Lochs
Competition Dates/Information and Reports
Watten (Parry) 2026
Danny's Report
Poor conditions result in quick changes.
The loch looked good on approach and whilst setting up the boats. The fishing
conditions appearing manageable despite a good breeze.
Going afloat quickly changed that opinion as all 18 anglers complained of poor water quality of less than
2 feet of visibility. Some anglers stating that they quickly changed their choice of
fishing line at the start of the event, due to these conditions. It was wet and windy all
day and very blowy on the water. The NNW wind left very little hiding places for
shelter. Boats were spread all over the Loch throughout the day, changing locations
regularly. Possibly indicating a search for the feeding fish.
The resident Osprey was seen all day, floating around various parts of the loch but not seen to be diving down
for any fish. Perhaps she too struggled with the reduced visibility. The showers were
intermittent, heavy at times and the rain was split by the dry and bright sunny spells,
however these had no improvement on the fishing.
Only 4 anglers caught more than one fish with 7 blanks from a total of 18 anglers fishing. Blanking anglers reported
nothing happening all day despite a change in fishing lines and fishing flies.
1 st Place goes to Ross Mackay with 4 fish weighed in for a weight of 7lbs and 14
ounces.
Sheltering in railway bay, Ross was using a Di 5 sinking line with Merkister Maid
patterns on the leader.
2 nd Place goes to Billy Thomson with 2 fish weighed in for a weight of 4lbs 12 ½
ounces.
Billy was armed with his famous Gorgeous George Pattern flies, using a Di 5 sinking
line, fishing the right hand side of the berth to catch his fish.
3 rd Place goes to George Roberston with 3 fish weighed in for a weight of 4lbs 2 ¼
ounces.
George was also using a Di 5 sinking line. Using a set-up of, Orange Hulk and
Merkister Maid patterns, fishing behind the island and factors bay. George stayed at
the Watten Village end of the loch all day.
4 th place goes to Neil Clyne. 5 th place goes to Willie Plank. 6 th Place goes to Callum
Mackenzie.
Heaviest fish goes to Billy Thomson with an individual trout tipping the scales at 3lb
3 ounces.
Our next competition is the Hills Lochs Competition for the Ian Hay Trophy on
Saturday 22 nd August.
Calder Boat 2026
Danny's Report
A southwest breeze in the run up and all through the competition, set the course on
the day. Overcast all day, providing good light conditions with the breeze fluctuating
in strength. Anglers reported it was calming right down and then returning with
strength.
Boats were spread all over the Loch throughout the day. With east bank anglers
riding some challenging waves and the west bank anglers, hiding from the main
breeze, the drift being dictated by the wind strength, all day. The afternoon calming
conditions promoted a light Mayfly hatch, accompanied by an Olive Dun hatch. Black
hawthorn terrestrials were also spotted on the surface. All competing anglers
reported a good catch of smaller trout, with fourteen anglers on the water, no one
reported a blank.
1 st Place goes to Alex Donald with 27 fish weighed in for a weight of 14lbs and 6 ½
ounces.
It was reported that Alex was on fire. Fishing a full floater line all day. Tackling the
waves, he was fishing a team of Daddy Longlegs Patterns, black and brown
coloured with red or yellow tails.
2 nd Place goes to Billy Thomson with 17 fish weighed in for a weight of 9lbs 11 ½
ounces.
Sharing a boat with Alex, Billy was also using a team of coloured daddy Longlegs
Patterns. Fishing around the Yellow Buoy area, on the dam side. Other anglers joked
that they perhaps tried to fool the fish into believing there was a Daddy Longlegs
hatch on.
3 rd Place goes to Greg Thomson with 17 fish weighed in for a weight of 9lbs 6 ¾
ounces.
Greg was using a full floating line with a set up of classic and traditional patterns of a
Kate McLaren, Black Pennel and a Sedgehog Pattern, fishing the west bank of the
loch.
For the second time this season, there was a re-weigh for the biggest fish of the day.
The boat partners of James Simpson and Toby Bracey both very close. Both had a
fish of 15 ½ ounces, with Toby Bracey pinching the prize with a fraction more at 15 and
¾ ounces.
Our next competition is the last boat competition of the season. The Watten Parry
competition. Saturday 15 th August on Loch Watten.
Watten Evening (KML Trophy) 2026
Danny's Report
Watten earth is going on?
Warm temperatures and mixed signals from the weather. Coupled with heavy cloud cover,
made it a hard evening to prepare for on arrival at the boat launch. The darkening clouds,
steady wind and ongoing rain cast a dark spell over the fishing conditions. Anglers described
it as tough conditions throughout the evening. Some of the anglers that returned a blank
described losing fish and most anglers reported gentle takes from the fish that were caught.
It proved a challenging evening for all ten anglers who attended the competition. Only 7 fish
weighed in at the scales after 4 hours of fishing. Five anglers reported a blank.
1 st Place goes to Willie Plank with two fish weighed in for a weight of 3lbs 4 ½ ounces.
Willie was using a full floating line, armed with a foam bodied Daddy Longlegs pattern and a
Pheasant Tail Nymph pattern. Both of his fish were caught in the last 30 minutes of the
competition.
2 nd Place goes to Alex Donald, with two fish weighed in for a weight of 3 lbs.
Alex was using a Di5 Sweep Line, fishing Red Headed Muddler and White Headed
Muddler patterns. Likely to be imitating small fry or insect larvae moving around sub surface.
3 rd place goes to Toby Bracey with one fish weighed in for 2lbs exactly.
Toby took the prize of capturing the biggest fish of the event, a 2lb trout caught using a
Ghost Tip fly line and Westie Pattern Fly.
A hard evening of fishing for all anglers involved. Our next competition is the Loch Calder
Boat Competition, Saturday 8 th August.
Calder Bank (Briskham Trophy) 2026
Danny's Report
We had bright and warm weather all week with a light thunderstorm and heavy rain in some
locations on the evening before the competition. Warm surface water temperatures all over
the loch on the day. The light wind held an NNW direction for the few days prior to and
throughout the day of the event. Steady hatches of Mayfly were witnessed all over the loch
by the 9 anglers in attendance. Everybody except one angler reported that the fishing was
great up until around just after 1pm when it dropped off and the hatch ceased greatly. The
other reported it was slow all day for him. Overcast skies all day presented wonderful
conditions for fly fishing. The mayfly appeared in better than average numbers, hatches
being regular for 15 minutes or so, then stopping for short periods and beginning again. The
trout would have had a treat all day, sub surface feeding on the nymphs as they made their
way to hatch on the surface. The build up of spent mayfly casings on the surface of the
water is testament to the vast numbers that Loch Calder holds and also an indicator of a
very healthy aquatic environment. A great food source for hungry trout.
9 anglers competed on the day bringing 57 trout to be weighed in. Many anglers reported
exceptional catches of small trout, smaller than the minimum 10 inches required on the loch
unfortunately. The result shows 2 anglers with a blank, despite all anglers catching fish on
the day.
1 st place goes to Willie Plank with 13 fish for a weight of 7lb and 5 ounces.
Wille was fishing the northwest corner of the loch throughout the competition on a full
floating line and says that the majority of his fish where caught on a Sedgehog pattern.
2 nd Place goes to Alex Donald with 8 fish for a weight of 5lbs and 8 ½ ounces.
Fishing the east side of the loch down from the dam wall, Alex was catching on Mayfly
patterned Muddlers. Using a full floating line. He reported that one area of the loch was hard
to fish due to excessive weeds.
3 rd place goes to Neil Clyne with 9 fish for a weight of 5lbs and 8 ounces.
Making the effort to use a club boat, Neil accessed the west bank of the loch, on the far side,
wading well out, he fished the west bank point up to the big bay on the NW corner. A Viva
Hog, Loch Ordie Hog and traditional Kate McLaren pattern were his choice for the day.
4 th goes to Aivis Kreslins with 9 fish for 4 pounds 14 ½ ounces.
5 th goes to Paul Smith with 7 fish for 3 pounds 11 ounces.
6 th place goes to Toby Bracey 5 fish for 2 pounds 13 ½ ounces.
Alex Donald took the biggest fish, a trout of 1 pound and 6 ounces, the only fish of the day
over the one-pound mark.
Our next competition is the Watten Evening Competition for the KML Trophy. Wednesday
22 nd July at 6pm. All club members are invited to compete.
Watten Early Bird 2026
Danny's Report
An almost flat calm loch awaited the anglers prior to the 6am start for the competition. The
wind was not as strong as the forecast had predicted and whilst the anglers prepared the
boats, there was a healthy hatch of insects and feeding trout visible from the boat launch
point. Fish were simply not responding to the artificial patterns presented to them.
Breakfast is served. For some.
The first few hours of the competition were hard going for most anglers, only the visiting
Osprey was on the catch list with a successful trout for its breakfast. At least someone was
catching. The sky remained overcast with a light wind that certainly wasn’t cold. There was
light but persistent rain between the hours of 8am and 10am followed by the bright sun and a
stronger wind for the last hour. Clearly the trout had decided on a siesta. Only 4 anglers
weighed in fish, with a re weighing to decide the biggest.
Ross Mackay took 1 st place with 3 fish for a weight of 4lb and 4 ½ ounces.
Ross was armed with a Di 5, sinking line, his first fish around 8am and the other two not far
from 9am. The Merkester Maid fly was his successful pattern. He fished the middle of the
Town End.
Peter Creasey took 2 nd place with 2 fish for weight of 3lbs 7 ¼ ounces.
Peter had early success with a fish a few minutes past the 6am start and a second fish at 14
minutes past. Thinking he had cracked the loch straight away, he was however to be
disappointed to have no further success. An intermediate line was used with an Olive
Muddler pattern.
Alex Donald took 3 rd place with 1 fish for a weight of 2lbs.
Alex was using a full floating line with a White-Headed Muddler and took his fish in Kiddies
Corner in the last hour of the competition.
Toby Bracey deserves a mention, for his 4 th place as the only other angler to bank a fish.
His catch tipped the scales at 1lb 3ounces. Toby caught his fish responding to and covering
a rise.
Anglers were frustrated at the gentle nibbling of flies with many of the blanking anglers
reporting missed takes. One angler was playing a fish until it swam away with all three flies
of his cast, detached at the braided loop.
Both Peter Creasey and Alex Donald had weighed in a fish that tipped the scales at 2lb
exactly, so a re weigh was in hand and it was decided that Alex Donald had caught the
biggest with the scales moving a fraction further than on Peter’s.
A hard day all round.
Our next event is for the Briskham Cup, Loch Calder bank competition. Saturday 11 th July
2026.
Calder Boat (Parry 66) 2026
Danny's Report
Hot. Hot. Hot. With a blowing wind.
