start. Kirbister Loch was recommended by the old Pump House wherever that might be. Anyway I found an interesting bank on the North East side of the loch where I had to jump a couple of gates and a bit of barbed wire. The missus felt it would be too much for her. So I fished a few rises not connecting and then the sun came out and the fish seemed to disappear. I stopped fishing and eventually spied what looked like the Pump House on the far bank. We drove round and there was one lady fisher with two rods – one a spinner and one with a tennis ball type float and two dead fish, belly up, in the margins. I left her to it. It seemed that this spot was known all around and fished regularly by locals. I did get back to the North East side later on and managed to catch a few beauties with a sedgehog on the point.
Harray Loch is regarded as the crown of the Orkney Lochs and I managed to book a boat for the following day with the guy from the hotel Merkister with John Munson who seemed to be in charge of the fishing. John asked me about my boat experiences as Harray is a lot different from anything in the Midlands and he seemed convinced that I would be ok. He also tendered an invitation to join him later at six to share a boat with him. I was shown the boat and advised which buoys to head out to and what drift I might adopt. No drogues are allowed here because of the skerries (rocky outcrops that sort of appear and disappear). There are no pike in the Orkneys but a few birds and a few otters.
So filled with confidence off I proceeded. Within half an hour of setting off I became stranded on a skerrie! Thank heavens for mobile phones. Rescue was soon upon me and a very embarrassed Loopy set off again. I had some great drifts missing a lot of fish who seemed to be lightening fast but I managed three (all returned) by lunchtime who seemed to favour a GRHE gold head which they chased. I made my way back to the hotel.
Evening came and John and I set off. He knows this water very well and is a distinct advantage to have on the loch. The masterclass began. John manoeuvred the boat as skilfully as I have aver seen and was pointing out fish left right and centre all before I had even had a chance to spot them! I had been given two cormorants tied with a flash of blue and green UV fritz respectively and advised to fish a Loch Ordie as the bob fly. I was quickly into a fish weighing around a pound and a half which I am advised is a good fish for this Loch. The time went so quickly as it does when you are catching fish that my rendezvous with my wife was overdue. I ended up with a tally of three and John probably had around eighteen but I lost a lot of fish when I finally got the fish spotting correct within the wind lanes and to the side. We pulled into the harbour and I looked down at my clothes and was covered from head to foot with insects. We had just fished a caenis hatch which turned out not too difficult with the company of a great guy.
Into the hotel to collect the obligatory tea shirt and down a couple of pints and receive yet more flies from John including a tie of the Norsk Lad featured in the August edition of FF&FT. I have decided that I am going again and I will be staying at the Merkister with John and his family but I will be carbon footprinting it next time!
Orkney Trip July 2007
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