Allan Liddle visited what looks like a little gem of a fishery in Scotland.
Once again another wild trout season has come and gone (and a very good one it was too) and the long dark nights of the ‘Close Season’ are upon us when anglers turn their attention to cleaning rods and lines, completing those minor repairs to the various bits of kit we drag around the countryside, start to fill the fly boxes for next year, or even flick through the photos whilst enjoying a wee dram or two in reflection on the season just past.
Or at least that’s what we used to do when there was such things as a real ‘Close Season’, nowadays many of us simply switch species possibly targeting pike, maybe sea fish, very possibly grayling and most certainly rainbows. Yup for me the ‘Wild Trout Off Season’ generally means time to switch attention to the ‘exotics.’
And before the mercury drops to brass monkey levels there’s the chance of an ‘Indian Summer’ outing or two as often settled weather follows the big blows of the Equinox and fish take advantage of the late hatches. This is when I like to keep the lighter rods from their winter lay-off and head to a nearby boat only rainbow venue where the surroundings are as tranquil as you could hope for and fishing as relaxed as it should be, box of dries, box of nymphs and a few lures thrown in just in case of emergencies, floating and slow sink lines and my faithful Labrador boat partners, ideal way to pass an autumn day.
Millbuies Country Park, with the lochs lying at their heart, is a little known area out with the Moray area, something local Rothes Glen Trout Fishery owner, Kevin Moss, is trying to change since taking on the fishing lease from the local council. The estate itself lies about four and a half miles south of Moray’s ‘Capital’ Elgin and comprises the lochs and the surrounding very picturesque wooded valley. Covering about 160 acres with many well marked and maintained footpaths to explore, the area was gifted to the people of Elgin in 1956 by local landowner George Boyd Anderson; hence the reason the local authority came to be responsible for the trout fishing. Now Kevin keeps it running as long as the weather permits, not so much the cold snow and windy stuff, but certainly the frost and ice Millbuies is prone to, lying as it does deep in the glen surrounded by that magnificent mixed wood which is so efficient at keeping any thawing wind at bay and helping produce the perfect frozen water conditions.
But these thoughts are banished at least for a little bit through October, November and often early December should the weather gods’ smile and you grab any opportunity to take advantage of a late stress reducing ‘spot of angling.’
Wandering down the footpath under the rhododendron canopies admiring the spruce and firs helps set the scene before you arrive at the first dam and the ‘bottom loch’ opens up before you where all anglers pause for a quick scan before completing the short journey to the anglers' hut and boat pier and set about the task of setting yourself up for a lazy day of rowing and exploring the tree lined banks, weed beds or little bays.
First choice you need to make (once you’ve got yourself out on the water that is) is to decide which water to start with? Stay on the ‘bottom’ loch, or negotiate the low narrow bridge that separates both waters. Watch out, the sign ‘Mind your head,’ is there for a reason but you quickly acquire the skill of setting the boat in the desired direction, ensuring there’s enough speed to carry you through and ducking down low enough to avoid a ‘Bang on the Bonce.’ For the more experienced you then add two excitable Labradors and the obvious worry of an expensive rod or two, all part of the fun.
All the time surrounded by the blast of autumn colours, especially if you get a bit of autumn or early winter sunshine. You have to work hard at not being distracted by the beauty around you when you should really be concentrating on the two dries you’ve pitched towards the expanding rings of the feeding fish you’ve worked so hard at targeting. This is my excuse for not paying attention in class, the results for this are obvious and inevitable, soon as you look away a fish takes a fancy for your dries and the peace and tranquillity is shattered by a muttering or two of disgust. Rookie mistake, normal service resumed.
Still you shouldn’t let this bother you too long, there’s plenty more fish in there for you to chase, good quality hard fighting rainbows and blues, along with a mix of stocked and wild browns. Given the lochs are obviously well matured, fly life is well established with an abundance of Corixa and Bloodworm / Buzzers amongst the top of the trout’s hit list especially around this time of year, and fish aren’t slow to capitalise on a bit of ‘Fry (stickleback) Bashing’ either, hence the aforementioned one or two lures tucked into the fly box.
Dries may be my preferred option, however it’s certainly far from the only tactic that works on here, anglers can enjoy or hone skills from pulled lures to twitched or static buzzers both styles of which are favourites with fishery regulars. All in all the relaxed atmosphere and tranquil surroundings help make the fishing experience memorable and enjoyable whatever tactic you opt for.
One thing to watch out for however is the pier as I found to my cost. Heading in with the aforementioned two excitable Labradors I tied the boat up at the head of the pier where instructed and stepped out only for both dogs to follow so they could rummage about the way dogs do. Well one followed onto the pier, the other into the water and although I could hear him I couldn’t see him until I realised with much horror he was trapped below the pier and obviously drowning. Thanks to the way the boat protecting rubber sheeting is secured around the pier, my poor dog couldn’t see how to get out, so my session on that day ended with me three quarter submerged reaching under a big wooden pier in freezing water to drag a distressed and panicking dog to safety. All ended well and the big lump simply shook himself down and headed off to join the other one, whilst I tended soaking clothes and a wrecked phone and camera. Bit of excitement to end the day, not something I care to repeat though.
All in all a cracking wee place to fish, tranquil and drama free (rescuing dogs aside) and for me just the place to enjoy any ‘Indian Summer’ conditions once the wild season has passed. Whatever time of year look it up next time you’re in the area, relaxing atmosphere and quality fishing assured.
Fact file:
Full details on Millbuies fishing, up to date reports, fishing charges and availability can be found on the Rothes Glen Fishery website www.morayflyfishing.co.uk
Flies:
As said earlier Millbuies trout like all the ‘Usual Suspects’ for small still water fishing so I’ll refrain from writing up an exhaustive list.
Instead here are a couple of my favoured small dries which have worked well on this water in recent visits:
Black Game Spider (Henry Lockhart)
Hook: Partridge L5A Dry Fly Supreme 10-16
Thread: Black Uni 6/0 or 8/0
Body: Black seal, hare fur and green glister mix (approx. 45:45:10, keep glister to just a ‘pinch’)
Wing: fine deer hair (sparse)
Hackle: 2 turns black cock trimmed level below.
Bibio Emerger (Allan Liddle)
Hook: Partridge L5A Dry Fly Supreme 10-16
Thread: Black Uni 6/0 or 8/0
Body: rear and front third Black seal, hare fur and green glister mix (approx. 45:45:10, keep glister to just a ‘pinch’), middle; scarlet red seal fur. Ensure body dub is well ‘picked out’
Hackle: 2 turns white cock trimmed level below.
Read more from Allan at the excellent Scottish Anglers