Warm, dry and bright weather on the run up to the competition left anglers unsure what to
expect on arrival at the boat launch.. The wind forecast stated that the maximum wind would
be 14mph with gusts up to 17mph in the midday to early afternoon. The forecast got it
wrong. Quite wrong. The wind direction was undefinable for the first few hours as it changed
direction to suit itself. As the wind increased around midday it began to settle in direction,
blowing from the New Bay across the loch and turning northwards up the loch. Yet it still had
its moments of direction change. The white horses in the afternoon blowing over the
exposed water, was a beautiful sight.
The Mayfly hatch was slow in the morning but increased throughout the day. There was a
hatch of other aquatic insects also, one that I was unable to identify. It was black, the size of
sedge and had a broad wing but not the legs of a Hawthorn or its relatives. As the wind
increased the boats began to seek shelter on the west side of the loch, using the trees and
land for cover. It was possible to find areas with very little wind, until it changed direction
quickly. Gusts could only be estimated but anglers that were asked had said they felt that the
gusts were over 35mph. The hatches seem to die in the afternoon when the wind picked up,
leaving plenty of spent Mayfly casings on the surface.
17 anglers attended the event with 99 fish weighed in at the scales. There were boats that
did very well and boats that weren’t so successful, location I feel played a part in the result.
No one had a blank on the day.
1 st Place goes to Toby Bracey with 17 fish for a weight of 9lbs and 8 ¼ ounces.
Toby began on a floating line with dry flies and grunter patterns but around 1pm switched to
a fast-sinking midge tip line, using a Quasi Viva pattern, straggler patterns and a Sedgehog
pattern.
2 nd Place goes to George Robertson with 13 fish for a weight of 8lb and 4ounces.
Using an intermediate line all day, George reported that his fish were caught on a Dunkeld
Muddler pattern and a Sooty George pattern. The Sooty being a variant of the Gorgeous
George pattern regularly used in Caithness.
3 rd Place goes to Kevin Imlach with 12 fish for a weight of 7lbs and 15 ½ ounces.
Kevin was using a full floating line throughout the day and stated that the wet Mayfly pattern
fished subsurface done the work on the day.
Biggest fish of the day goes to Peter Creasey, with a trout tipping the scales at 1lb and 14
ounces.
4 th Place Alex Donald. 5 th Place Aivis Kreslins. 6th Place Neil Clyne.
The next competition is the Watten Early Bird competition, Saturday 4th July 2026.
Watten All Nighter (Hugo Ross Trophy) 2026
Danny's Report
Warm weather set the tone for a fantastic night of fishing on Loch Watten. 17 Anglers went
afloat for a 10pm start and fished all night right through till 7am, even as the temperature
dropped in the early hours. Fish were caught throughout the competition, including a few
specimen trout caught in the middle of the night in the darkness.
45 trout were weighed in at The Brown Trout Hotel car park in the village of Watten. The vast
majority of the fish weighed in were well over a pound in weight with 5 individual fish very
close to the 2lb mark. One fish comfortably over that mark. A great night had by all as the
temperature stayed comfortable until the very early hours when it dropped sharply in
expectance of the rising sun. Exceptional fishing was provided by good conditions all over
the loch, wind direction changed every so often but provided a great ripple for the anglers
and the feeding trout. Boats spread throughout the loch all night with fish feeding all over.
1 st Place goes to Alex Donald with 10 fish weighed in for 16lbs 3 ounces.
Alex was using a full floating line all night, fishing the area around kiddie’s corner and down
towards the lone tree. Using a Peter Ross Muddler and Teal Blue Muddler. Alex had caught
fish at all times of the competition and weighed in the biggest fish of the competition with
a weight of 2lbs 6 ounces.
2nd Place goes to Garry Begg with 5 fish weighed in for 6lbs 3 ½ ounces.
Using a floating night all night Garry caught two fish in the first half hour and the remainder in
the middle of the night between 1am and 3am in the darkness of the night. Green Peter
Sedgehog and a Mayfly Pearly Muddler done the damage with fish caught up at the red
shed and near the boat berth.
3 rd Place goes to Kevin Imlach with 3 fish weighed in for 4lbs 11 ½ ounces.
Starting with a floating line for the first while, Kevin changed to a Di 7 sinking line fishing a
wet mayfly pattern and a red hulk pattern. Kevin stated that the fish he caught were all
caught quickly after the fly hit the water so may not have been that deep whilst feeding.
4 th place is shared by Willie Plank and James Simpson both weighed in 4 fish and both
turning the scales to 4lb 11 ounces.
5 th place goes to Greg Thomson who weighed in 3 fish for a weight of 4lb 9 ounces.
Biggest fish was caught by Alex Donald weighing in at 2lbs 6 ounces.
Our next competition is the Calder Boat Competition on Loch Calder for the Parry Trophy on
Saturday the 27 th June.
All Lochs Evening (I. Hanna Trophy) 2026
Danny's Report
Very wet weather was the build up to the All Lochs Competition. 18 anglers attended the
event, competing to get their name etched on our Hannah Trophy. Loch Calder, Loch Watten
and St Johns Loch were chosen for the event this season with anglers on boats spread
across all three lochs.
Heavy rain had been reported throughout the Highlands for a few days, and the Friday
evening of the competition didn’t escape the heavy showers either. The water temperature
for all three lochs was reported as warm to the touch with very little fish showing, a lack of
insect life is likely the cause of this, although the weigh in late in the evening was plagued by
the dreaded midge.
1 st Place goes to Willie Plank with 6 fish weighed in for a weight of 8lb and 3 ounces.
Willie was following the same tactics of his previous competition with the wet mayfly catching
his prey for the evening, he did however change to a full floating line on this occasion. His
best fish tipped the scales at 1lb and 13 ounces. Willie was fishing on Loch Watten.
2 nd Place goes to Ross Mckay with 4 fish weighed in for a weight of 7lbs and 7 ounces.
Ross was using with Di 5 sinking line, searching the depths with a count down tactic to find
the depth the fish were feeding. His fish were all taken on a selection of muddler patterns.
Ross had the biggest fish of the evening with a fish of 2lb and 5 ounces. Ross was fishing on
Loch Watten for the competition.
3 rd Place goes to Ian Cannop with 5 fish weighed in for a weight of 4lbs.
Ian Cannop was on Loch Calder, he reported that the Clan Chief pattern proved his best
pattern of the evening fished on a midge tip line. The best fish for Ian of the evening was a
trout of 1lb and 1 ounce.
4 th place goes to Billy Thomson, 3 fish for 3lb 10 ounces. Loch Watten.
5 th place goes to Paul Smith , 7 fish for 3lb 9 ½ ounces. Loch Calder.
6 th Place goes to Aivis Kreslins, 2 fish for 3lb 5 ounces. Loch Watten.
Biggest fish of the evening goes to Ross McKay with a fish of 2lb and 5 Ounces.
All anglers reported thirty to forty minutes of very heavy rain shower whilst fishing, some of
them had no catches during this period of rain. The wind was very cold and changing
direction for most of the evening. The next competition in the calendar is for the Hugo Ross
Trophy, Loch Watten all nighter on Saturday 20 th June starting at 10pm.
Watten Bank (Robertson Cup) 2026
Danny's Report
With bright and warm conditions in the days running up to the evening of the competition, it
was expected that the loch would be bubbling with an active hatch and warming waters.
Evidently, it was not to be.
A cold Southwesterly wind had developed on the day and continued into and throughout the
evening of the competition. 10 anglers took part in the event and again all arrived expecting
great conditions at the 6pm start, the water temperature had indeed come up but the cold
wind and excess air pressure had clearly signaled the fish to stay down and away from the
surface. Insect life was zero, nothing in or on the water and very few fish were seen rising on
the surface. Anglers reported that the fish were simply not interested in the artificial flies
presented.
Rain showers were off and on and the colder water landing on the surface of the Loch had
no effect on the resident trout. They remained out of sight. Ten fish were brought for the
weigh in after the 10pm finish.
1 st Place goes to Willie Plank. Using the midge tip line, Willie had his first fish near the Red
Shed on a sunk mayfly pattern. His second fish was caught to the right of the boat launching
area, again on the sunk mayfly pattern and after trying a little further towards Laid Bay he
returned to the Red Shed area for the remainder of the time.
2 fish weighed in for 2lb and 13ounces, best fish tipped the scales at 1lb 11 ½ ounces.
2 nd Place goes to Greg Thomson. With a full floating set up, Greg fished near the Oldhall
berth and reported a few fish caught under sized including a double hook up. A black Pennel
pattern was reported to produce most of the interest for Greg with 1 keeper and 2
undersized fish. Greg had a second keeper caught on a muddler variant with also returned
on the same pattern.
2 fish weighed in for 2lb 7ounces.
3 rd Place goes to Aivis Kreslins, with only 1 fish caught weighed in, however it tipped the
scales 1lb 14 ¼ ounces. Starting at the northern end of Laid Bay and moving slowly back
towards the berth. Aivis had no interest at all from the trout until the last 20 minutes, his first
fish was played and landed carefully but in the process it made a mess of the leader, so save
time Aivis cut the mess of and left the remaining Clan Chief fly attached. He hooked another
trout on the single fly but it managed to spit the hook as it approached the net.
1 fish weighed in for 1lb 14 ¼ ounces.
Heaviest fish of the evening goes to Aivis Kreslins with his only catch of 1lb 14 ¼ ounce.
4 th place to Neil Clyne with a fish of 1lb 11 ½ ounce.
5 th place to Tony Chalmers with a fish of 1lb 9 ounce.
6 th Place to Alex Donald with a fish of 1lb 8 ½ ounce.
The next competition is the All Lochs competition, for the Hanna Trophy, held on Loch
Watten, Loch Calder and St Johns Loch on the evening Friday 5 th June 2026. 6pm till 10pm.
Toftingall (Bloody Foreigner Trophy) 2026
Danny's Report
A good start expected.
Overcast and warming conditions for the day ahead set the expectations high for some anglers on the bank
before the competition started at 9.30am. With only 12 anglers attending, all dressed with chest waders in
preparation for the depths of Loch of Toftingall.
A westerly wind in the morning saw anglers spread across the southwest banks, a small hatch of
terrestrials early on provided a focus for the feeding trout. The mayfly hatch was slow to get started and
saw continuous hatches throughout the morning in small numbers. A few anglers had started and persisted
all day with the Mayfly patterns, washing line style on floating lines with a large dry Mayfly pattern and a
couple of wets on the droppers. Others tried various wet fly patterns and all anglers used a Floating line or
midge tip due the shallow depths of the loch.
The early Mayfly hatch had disappeared by late morning as it took the warming of the mid-day sun to break
through the cloud to encourage its return. Anglers had spread across the loch by late morning with fish
rising on and off throughout the day on the mayfly hatch, terrestrials being blown onto the water and an
olive dun hatch all over the Loch. By 3 pm the Mayfly had returned in good numbers.
1st Place.
Kevin Imlach proves to be the Mayfly master on the day with 11 fish weighed in and a reported 21 in total
caught for the day. Later in the afternoon Kevin had a double hook up on the north-western shore not far
from the boathouse whilst wading approximately 20metres from the bank. Midge tip line armed with a
Mayfly pattern on the point and a Denis the Menace pattern on the droppers.
11 fish weighed in for a total weight of 6lb and 5 oz, with his heaviest fish tipping the scales at 10
ounces.
Aivis Kreslins took 2 nd place with 5 fish weighed in. Aivis focused most of his time in the southwest corner
until the wind changed direction. Moving along the southern shore to far side proved fruitless with no sign of
any fish, he quickly returned to his starting location. Aivis was armed with the Clan Chief pattern, with a size
12 and bushy size 14 on his set up of full floating line.
5 fish weighed in for a total weight of 3lb 3.5oz with his heaviest fish reaching 13oz on the scales. A
second fish not far behind at 12 and three quarter ounces.
Gary Begg took 3 rd place with 5 fish to the scales. It was Gary’s first day on the loch and any nerves he may
have had certainly didn’t show. Gary focused his attention on the west bank and was wading out
comfortably. A full floating line was used with his fly patterns described as a mix of random wet fly with a
flouro tail at best.
5 fish weighed in for a total weight of 2lb 13oz, heaviest fish reaching 11 and three quarter ounces.
Heaviest fish goes to Aivis Kreslins with two good fish, the winner at 13 ounces and followed closely by a
fish of 12 and ¾ ounces.
Our next competition is The Roberstons Cup,a bank competition on Loch Watten on the evening of Friday
29 th May 2026.
Watten (Presidents Quaich) 2026
Report
Strong Turnout and Fine Trout at DFFA’s Opening Boat Competition on Loch Watten
The Dounreay Fly Fishing Association (DFFA) launched its boat league season in style last Saturday with the annual competition for the prestigious Presidents Quaich Trophy on Loch Watten. With 18 anglers taking part, it marked an excellent turnout for the club’s first boat event of the year.
Cold Winds Challenge Promising Start
Competitors arrived to calm north-westerly winds, bright sunshine and encouraging signs of insect activity on the loch. While preparing boats along the shore, conditions appeared ideal for a productive day’s fishing and hopes were high amongst the anglers.
However, once afloat, conditions quickly became more demanding. The cold north-west wind strengthened throughout the day, forcing many boats to seek shelter along protected banks and deploy drogues to slow their drifts. Despite occasional hatches in calmer areas, only a handful of anglers witnessed trout actively rising to surface insects.
Even so, catches proved far better than many expected.
Best Opening Results in Years
The 18 competitors were spread across 10 boats - eight doubles and two singles - with fishing taking place from 9:30am until lines-up at 4pm.
Despite the testing weather, the overall results were highly encouraging. Nearly twice as many fish were weighed in compared to the same competition last year, with several anglers landing trout of excellent quality. Only five competitors failed to weigh in, while 13 anglers managed to catch fish.
James Simpson Takes the Presidents Quaich
Leading the field was James Simpson, who claimed the Presidents Quaich Trophy and maximum 18 Boat League points with an impressive basket of eight trout weighing 10lb 3oz. James found success fishing the Railway Bay and Lone Tree (stump) areas. After experimenting with several lines during the day, he discovered the winning formula using a Fast Glass line paired with Norski Hulk and Rebel Dabbler flies.
Alex Donald Continues Strong Form
Second place went to Alex Donald, whose seven trout weighed 9lb 8oz, earning him 16 points. Alex concentrated on repeated drifts between Oldhall Berth and Laid Bay, fishing all day with a DI5 Sweep line and a combination of Merkister Maid and Pearl Muddler flies.
George Robertson Lands Third Spot
In third place was George Robertson, who weighed in four trout for 8lb 14oz and secured 14 points. George fished drifts between Railway Bay and Factors Bay, mainly using a DI5 line with Rebel Dabbler and White-Hackled Invicta flies.
Biggest Fish for Billy Thomson
The heaviest fish of the competition fell to Billy Thomson, whose superb trout of 4lb 3oz earned him a bonus point. Billy finished fourth overall with three fish for 7lb 2½oz and collected 14 points.
Completing the top six were:
- 5th: William Plank — 3 fish for 4lb 4oz (12 points)
- 6th: Peter Creasey — 2 fish for 4lb 2½oz (11 points)
Also weighing in catches were: Callum Mackenzie, Neil Clyne, Ian Cannop, Toby Bracey, Ross Mackay, Kevin Imlach and Aivis Kreslins.
These results also form the opening standings of the DFFA Boat League for the 2026 season.
Next Competition
The next DFFA championship event moves back to the bank, with anglers set to compete for the Bloody Foreigner Trophy on Saturday 23 May at Loch Toftingal. With the season now well underway, competitors will be hoping the improving temperatures bring even more productive fishing in the weeks ahead.
Calder Bank (Rusty Cup) 2026
Report
Blustery Start to Bank Season as Alex Donald Lifts Rusty Cup on Loch Calder
The Dounreay Fly Fishing Association (DFFA) opened its bank fishing season last
Saturday with the Rusty Cup competition on Loch Calder, drawing 13 anglers for
what proved to be a challenging but, for some, rewarding day on the water.
Testing Conditions on the Bank
Competitors were met with a brisk north-westerly wind, overcast skies and a
distinctly chilly feel in the air - conditions that will surprise no one familiar with
early-season fishing in Caithness. As the day progressed, the wind strengthened
to near-gale force from the west, making casting increasingly difficult and
testing both patience and technique. Occasional sunny spells provided brief
relief, helping thaw cold hands and keep spirits up.
Fishing got underway at 9:30am and continued until lines up at 4pm, with
anglers spread along the loch’s banks in search of feeding trout.
Mixed Fortunes Across the Field
Results reflected the demanding conditions. Of the 13 competitors, six failed to
land a fish, while seven managed to weigh in. Encouragingly, those who did
connect with fish found them to be of good size, with only a small number of
undersized trout returned.
Donald Dominates to Take the Trophy
In top form, Alex Donald claimed the Rusty Cup with an impressive return of 13
trout for 7lb 11oz, earning the maximum 13 Bank League points. He made an
early start with two fish from the south side near the boats before moving into
New Bay, where he enjoyed the bulk of his success. Fishing a floating line with
muddler flies featuring orange and red tags, Donald proved that persistence and
mobility paid dividends.
Imlach and Clyne Follow Close Behind
Kevin Imlach secured second place with 10 fish weighing 5lb 14 1⁄2oz, also landing
the heaviest fish of the day at 1lb 11 1⁄2oz to claim a valuable bonus point and
finish with 12 points. Fishing the north end of the loch all day, he used a Fast
Midge Tip line with a selection of flies including Gorgeous George, Green Zulu
and Mosaic Norski Hulk.
In third place, Neil Clyne returned 8 trout for 4lb 6oz, earning 9 points.
Reflecting on his day, he described a strong early spell after trekking along the
west bank:
“I had a 12ft sink tip line on all day and hardly changed my flies either. I started
at the north end bay and had four keepers before 11am. After that, the wind
changed, the fish switched off and I had to work my way back, picking up the
odd one. What stood out was the lack of small fish - only a few compared to
what we used to see.”
Clyne’s consistent approach with a cast featuring Black Pennel, Dennis the
Menace, Clan Chief and Kate McLaren proved effective early on before conditions
turned.
Completing the top six were:
- 4th: Aivis Kreslins – 7 fish, 3lb 15 1⁄2oz (8 points)
- 5th: William Plank – 5 fish, 3lb 11 1⁄2oz (7 points)
- 6th: Toby Bracey – 5 fish, 2lb 11 1⁄4oz (6 points)
Also weighing in was Tony Chalmers, with 2 fish for 14 1⁄4oz.
These results now form the current Bank League standings, setting the tone for
what promises to be a competitive season ahead.
Looking Ahead
Attention now turns to the first boat competition of the year, with the DFFA set
to contest the Presidents Quaich Trophy on Saturday 9 May at Loch Watten. With
anglers eager to get afloat after a demanding bank opener, hopes will be high
for more settled conditions - and even better catches.
Picture: Alex Donald (right) secured the Rusty Cup trophy as a winner, and
Kevin Imlach caught the best fish.
Competition Table 2025
Caluim (Ken MacLeod) 2025
Dounreay Fly Fishing Association brought its 2025 competition season to a close last Saturday with a visit to the remote Loch Caluim, courtesy of the RSPB. As the tarred road ends at Dorrery, the anglers then faced almost five miles of unsurfaced track that is better tackled in a 4x4 vehicle. Fortunately, enough of them were available to transport all 12 members to a parking area near the south end of the loch. With a light south-south-east wind on their backs, members wasted no time before wading out in search of feeding trout. One unfortunate angler was in too much of a hurry and managed to trip over a stone and, in “football speak”, had an early bath. The wind freshened as the day wore on and by lines up at 4pm anyone fishing near the north end had to put up with some uncomfortable waves. Alex Donald started the event needing a good result to secure a place on the DFFA team to fish in Shetland next year and when the results were announced his trip north was secure. He had put 18 lb 2.5 oz of trout on the scales after fishing his favourite spots along the south end of the west bank using a floating line with Sparkly Hog and Black or Red Daddy flies. This gave Donald 12 points for first place and the Ken MacLeod Trophy. James Simpson had dominated the Bank League from the opening event in April by winning the first four competitions, but had to settle for second place (10 points) for his bag of 9 lb 6 oz. He had concentrated on the north half of the west bank with a quick wade around the small island yielding three fish. Simpson’s choice of tackle was a slow intermediate line with Norski Lad and Gorgeous George flies attached. Toby Bracey took eight points for third place with a 7lb 1.5 oz bag that contained the bonus-point fish at 1 lb 5.5 oz. He had explored parts of both banks using a Fast Tip line with Sparkler, Black Cat and Red Tag flies. Completing the top six were Aivis Kreslins (seven points for 6 lb 15 oz), Robbie Hawken (six points for 6 lb 5 oz) and Paul Smith (five points for 4 lb 11.75 oz). Also weighing in were Kevin Imlach, Tony Chalmers, Peter Creasey, Neil Clyne and Ian Cannop.
Competition organiser Toby Bracey then had some maths to do as competitors could only count four out of five scores. He was able to confirm James Simpson as the 2025 Bank League champion with 51 points. Kevin Imlach and Toby Bracey are tied on 33 for second and they are followed by Aivis Kreslins (30), Alex Donald (24) and Neil Clyne (23). Bracey also confirmed the 2025 the Boat League results. Champion is Alex Donald, on 75 points, with Toby Bracey second on 53, followed by Robbie Hawken (52), Kevin Imlach (48), Peter Creasey (39) and Billy Thomson (35). The overall club champion is Alex Donald.
Hill Lochs (Ian Hay Trophy) 2025
Anglers from Dounreay Fly Fishing Association took to the hills for the fourth event (of five) in their Bank League championship last Saturday. Competition organiser Toby Bracey had obtained permission for the club to fish lochs Coire nam Mang and Druim a’ Chliabhain, which both lie about eight kilometres west of Forsinard. Permission had also been sought to access the lochs via the Greamachary cottage track that then left a walk of four kilometres to the south end of Druim. A south to south-east breeze meant that members could fish their way north along either bank of Druim with the wind on their backs. Some of them took the opportunity to have a cast on the much smaller Coire nam Mang, but with little to show for the effort. Unfortunately, the usually prolific May Fly hatch had finished, and a bright sun kept the fish well down all day. However, there was more than enough fly life when the weigh in started at the Loch Ruathair car park, but they were of the biting variety, so proceedings were completed in record time with James Simpson producing his fourth winning bag of the series. His five trout for 2 lbs 7 oz were caught on floating or midge tip lines with hog or hedgehog flies. He had one fish from the small loch and the rest from fishing about half of the west bank of Druim. Simpson’s efforts earned him 12 points and the Ian Hay Hill Lochs Trophy, as well as his fourth maximum points of the season. Aivis Kreslins found a fishy spot on Druim early on and had three in his bag before struggling to add another, giving him four for 2 lbs 1.75 oz, and the 10 points for second place. He had used a floating line with Loch Ordie and Kate McLaren hog flies. Kevin Imlach spent the day on the south end of Druim where he netted three fish for 1 lb 11 oz and eight points for third place. He had used a floating Line with a foam daddy in the morning, and a slow midge tip with Olive Bumble fly after lunch. The rest of the top six were Neil Clyne (two for 1 lb 10.5 oz - including the bonus point fish at 1 lb 1.5 oz on eight points), Toby Bracey three for 1 lb 4.5 oz on six points, and sixth Ross MacKay two for 14.5 oz and 5 points. Others with fish were Peter Creasey and Alex Donald. The club’s final competition of the season will take place on Loch Caluim (courtesy of the RSPB) on Saturday September 9.
Watten (Parry) 2025 (held on Calder)
Members of Dounreay Fly Fishing Association completed their Boat League championship with another outing on Loch Calder last Saturday. The Parry 2009 competition was postponed from May due to strong wind on Loch Watten and then had to be moved to Calder because of very cloudy water in Watten. As the nine anglers cast off for a 9.30am start, a fresh north-west breeze would allow drifts along either side of the loch if they wished and by lines up at 4pm everyone had something to weigh in back at the south end berths. After very careful checks of the scales, it was announced that the bags of two members who had shared a boat were separated by only one ounce. A delighted Robbie Hawken was declared the winner of the Parry 2009 cup and nine league points – his best result of the series. Hawkins’ eight trout weighing 4 lb 14 oz were caught with small Sparkler flies on an intermediate line during drifts along the east and west banks as well as the north end. Although he had nine fish in his bag, Toby Bracey was disappointed that they “only” came to 4 lb 13 oz on the scales, but they gave him seven championship points and second place. He had used an intermediate line, with a Sparkler fly his best one. Alex Donald secured third place and five points with eight fish for 3 lb 14 oz. He had fished much of the east and west banks before spending a couple of hours at the mouth of New Bay where he caught two of his fish. His set-up was a floating line with Daddy and mayfly imitation flies. Completing the top six were Gary Begg, whose five fish weighing 3 lb 6oz included the bonus-point fish at 1 lb 4oz, Neil Clyne with three for 2 lb 2 oz and Begg’s boat partner Greg Thomson with four for exactly 2 lb. Also weighing in were Tony Chalmers, Aivis Kreslins and Peter Creasey. When the mathematics were completed, Alex Donald was confirmed as the 2005 Boat League champion after counting his best six results of the eight competitions. His 75 points came from a consistent season with only one blank result. The rest of the top six were Toby Bracey 53, Robbie Hawken 52, Kevin Imlach 48, Peter Creasey 39, and Billy Thomson 35. The next event is the fourth round of the Bank League on lochs Coire nam Mang and Druim a’ Chliabhain, about five miles west of Forsinard, this Saturday.
Calder Boat 2025
Bill's Report
Dounreay Fly Fishing Association members fished the penultimate event of their Boat League last weekend with another outing on Loch Calder.Alex Donald had already established a comfortable lead in the championship - but top six positions could still change depending on the results of the event, which had been delayed by one day due to wind strength. Loch Calder can quickly become an uncomfortable place and members safety is always a priority.
Thankfully the conditions were almost ideal for trout fishing with a light south -south west breeze allowing drifts the full width of the loch if required, and variable cloud cover added to the prospects of a good day.When ten of the thirteen anglers had fish to put on the scales after six and a half hours of fishing, the forecast for a good day proved to have been correct. After the weigh in proceedings, carried out with the usual end of season banter, Alex Donald was declared the winner of the Parry 57 Trophy and 13 Boat League points. His bag of 18 trout for 10 lbs. 5 oz. was almost double that of the second - place bag of 9 for 5 lbs. 15 oz. brought forward by Toby Bracey who secured 11 points and a move up the League table. Donald had fished the east bank from its south end to a short distance north of the Dam using a Floating line with Daddy and Mayfly imitations along with Yellow or Orange Half Hog flies. Bracey, however, had fished much of the East and West banks as well as the North end while using a DI 6 line with a Viva Sparkler fly, his best one. Third place fell to Scott Mackenzie who was making a welcome return to the Clubs competitions. His bag of 9 for 4 lbs. 15 oz. came from various parts of the loch using a Midge Tip line with Mini Hog Muddler, Claret Bumble and Norski Lad flies. The top six was filled out by Kevin Imlach with 8 for 4 lbs. 10 oz., Peter Creasy 5 for 4 lbs. 5.75 oz. (This included the bonus point trout weighing 1 lb. 14.5 oz.) and in sixth place Creasey’s boat partner Neil Clyne had 5 for 3 lbs. 6.75 oz. Others weighing in were Robbie Hawken, Billy Thomson, Aivis Kreslins and Ian Cannop.
Watten Evening (KML) 2025
Tough Night on Loch Watten as Alex Donald Claims KML Trophy in Testing Conditions.
The Dounreay Fly Fishing Association (DFFA) held its latest championship event last Wednesday evening, competing for the KML Trophy on Loch Watten. Known for its rich angling history, the loch has faced challenging conditions throughout July over the past few years, with blue-green algae blooms clouding the water and slowing the fishing to a crawl. Those same conditions seemed to linger on competition night, and with just 10 anglers turning out, many anticipated a difficult evening ahead. The evening began with a moderate north-westerly wind, overcast skies, and notably coloured water - a result of ongoing algal activity. There was little to no fly-life on the surface, adding further difficulty for the competitors. Fishing began at 6pm, with boats setting out in pairs and a couple of singles among the fleet of six boats. Lines were lifted by 10pm, but hopes were already tempered by the visibly poor conditions. As expected, the weigh-in yielded little in the way of fish. Only two anglers managed to land anything at all - a testament to just how challenging the evening proved. Alex Donald emerged victorious, bringing in two trout for a combined weight of 3lb 3½oz. His bag included the heaviest fish of the night, a solid 1lb 15½oz, earning him a bonus point and a total of 11 league points for the evening. He caught one fish in the Lynegar area and another in Railway Bay, using a DI5 Sweep line and a white-headed muddler fly to secure his win and the KML Trophy. Neil Clyne took second place with a single trout weighing 1lb 4oz, earning 8 points. Interestingly, Neil arrived late to the competition but got off to a promising start, landing his fish early on in the Lynegar area using a DI3 Sweep line and a Loch Ordie Hog fly. Despite the promising beginning, like the rest of the field, he found the loch unyielding for the remainder of the night.
Calder Boat (Parry 66) 2025
Perfect Conditions and Strong Performances at Dounreay Fly Fishing Association’s Parry 66 Trophy Competition.
After being postponed due to strong winds at the end of June, the Dounreay Fly Fishing Association (DFFA) successfully held its Parry 66 Trophy competition this past Saturday on the scenic waters of Loch Calder. Twelve anglers took to the loch under what began as near-perfect fly-fishing conditions, making for a competitive and enjoyable day on the water. The competition, originally scheduled for 28 June, was called off due to unsafe wind conditions. This time, however, the anglers were welcomed with calm southerly winds, overcast skies, and comfortably warm air - just the kind of weather fly fishers hope for. As the day progressed, the wind gradually shifted southeast and picked up in strength, making boat control more difficult. Many competitors deployed drogues to slow down their drifts, and as conditions grew more testing, catches became harder to come by. Despite the changing weather, all twelve competitors managed to catch fish - a welcome result for any competition. However, much of the haul consisted of undersized trout that had to be safely returned to the water. Nonetheless, several remarkable baskets were brought to the scales. James Simpson emerged as the overall winner, securing the Parry 66 Trophy and earning 12 Boat League points. His basket of 14 trout weighed in at 7lb 14½oz. Fishing across a variety of areas - including the west bank, the open middle of the loch, and around the buoy - James used a DI3 Sweep line paired with mayfly imitation and Norski Lad flies to land his winning catch. Close behind was James’s boat partner Toby Bracey, who finished second with 13 trout weighing 7lb 3oz. He also claimed the prize for heaviest fish of the day at 14½oz, earning a bonus point and finishing with 11 points overall. Toby fished the same productive areas as James, opting for a Ghost Tip line with Olive Sedge Hog and Norski Lad flies. Robbie Hawken secured third place with 11 trout for 6lb 12oz, scoring 8 points. He fished consistently throughout the day by repeating the same successful drift near the mouth of New Bay, using a Midge Tip line with Melvin Octopus and Loch Ordie Hopper Hog flies. Rounding out the top six were: • 4th: Aivis Kreslins – 11 trout, 6lb 5oz (7 points) • 5th: Billy Thomson – 11 trout, 5lb 13½oz (6 points) • 6th: Alex Donald – 10 trout, 5lb 9oz (5 points) Other competitors weighing in included Ian Cannop, Neil Clyne, Callum Mackenzie, and Peter Creasey.
Watten Early Bird 2025
Bill's Report
Dounreay Fly Fishing Association had an early start last Saturday morning as they prepared for their Early Bird competition on Loch Watten. As they left the boat berths at 6.00 am, hopes of finding trout looking for their breakfasts were soon proved to be false. Conditions in the light west-south-west looked ideal but without fly life on the water, feeding fish were nowhere to be seen. By lines up at 11.00 am the wind had increased enough for some crews to deploy sea anchors (or drogues as they are commonly known) to reduce the speed of a drift. At the Oldhall Berth area weigh in, the very low total of 8 trout from the 13 rods confirmed that it had been a tough morning.However, Watten veteran Toby Bracey showed that experience counts when he produced 3 nice troutweighing 4 lbs. 11 oz. – a total that was just enough to secure the Grouse Trophy and 13 Boat League points. He caught the fish at the south end of Laid Bay and across the loch in Railway Bay using DI 2 and DI 6 lines with Black Cat, Cormorant and Norski Lad flies attached. Finishing a close second, Kevin Imlach caught a fish close to the boat berths then added a second from Sandy Point to give him 4 lbs. 9.5 oz., 11 points plus the bonus point for the best one of the morning at 2 lbs. 14.5 oz. He started with a DI 7 line then changed to a DI 3 using Peter Ross and Cheeky Chap flies. Danny Kilcullen christened a new rod in the best way with a 2 lbs. 2 oz. trout giving him third place and 9 points. He caught it on an emerging buzzer type fly attached to a Midge Tip line while fishing near the island. The other anglers weighing in were Ian Cannop fourth (8 points) with one at 1 lb. 5 oz. and Neil Clyne with another single fish at 1 lb. 2.5 oz. and 7 points for fifth place.
The Boat League table shows Alex Donald hanging on to first place with 46 points and Kevin Imlach next on 40, followed by Peter Creasy and Robbie Hawken tied for third on 30 points.
All Nighter (Hugo Ross Trophy) 2025
Bill's Report
Eighteen members of Dounreay Fly Fishing Association experienced very mixed weather conditions during their All-Night competition last weekend. As they left their boat berths on Loch Watten for a 10.00 pm start on Saturday evening, the loch was like a huge mirror in the flat calm conditions that lasted through to lines up at 7.00 am. A light shower during the darkest part of the night and some patches of light fog gave no indication of what was to come during the weigh in at the Brown Trout Hotel car park.
As the first fish were placed on the scales the sky was getting quite dark in the west and distant thunder could be heard. However, by the time the seventh and last catch was brought forward, the lightning and thunder was overhead, and the rain was lashing down.
After very welcome bacon rolls and coffee, the results confirmed that Alex Donald had secured 18 points for first place, the Hugo Ross Trophy and the bonus point for best fish. He had fished the Lynegar side from the old stone boathouse to Sandy point for 5 trout weighing 8 lbs. 6 oz. – his bonus point fish stopping the pointer at 2 lbs. 12 oz. After watching his boat partner catch fish, Donald had changed to a Floating Line with size 12 Loch Ordie and green tagged Cochy- y- Bondhu flies. Tony Chalmers shared the winning boat and returned with 3 near identical fish weighing 3 lbs. 14.5 oz. that gave him 16 points for second place. He had used a Wake Saver line with a size 12 Loch Ordie and a self-tied Teal Blue and Silver on a size 14 hook. Third place and 14 points fell to Gary Begg in his first competition with the Club. He caught 3 fish for 3 lbs. 8 oz. close to the boat berths during his first half hour of fishing with a Floating Line and Green Sedge Hog and an unnamed small green fly. Fourth to sixth places were taken by Robbie Hawken with 3 for 3 lbs. 2 oz. and 13 pts, Ross Mackay 1 at 1 lb. 5.5 oz. (12 pts) and Peter Creasy with another single at 1 lb. 4.5 oz. securing 11 points for sixth place. The only other angler to weigh in after a very difficult night was Greg Thomson with a 1 lb. 2.5 oz fish.
Watten Bank (Robertson Cup) 2025
Bill's Report
Dounreay Fly Fishing Association reached the mid-point of their Bank League last Friday evening when 15 members spent 4 hours fishing the unusually cold water of Loch Watten. With a light wind from a mostly westerly direction at 6.00 pm the majority of them chose the west bank but at times the wind fell away completely or came from the east, making casting rather difficult. By lines up at 10.00 pm everyone was happy to get back to dry land and warmed up during the walk back to the Oldhall berth area for the weigh in.
James Simpson was the last to put fish on the scales as his name was last on the result sheet, but it was a case of “best to the last” as his basket of 7 trout for 8 lbs. 9.5 oz. gave him the Robertson Cup, 15 Bank League points plus the bonus point for the best fish at 2 lbs. 13oz. James had fished from near the berths and down to the north end of Laid Bay with Bibio Snatcher, Hoppers and Dai Bach flies on a Midge Tip line. Ross Mackay was fishing in his first DFFA competition and showed that he knew a bit about Loch Watten when he put 4 nice fish weighing 6 lbs. 2.5 oz. on the scales. He had fished the Laid Bay bank and a 2 lbs. 8oz. in his bag helped him to secure second place and 13 points. An Intermediate line with Loch Ordie and orange Sedge Hog flies were Ross’s choice of tackle. Toby Bracey made the long walk to the Willows and back to the berth area, so deserved the11 points for third place. His 5 trout weighing 5 lbs. 9.5 oz. were caught on a Slow Tip line with Black Cat and Kate Mclaren Muddler flies attached. The top six was completed by Kevin Imlach with 2 for 3 lbs. 7 oz. and 10 points, Neil Clyne, with a last-minute fish giving him 9 pts for 2 at 2 lbs. 15.5 oz. and Aivis Kreslins with his first Watten Bank fish at 1 lb. 11.5 oz. giving him 8 points for sixth place. WilliePlank completed the list of those with fish.
James Simpson now has a comfortable lead in the Bank League with 39 points, Kevin Imlach is next on 25 and Toby Bracey holds third place on 22.
All Lochs Evening (I. Hanna Trophy) 2025
Bill's Report
Dounreay Fly Fishing Association held an evening All Lochs competition on Friday 30th May as part of their 2025 Boat League Championship. For this event, the names of the already paired 14 entrants were drawn by organiser Toby Bracey to determine which of the Calder, St Johns and Watten they would fish. Naturally everyone was keen to get some information about the loch they would fish but anglers can be quite secretive at times!
So far this year, Loch Calder has been less productive than usual, but Kevin Imlach managed to winkle out 7 trout weighing 5 lbs. 5.5 oz. to win the Ian Hanna Trophy and 14 Boat League points. He had fishedparts of the east, west and south banks with a Slow Midge Tip that had Green and Black Zulu and Dunkeld flies attached. Billy Thomson was allocated a Loch Watten boat and netted 3 fish for 4 lbs. 4 oz. during the first 30 minutes of fishing the north end of Laid Bay. He had used a DI3 Sweep line with Denis the Menace and May Fly Muddler flies to secure the 12 points for second place. Another member fishing Watten (but from a different boat), James Simpson also had 3 trout (for 3 lbs. 13.25 oz.) and took the 10 points for third place. He caught all the fish during the final 30 minutes from an area still known as the Lone Tree although the tree died some years ago. His set up was Bibio Snatcher and Kate McLaren flies on a Slow Glass Line. Completing the top six were Ian Cannop (9 points for 6 Calder trout for 3 lbs. 10 oz.), Alex Donald (8 pts for 2 from Watten at 3 lbs. 4.5 oz.) and Aivis Kreslins 7 pts for 2 at 2 lbs. 3oz. from Watten). The best fish bonus point fell to Willie Plank for a 1lb. 14.5 oz. trout from Watten. Also weighing in at the Brown Trout Hotel were Willie Plank, John Campbell, Leslie Robertson and Callum Mackenzie.
Kevin Imlach now leads the Boat League with 28 points after two events Alex Donald is second on 27 with Billy Thomson third on 25.
Toftingall (Bloody Foreigner Trophy) 2025
Bill's Report
Dounreay Fly Fishing Association held their second 2025 Bank League competition on Loch Toftingall last Saturday (by kind permission of Mr. Peter Hovig) with 10 members signing in for a 9.30 am start.
With a west wind blowing across the loch towards the Boat House, the anglers were soon spread out in search of keeping size trout among the numerous small fish. Following the recent dry weather the water level was low enough to allow one intrepid member to wade all the way across the loch.
By lines up at 4.00 pm, hordes of hungry midges were waiting at the Boat House so the weigh in was carried out as quickly as possible and first to the scales was James Simpson with 13 trout weighing 7 lbs. 0.5 oz. This secured the Bloody Foreigner Trophy (donated by Mr. Hovig) and 10 Bank League points. James had fished the south bank and southeast corner using a Midge Tip line and self-tied May Fly imitations.
Tony Chalmers had fished the northeast corner and down the east bank for the second-place bag of 6 for 3lbs. 6 oz. and 8 points. He had also used a Midge Tip line but with Clan Chief and Olive Sedge Hog flies. A bonus for Tony was seeing a White -Tailed eagle quite close to where he was fishing.
Third place (6 points) fell to Alex Donald with 5 for 2 lbs. 8.5 oz. caught on Half Hog May Fly imitations and Denis the Menace Half Hog flies attached to another Midge Tip line.
Completing the top six were Kevin Imlach with 5 for 2 lbs. 2 oz. and 5 points, Toby Bracey, 2 for 1 lb. 0.5 oz. - 4 points and Michael Skerritt sixth with 2 for 15 oz. and 3 points. Also weighing in were Neil Clyne and Robbie Hawken. The bonus point for the best fish went to Tony Chalmers for a 13.75 oz. trout.
With two competitions completed, James Simpson has 23 Bank League points with Tony Chalmers second on 17 and Kevin Imlach third on 15.
Watten (President's Quaich) 2025
Bill's Report
Dounreay Fly Fishing Association opened their Boat League series last Saturday when an all-day competition on Loch Watten saw 19 members fish for the Presidents Quaich. This was the best entry for some years, and it was pleasing to welcome new member James Elliot to his first DFFA event.
A new club rule allowing 15 minutes of steaming prior to the start of fishing allowed the 10 boats to spread out by the 9.30 am start. The steady southwest wind gave some nice long drifts but the sight of boats starting to move around soon indicated that trout were hard to find. The light wind then became variable in direction before settling from the SW again.
Following lines up at 4.00 pm the weigh in took place at the Brown Trout Hotel with an average of one fish per angler brought forward with Alex Donald placing 6 of them on the scales for a total of 7 lbs. 1.25oz. to retain the Presidents Quaich and score 19 League points. He had fished mainly from the Oldhall berths towards Sandy Point and over to the Red Shed areas using a DI 5 Sweep line with Denis the Menace, Clan Chief and Ian Swanson Sparkler flies.
For second place and 17 points, Robbie Hawken had fished the Red Shed area then south to the Willows before working his way back along the Laid side to the berths at Oldhall. Using a DI 5 Sweep line with Black Cat, Hulk and Norski Lad flies he caught 2 trout weighing 3lbs. 10 oz. and received 17 points.
Aivis Kreslins had a very frustrating day as numerous fish were only nibbling at his flies and by 3.50 pm, he was resigned to a blank day. A sudden commotion near the boat saw a 2lbs. 7oz trout grab a self-tied Silver Butcher fly on his line, giving him 15 points for third place plus the bonus point for best fish.
The rest of the top six were: Kevin Imlach with one for 2lbs. 2 oz. and 14 points, Billy Thomson – one at 1lb. 14.25oz. and 13 pts, and Peter Creasy 1 at 1 lb. 13.25 oz. and 12 pts. Others weighing in were Toby Bracey, David Cormack, Ian Cannop, George Robertson, Tony Chalmers, Neil Clyne and Bill Robertson.
Calder Bank (Rusty Cup) 2025
Bill's Report
As a dozen weary Dounreay Fly Fishing Association members returned to the Loch
Calder dam car park last Saturday afternoon most of them agreed that it had been a
hard day bankfishing the large loch. This was obvious by the number of them stretched
out on a grassy bank while waiting for a pair of stragglers to appear.
As the anglers had signed on for the 9.30 am start of the first competition of 2025, a
light southerly wind and some cloud cover seemed promising. However, by lines up at
4.00 pm many had struggled to put a few fish in their bag and the quality of the trout
was poorer than in 2024 with none over 1 pound'
Following his success last year, James Simpson spent most of the day fishing north of
the dam using a 6-foot slow sink tip line with Norski Lad, Quasi Modo and Bibio
snatcher flies. With this set up he managed to net 11 trout weighing 5 lbs. 6 oz to win
the Rusty Cup and 12 Bank League points. To complete his day, James also took the
bonus point for best fish of the day at 14 oz.
Only half an ounce separated first and second places when Kevin lmlach also weighed
in 11 trout, butthe scales pointer stopped on 5lbs.5.5 oz. giving him 10 points. He
had fished along the south end and then down the west bank as far as the New Bay
with Dunkeld, Loch Ordie, Bibio and green tailed Black Zulu flies on a Midge tip line'
The final double figure basket came from Calder veteran Tony Chalmers- his 10 fish
for 4 lbs. 4.5 oz.were worth 8 points and third place. He had covered much of the west
bank north of the New Bay with clan chief, Bibio and yellow tailed Kate Mclaren flies
on his trusty Wake Saver line.
The top six were completed by Toby Bracey (7 for 3 lbs. 9.5 oz.), Robbie Hawken (6
for 3 lbs. 3.25 oz.) and Aivis Kreslins (5 for 2 lbs. 10 oz.). Others weighing in were Neil
Clyne, Alex Donald, John Campbell and Peter Creasey.
Competition Table 2024
Loch Caluim (Ken MacLeod Memorial Trophy)
Bill's Report
For a few years, Aivis Kreslins has been the angler behind the camera as he snapped the award winners in Dounreay Fly Fishing Associations competitions. However, last Saturday he was in front of the camera after an outstanding performance in the final event of the Clubs 2024 season. On a breezy, early autumn day, nine members started to fishthe remote Loch Caluim at 10.00 am, courtesy of the RSPB. Thanks to Kevin, Toby and Willie they had travelled the 5 miles of rough track beyond Dorrery Farm in the essential 4 x 4 vehicles. Due to the east-south-east to south-south-east wind, the south end of the loch was the most popular area and after trying the east bank and southeast corner Aivis Kreslins moved to the southwest corner where he started to catch trout on his favourite Inter -mediate line with Black Sparkly Hopper and Dark Purple Hedgehog flies. He had to keep changing tactics as at times the fish were snatching flies as they landed on the surface then they went down, and he had to let his line sink until he hooked another one. By lines up at 4.00 pm Kreslins had a bag of trout weighing 15 lbs. 11 oz. to carry to the car park weigh in. This gave him a very comfortable first place, the Ken Macleod Memorial Trophy and 9 Bank League points. Toby Bracey finished a distant second with 8lbs. 7.25 oz. giving him 7 points plus the bonus point for his 1 lb. 3 oz. fish that was the best of the day. He had fished much of the west bank before the final half hour in the southwest corner using a Fast Tip line with a Viva Sparkler his best fly. Alex Donald took third place and 5 points with 6 lbs. 12 oz. after fishing much of the day in the southwest corner with a 12-foot Sink Tip line and Clan Chief and Foam Daddy flies. Robbie Hawken (6 lbs. 11oz. and 4 points), Michael Skerrett (5 lbs. and 3 points) and Kevin Imlach (4 lbs. 7.25 oz. and 2 points) completed the top six. Also weighing in were Willie Plank, Peter Creasey and Tony Chalmers.
When the Bank League table was completed Alex Donald and Toby Bracey finished with 38 points each. The tie for the championship was resolved by a count back of their results and this confirmed Alex Donald as the 2024 Bank League Champion with Toby Bracey as runner up. The rest of the top six were James Simpson 23, Neil Clyne and Robbie Hawken tied on 22 and Kevin Imlach sixth on 21.
When the Boat and Bank Leagues results were combined, Alex Donald emerged as 2024 Club Champion with Toby Bracey as runner up.
Hill Lochs (Ian Hay Trophy)
Bill's Report
Dounreay Fly Fishing Association held the penultimate event of their 2024 competition season on the 24th of August when ten members made the climb up to Lochs Seilge and Caorach in Strath Halladale. From road level, the track climbs sharply to cross the 500 feet contour so the minimum amount of fishing tackle is in order. Fishing started with the anglers spread around both lochs but as the usually prolific, much larger Seilge was proving to be “difficult” the majority concentrated on Caorach. A fresh south-southwest breeze in the morning gradually veered to west and increased to near gale force by lines up. At the car park weigh in the best three baskets were put forward by members who had spent all or most of the day on Caorach the best one placed on the scales by James Simpson who was fishing the loch for the first time. Previously, he had concentrated on Seilge (with excellent returns) but decided to try the smaller loch for a change. By late afternoon he had 19 trout in his bag so spent the last half hour on Seilge where he bagged another 3 for a total of 13 lbs. 2.5 oz. James had used a Slow Intermediate line with Traffic Light Dabbler and Sparkler flies to win the Ian Hay Hill Lochs trophy and collect 10 Bank League points plus the bonus point for the best fish. Alex Donald has always preferred Caorach where he caught 14 fish before a short session over the hill yielded 3 more to give him a total of 8 lbs. 14.25 oz. and 8 points. He had employed a Floating line with Clan Chief, Denis the Menace muddler and Foam Daddy flies. Robbie Hawken had fished his way round most of Caorach by lines up and finished with 10 for 6 lbs. 7.5 oz. and 6 points. His choice of tackle was a Midge Tip line with Clan Chief and Clan Chief variant flies. The top six was completed by Toby Bracey with 9 Seilge trout for 5 lbs. 8.5 oz. and 5 points, another Seilge basket of 10 for 4 lbs. 12.25 oz. gave Kevin Imlach 4 points and Aivis fished both lochs for his bag of 8 for 4 lbs. 11.75 oz. and 3 points. Others with fish to weigh in were Neil Clyne, Michael Skerrett and Tony Chalmers.
The Bank League championship will be decided by the results of the final round at Loch Caluim on Saturday 7th of September. After the Hill Lochs round Alex Donald has 38 points with Toby Bracey close behind on 35. James Simpson is third with 23, Neil Clyne and Robbie Hawken are tied for fourth on 22 and Kevin Imlach is sixth with 19.
Watten Evening (KML Trophy)
Bill's Report
Dounreay Fly Fishing Association held the final round of their 2024 Boat League competitions last Wednesday evening when 14 members fished for the KML Trophy on Loch Watten. On arrival at the loch to prepare for the 6.00 pm start, the water looked very inviting with a gentle southeast wind. However, on closer inspection it turned out to be quite cloudy and hopes of a good evening’s fishing went out the window. Time spent looking for clear water would mean less fishing time so important decisions required! As a mainly disappointed group of anglers returned to the berths after lines up at 10.00 pm, all but two reported nil returns and some left for an unwelcome early night as soon as their fishing gear was loaded in their cars. Those who went along to the Brown Trout Hotel for the weigh in saw Michael Skerrit place a 2 lbs. 11.5 oz. trout on the scales and this gave him a comfortable first place, the KML Trophy and 14 Boat League points plus the bonus point for best fish. He had caught the fish near Sandy Point on a Suspended Midge fly attached to a Midge Tip line. The other successful member was Willie Plank who caught a 1- pound fish in Laid Bay using a Floating line and a Loch Ordie fly – sometimes the old traditional flies are the best ones. Willie collected 12 points for second place. Alex Donald had already won the 2024 Boat League by the largest margin anyone can remember. He amassed 58 points after counting his best six scores from the seven events. Robbie Hawken and James Simpson finished tied for second on 33 points with Aivis Kreslins fourth on 32. Billy Thomson 31 and Toby Bracey 28 complete the top six.
Watten Early Bird
Aivis's Report
Last Saturday, the Dounreay Fly Fishing Association (DFFA) hosted their Early Bird
competition on Loch Watten. Despite a promising start with calm winds and overcast
skies, the weather quickly turned challenging for the ten dedicated anglers who
participated. By mid-morning, a north-west wind had picked up, forcing some competitors to deploy
drogues to control their boat drifts. Adding to the challenge, the anglers faced cold,
drizzling rain that persisted throughout the competition, dampening both the
participants and their spirits. With only five boats on the water, the anglers set off at 6am, determined to make the best of the tricky conditions. By the time lines were drawn in at 11am, the results were less
than stellar. Only two anglers managed to catch any fish, underscoring the difficulty of the
day.
Alex Donald emerged as the winner, showcasing his expertise by landing three trout with a
total weight of 5lb 7oz. His exceptional performance earned him 10 points and the Grouse
trophy. Additionally, he secured a bonus point for catching the largest fish of the day, a 2lb
4oz beauty. Alex’s successful strategy involved using a DI5 Sweep line with Loch Ordie and
White and Olive Cormorant flies, and his catches came from Laid Bay and the Lynegar area.
Toby Bracey secured second place with a single trout weighing 1lb ½oz, earning him 8 boat
league points. Toby’s catch was made further out in the loch across the Oldhall berth,
using a DI8 line with a Norski Lad fly.
Following the competition, the top six anglers in the Boat League standings are as
follows:
- Alex Donald – 58 points
- James Simpson – 33 points
- Robbie Hawken – 33 points
- Aivis Kreslins – 32 points
- Billy Thomson – 31 points
- Toby Bracey - 28 points
Calder Boat (Parry 66)
Bill's Report
Dounreay Fly Fishing Association held their fifth Boat League competition of the year last Saturday when 15 members took to their boats on a chilly Loch Calder for a 9.30 am start. A fresh west wind saw boats staying near to the west bank or in the New Bay although two crews did venture across to the east side but only stayed there a short time. Occasional showers passed over for most of the day until the final hour when there was almost continual heavy rain. Fortunately, it had stopped by lines up at 4.00 pm as the weigh in was held at the berth area at the south end of the loch. First to be called to the scales was Club competition organiser Toby Bracey who put a bag of trout weighing 10 lbs. 14 oz. forward. Although another two members had the same number of fish a 1 lb. 2 oz trout was enough to give Toby first place, the Parry (1966) trophy and 15 Boat League points. He had fished the north end of the west bank but mostly along the north end using a Fast Tip line with Foam Daddies and Olive Dabbler flies. Bracey’s boat partner, James Simpson used the same type of line with May Fly pattern and Foam Sedge Hog flies to catch the same number of fish but his 10 lbs. 1.75 oz. basket dropped him to second place and 13 points. For third place, Billy Thomson matched the top two in number, an unusual result except when only a few have weighed in single fish. Billy caught most of his trout around the entrance to the New Bay – a trip to the east bank only produced one trout so a quick return to the west side saw them back into fish again. Thomson’s bag weighed 9 lbs. 7 oz. and came from May Fly Booby, Raymond Dabbler and an old Orkney pattern called a Flashing Willy on a Floating line and gave him 11 points for third place. The remaining top six places went to Alex Donald (7 lbs. 8 oz. and 10 points), Ian Cannop (6 lbs. 4.25 oz. and 9 pts) with Aivis Kreslins sixth on 5 lbs. 4 oz. and 8 pts. The best fish bonus point went to Kevin Imlach who finished seventh place and others weighing in were Robbie Hawken, Peter Creasey, William Plank, Michael Skerrit, Neil Clyne, Callum Mackenzie, John Campbell and Bill Robertson.
DFFA will have two members fishing in the final of the Scottish Fly-Fishing championship on the Lake of Menteith, near Aberfoyle on 21st September. James Simpson fished a semifinal at Harelaw Loch, a few miles south of Glasgow on 21st June and did well to finish second of the 14 who qualified from the 30 competitors. Alex Donald fished on Menteith a week later and did well on a cold blustery day to finish seventh of the 14 qualifiers from a field of 30.
All Nighter (Hugo Ross Trophy)
Bill's Report
Dounreay Fly Fishing Association held the longest event of their competition season with a night of boat fishing on Loch Watten last Friday. As they prepared to cast off at 10.00 pm a southeast breeze was causing a bit of a chop on the loch, but it eased off to leave a light ripple on the way back to the berths. A haar covered the loch at times so that careful navigation was necessary. By lines up at 7.00 am most of the ten anglers (football on TV was probably more attractive to some) were happy to retire to the Brown Trout Hotel for welcome bacon rolls and coffee before the quick weighing of only three baskets. Kevin Imlach started proceedings by placing a 2 lbs. 11.5 oz. trout on the scales, then added three more nice fish for a total of 7 lbs. 13.25 oz. This gave him a comfortable first place, the Hugo Ross Trophy, 10 Boat League points and the bonus point for the best fish. All Kevin’s catch came via May Fly Muddlers on DI 3 or DI 7 lines with two from Laid Bay early on, then another brace during the final ten minutes. Another nice trout that weighed 2 lbs. 4.5 oz. gave Callum Mackenzie second place – his best DFFA result so far and 8 points. He had used a DI 7 line and an unnamed sparkly orange fly out in deeper water off the old Stone Boathouse. After spending most of the night in the Village Bay area Aivis Kreslins had had enough of fish nibbling his flies but not taking properly so tried a drift past the Island then moved over to the Willows where he netted a 1 lb. 7 oz. trout. The fish gave him 6 points for third place after falling for a Clan Chief fly on an Intermediate line. Unfortunately, the Club doesn’t award points for outstanding sportsmanship – if they did then Skipper Neil Clyne and crewman Peter Creasy would qualify for one after stopping to attach a towline to a nameless pair’s boat,as their outboard motor had lost its cooling water.
After four Boat League events the top two retain their places, Alex Donald leads with 37 points and Robbie Hawken is next with 27. Aivis Kreslins 24 points moved him up to third and Neil Clyne holds fourth place on 21.The top six is completed by James Simpson and Billy Thomson tied on 20 points.
Toftingall (Bloody Foreigner Trophy)
Bill's Report
Dounreay Fly Fishing Association members were pleased to find on arrival last Saturday, that Loch Toftingall had not been stirred up by the continuous northwest wind. As they signed on for the 9.30 am start of a Bank League competition (courtesy of Mr. Peter Hovig) it appeared that most of the fishing would be along the sheltered west bank. However, as the day progressed, many of the eleven anglers were fishing out in deeper water as far as the rock marker buoy or casting in towards the east bank. Occasional hatches of May Fly after showers, brought the trout to the surface and led to some good bags at the 4.00pm weigh in beside the boathouse. After finding extensive weed growth in his favourite south west corner, Alex Donald worked his way out into clear water near the buoy, where he caught the14 fish (for 7 lbs. 10 oz.) that gave him the Bloody Foreigner Trophy (donated by Mr. Hovig) and 11 points. He had used a Midge Tip line with a May Fly Booby and Ian Swanson Sparkler flies. Following a muddy adventure at the north end, Neil Clyne moved to the southeast corner where he used Sink Tip and Floating lines for a total of 11 trout for 6 lbs. 5 oz. that secured 9 points for second place. His choice of flies were Claret Hogs, Loch Ordie Hogs and Clan Chiefs. Kevin Imlach had also tried the weedy south west corner before moving to the east side where he caught 8 fish with a May Fly imitation. His bag weighing 4 lbs. 8 oz. also held the best fish of the day at exactly one pound and gave him 7 points for third place plus the bonus point. Completing the top six were Toby Bracey with 6 for 3 lbs. 5 oz. and 6 points, Tony Chalmers -5 for 3 lbs. 1 oz. (5 points) and Robbie Hawken sixth with 4 for 2 lbs. 5.75 oz. and 4 points. Others weighing in were Aivis Kreslins, Willie Plank, Ian Cannop and Peter Creasy.
The Bank League now has joint leaders – Toby Bracey and Alex Donald both have 30 points with Neil Clyne third on 20 and the top six is completed by Robbie Hawken 16, Kevin Imlach 15 and Tony Chalmers 14.
Watten Bank (Robertson Cup)
Bill's Report
As Dounreay Fly Fishing Association members gathered at the Oldhall berths on Loch Watten following their bank fishing competition last Friday evening, most of the talk was about “the ones that had got away”. Tales of epic battles with large trout that had taken all the line and most of the backing off reels before escaping kept anglers amused on a cold evening while waiting for the weigh in to start. The 13 members had spread out along the south bank from Kiddies Corner to the south end of Laid Bay ready for a 6.00 pm start, so it took some time for them to trudge back to Oldhall following lines up at 10.00 pm. Toby Bracey had used all his experience to control a 2 lbs. 9.5 oz. trout and get it into his small net, adding another decent fish gave him a total of 4 lbs. 7.5 oz. – more than enough to secure the Robertson Cup, 13 Bank League points plus the bonus point for best fish. He had used a Ghost Tip line with Black Cormorant and Podvorsky flies while wading near the Red Shed. Alex Donald had 2 fish that tipped the scales at 2 lbs. 9.5 oz. They were caught in the Kiddies Corner to Red Shed area and gave him 11 points for second place. He had used a 12-foot Sink Tip line with a Black Cormorant variant and his favourite Ian Sinclair fly. Wading around the Skerries produced a 1 lb. 13.5 oz. trout that gave Neil Clyne third place and 9 points. He had used a 15-foot Sink Tip line with a small Olive Hog fly attached. Robbie Hawken 1 lb. 2.75 oz. fish gave him 8 points for fourth place, Jan Hughes, made a welcome appearance and took fifth place (7 points) for one at 1 lb. 0.5 oz. and Tony Chalmers completed the top six with 6 points for a single fish.
After two events Toby Bracey leads the Bank League with 24 points, Alex Donald is second on 19, Robbie Hawken and James Simpson are tied for third on 12, Neil Clyne is fifth with 11 and Tony Chalmers completes the top six with 9 points.
All Lochs Evening (I. Hanna Trophy)
Bill's Report
Dounreay Fly Fishing Association held their third Boat League competition last Friday with a four-hour session on what turned out to be a driech evening as a southeast wind drove thick haar over the lochs during the final hour. The All Lochs event was spread over three lochs with fish weighed in from all of them at the Brown Trout Hotel following lines up at 10.00 pm. The favourite lochs for this event are usually Calder and Watten and the latter produced the first and third places with second and best fish coming from St Johns. Two nice trout for 3 lbs. 14.5 oz. from Watten (one at 2 lbs. 5 oz.) were enough to give James Simpson 13 points for first place and the Ian Hanna Trophy. He caught both fish in the first half hour on a drift past the Willows with a Hulk Fly on a DI5 Sweep line. St Johns hasn’t featured in DFFA competition results for some time so second place and best fish was a pleasant surprise for John Campbell. His 2 lbs. 5.5 oz. trout pipped Simpson by half an ounce for the bonus point and gave John 12 Boat League points. He caught the fish well out from the harbour on a Green tailed Pennel fly attached to a Midge tip line. Third place and 9 points fell to Billy Thomson for a brace of trout weighing 2 lbs. 3 oz. from Watten’s Laid Bay. He had employed his usual DI3 line with an unnamed self-tied fly – stand by for the Christening! Completing the top six were Willie Plank with 2 Calder fish for 1 lb. 14 oz. and 8 points, Alex Donald’s Watten fish at 1 lb. 13.25 oz. gave him 7 pts and one at 1 lb. 6 oz. from the same loch, secured sixth and 6 pts for Aivis Kreslins. Single fish from Toby Bracey (Watten) and Robbie Hawken (St Johns) saw them tied for seventh place.
Alex Donald has now increased his lead in the Boat League by 2 points – he sits on 37 with Robbie Hawken on 27, Neil Clyne retains third on 21 and James Simpson is next on 20, Aivis Kreslins has 18 and John Campbell is sixth with12.
Watten (Parry 2009)
Bill's Report
A light northwest wind and heavy cloud cover was more to the liking of Dounreay Fly Fishing Association members as they prepared to launch their boats for a 9.30 am start to their second boat competition of the season last Saturday. The complete change in conditions on Loch Watten raised hopes of better fishing than they had experienced the previous weekend. By lines up at 4.00 pm about half of the anglers were quite satisfied with the trout they would place on the scales back at the Brown Trout Hotel weigh in and first to come forward was Alex Donald who was in a hurry to get away. His first fish on the scales weighed 2 lbs. 8 oz. and he continued to add another five - quality trout for a total of 11 lbs. 8.5 oz. This was more than enough to give him the Parry (2009) Cup and 13 Boat League points. His catch came from drifts in Kiddies Corner using his trusted DI5 Sweep line with Ian Sinclair Sparkler, Hulk, Gold Half Hog and Black Muddler flies all taking fish. Donald's boat partner Billy Thomson used a DI 3 Sweep line and Ian Sinclair Sparkler, an unnamed orange fly and a Hulk to bag 3 fish for 5 lbs. 9 oz. and 11 points for second place. Late afternoon drifts along the bank and into the north end of Laid Bay paid off for Neil Clyne when he hooked the best fish of the day at 3 lbs. 8 oz. and a second trout brought his total to 4 lbs. 4 oz. giving him 9 points plus the bonus and third place. His choice of tackle was a long sink tip line with a Green Tailed Kate McLaren fly. The rest of the top six were Robbie Hawken with 2 for 3 lbs. 13.5 oz. and 8 points, James Simpson had 3 for 3 lbs. 13 oz. and 7 points, with Peter Creasey’s 2 lbs. 8.5 oz. giving him the 6 points for 6th place.
Alex Donald now has a clear lead in the Boat League on 30 points with Robbie Hawken next on 22 and Neil Clyne 21. Aivis Kreslins is fourth on 12 points with James Simpson next on 7 and Peter Creasey sixth with 6 points.
Watten (President's Quaich)
Bill's Report
Dounreay Fly Fishing Association member Alex Donald ended a good week fishing last Saturday by winning the club’s opening competition of their 2024 Boat League. A good entry of 16 members met at Loch Wattens Old Hall berths for a 9.30 am start in bright sunshine and a fresh south wind. These conditions continued until lines up at 4.30 pm but the wind had occasionally varied a little towards southeast. As the boats returned to their berths, most of the anglers only had a suntan to show for their day afloat and this ensured a quick weigh in procedure at the Brown Trout Hotel. Eyes were popping when Alex Donald placed a trout weighing exactly 3 pounds on the scales. This gave him 16 points and the Presidents Quaich plus the bonus point for best fish of the day which he caught near Sandy Point withan Ian Swanson Sparkler fly on a DI5 Sweep line. Robbie Hawken did well to winkle out 2 fish weighing 2 lbs. 2 oz. from deeper water off the Willows point. He used an ordinary DI5 line with Green and Black Cat flies to secure 14 points for second place. Aivis Kreslins made the long trip from Old Hall to the Village end of the loch worthwhile with a 1 lb. 0.5 oz. fish caught on a Norski Hulk fly attached to an Intermediate line giving him 12 points for third place. Fourth place and 11 points fell to Neil Clyne for a single fish.
Earlier last week, Alex Donald had spent 3 days at the Loch of Lintrathen – about 6 miles west of Kirriemuir, to fish in one of the preliminary rounds of the Scottish National Championship. From the 35 anglers competing on Thursday, Alex finished 14th of the 19 who qualified for a semifinal later in the year. James Simpsonhad already qualified for a semifinal when he finished 18th from 43 fishing a prelim on the Lake of Menteith in early April. Alex and James were supported by Caithness Sports council.
Calder Bank (Rusty Cup) 2024
Bill's Report
Twelve members of Dounreay Fly Fishing Association were pleased to find more pleasant conditions for their season opening Calder Bank competition than those they endured for the same event in 2023. As they gathered at the dam on the east side of the loch last Saturday for a 9.30 am start, they found a flat calm and numerous fish rising in the visible parts of the large loch. The calm continued until early afternoon and by lines up at 4.00 pm a light west wind was blowing in towards the dam. James Simpson had fished quite short distances along the banks at both sides of the wide channel leading into the dam so was first back for the weigh in. By fishing near the dam, he gave himself more fishing time and this paid off when he put a bag of 16 trout weighing 8 lbs. 5.4 oz. on the scales. This proved to be the best of the day and earned him the Rusty Cup and 12 Bank League points. His choice of tackle was a Midge Tip line with dark coloured Cormorant or Hopper flies. Competition organiser, Toby Bracey took the 10 points for second place with 12 fish for 5 lbs. 6 oz. after a day on the west bank using Fast Tip and floating lines with Kate McLaren muddler flies. Alex Donald started fishing along the south shore before moving to the New Bay area for a basket of 9 for 4 lbs. 11.5 oz. and 8 points for third place. Black or Brown Half Hogs on Midge Tip or 12-foot Sink tip lines were working for him. Completing the top six were Kevin Imlach with 9 for 4 lbs. 6.5 oz. and 7 points, Mike Skerrett – 3 for 4 lbs. 5 oz. and 7 points. Mikes extra point was for the best trout of the day, a beautiful 2lbs. 7 oz. fish. Aivis Kreslins completed the top six with 8 for 3 lbs. 12.5 oz. and 5 points. Others with trout to weigh in were Robbie Hawken, Tony Chalmers, Neil Clyne, Callum MacKenzie, William Plank and Peter Creasey.
Competition Results Final Table 2023
Forthcoming competitions
Competition Rules (2024)
Fishing shall be carried out respecting the spirit and traditions of game angling.
- Competitions shall be fished with artificial flies only. Tandem flies shall not be permitted. No flies shall be artificially weighted. Not more than four flies shall be mounted on a cast and flies must be at least 20 inches apart.
- A fly shall comply with the following specifications. The hook shall be single or double provided that, in the case of a double hook, the angle between the bends does not exceed 90 degrees and, when viewed from the side, the bends lie one behind the other. Fly irons will measure not more than 5/8ths of an inch overall, including the eye. The overall length of the fly will not exceed 15/16ths of an inch. Attractor chemicals and the use of light emitters on flies are debarred.
- Lines, casts and leaders shall not be additionally weighted. Shooting heads, metal core lines and metal core braided leaders are debarred. Lines must be manufactured without joints in them.
- One rod only to be used by each competitor but each competitor will be entitled to have a spare rod with them. Both rods are not to be mounted at the same time. A rod is considered to be mounted if any two sections are joined or if a reel or line is attached.
- Anchoring of boats when fishing is prohibited. Boats must be allowed to drift freely although drogues are permitted to slow the boat down.
- During a competition, no boat may encroach within the distance of 100 yards in front of another boat from which competitors are fishing or disturb the water in front of or around such boat by indiscriminate use of the motor. Bank anglers are not allowed to fish within 25 yards of another angler without both verbally agreeing.
- Fish finders, echo sounders etc. are debarred during competitions.
- A competitor’s rod, when working flies or retrieving casts, must be hand-held and be above the water level. Trolling the flies behind a boat is not permitted, whether the boat is drifting or being driven by motor or oars. Side casting is permitted but flies must not be allowed to trail behind the boat.
- Competition results will be decided by the weight of fish, with the higher weight taking the higher placing. In the event of equality in weights, the greater number of trout will take precedence over the fewer. In the event of a tie on weight and numbers of trout, any trophies will be shared and held over an equal period. Points equal to that of the highest placing of those involved in a tie will be awarded to all in the tied placing. The lower placing position(s) in a tie will be omitted from the results.
- For every competition, the Association shall confirm a date and set the hours of fishing. The competition organisers will decide the minimum size of fish that may be weighed in, and the starting / finishing / points / times. Boat competitions will start with an “on the water” time with boats leaving the immediate vicinity of their normal berths at that time. A “lines up” time will be set for each competition and competitors must reel in, and stop fishing at the set time. Note: Any fish hooked prior to the set “lines up” time may be played out and retained. Anglers fishing a competition are responsible for setting their own watches with regard to competition times. Competitors shall not be allowed to fish the competition water during the 4hrs before the start of the match. Competitions are to be fished for Brown Trout only; no other species shall be presented to the scales for weighing.
- Every effort should be made to return undersized fish to the water alive. The competition organisers shall conduct the weigh in, at an agreed location, as soon as possible after the lines up time. All competitors should present their fish to the official weigher with nil returns also being required. Any competitor not reporting to the official weigher will be deemed blank. Presenting an undersized fish for weigh in will result in disqualification. The official measure will be available to all competitors prior to the weigh in. This should be used to check any borderline fish prior to presenting them for weigh in. All fish will be checked by the official weigher.
- Any competitor wishing to leave early, and weigh in fish, may do so by prior arrangement with the competition organisers. For reasons of safety, anyone leaving early, must inform the organisers, or another angler that they are “off the water” and arrange a suitable location to leave fish for the weigh in.
- Use of boats during bank competitions will be restricted to larger lochs eg, Calder or Watten size to enable access and availability for emergencies.”Lines out” and “lines up” times will be set for these competitions. The boat(s) may only be used in emergency circumstances within these times and must remain beached after access to desired point is gained. They must not be used for “bank hopping”.
- Any deviation from the rules will result in disqualification, subject to appeal, with zero points awarded to the disqualified angler for that competition. Appeal procedure: Any fish should be weighed in and recorded. Verbal notification of any intended appeal has to be made to the competition organisers within 15 minutes of the completion of the weigh in, followed by a written appeal to the Association secretary within 14 days of the competition date.
- Points will be awarded as follows: 1st = X (where X is the number of anglers entered in each competition), 2nd = X – 2, 3rd = X – 4, 4th = X – 5, 5th = X – 6 and so on down to zero points. An additional 1 point will be awarded to the angler who weighs in the heaviest fish. If two or more anglers weigh in heaviest fish of equal weight they will be awarded 1 point each. In each of the bank and boat leagues, the final points score will be counted from one less than the total number of competitions, with the lowest score being discarded, to decide the champions. The league scores will then be combined to determine the Club Champion. The Junior Championship Trophy will be awarded to the highest placed junior member and the Senior Championship Trophy to the highest placed senior member (65+). Ties in league and club championship placings will be resolved using highest individual competition placings. If ties cannot be resolved in this way, trophies will be shared and held over an equal period.
- Boat league championship, count points for six out of seven competitions. Top four anglers in the championship will have the opportunity to represent DFFA at the RBL Charity match on Watten. Top three anglers Watten / Calder competitions, counting five out of six, will have the opportunity to represent DFFA in SANACC competitions.
Bank league championship, count points for four out of five competitions. Six anglers will have the opportunity to represent DFFA against SAA. They will be the competition winners plus the highest placed angler(s) in the bank league.
- Any DFFA member fishing from an Association boat on Association water, using a legal method, may enter a Brown Trout for the Castle Trophy.
- Any DFFA member fishing from an Association boat on Loch Watten, using a legal method, may enter a Brown Trout for the Castle Trophy and Mathieson Trophy. Note: Any boat(s) hired or borrowed for a DFFA competition will be considered as an Association boat for the purposes of these trophies.
- A committee member must witness the weight of any fish entered for the Castle and Mathieson Trophies and their signature must be present on the catch return card of the member submitting the fish, when the card is forwarded to the Association secretary at the end of the season.
Anglers must wear life jackets / life preservers on Association boats. Anglers are also advised not to stand when fishing from a boat and to wear eye protection at all times when fishing.
