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to adjust the working depth, depending on the requirements of the day. In contrast, Malcolm and Ron
would be fishing large lures.
I can't recall what Ron had on, but
Malcolm's was a deep diving rainbow
trout patterned rapala. These lures can
work as deep as twenty feet under the
right trolling conditions, and again,
leads or even diving vanes were
available to increase that depth if
needs be, all of which to a huge extent
is governed by the movements of the
char shoals according to seasonality,
water temperature, and the rest.
For more detailed information, take a
look at Ron Greer's excellent book
'Ferox Trout'. On this particular day,
Char deadbait rigged to troll
it was decided that the thirty to forty
foot contour was the favoured
working line, and so far as it was possible, keeping an eye on the echo sounder close to the tiller, that
was what we followed.
Fortunately, we didn't have to wait long. Shortly after heading off down the loch, my rod slammed over
and line was pouring from the reel. Quickly, the other rods were brought in, while at the same time
trying to keep the boat from being blown too far out into open water and getting broadside on to the
waves.
To be honest, I don't recall too much about the fish on the line. I think my brain was as frozen and
useless as my fingers. But eventually it appeared through the deep 'cold tea'. A large dark shape with a
huge kype, and some of the biggest and most amazing spots on its flanks that I'd ever seen. Then it was
in the net.
A big cheer and an out-pouring of Gallic obscenities quickly followed as both boats motored in to the
shore to weigh, photograph, and hopefully release the enormous fish, which tipped the scales at fifteen
and a half pounds. I had my double, and a proper wild fish into the bargain. What a feeling.
Alistair immediately sedated it in a bath
of MS222 to do all the necessary science
stuff. Then, after a quick photograph, it
was time to bring it back round for
release, except that it then unfortunately
bellied up.
Despite repeated further attempts,
nothing more could be done, and so a
wider selection of photographs was able
to be taken. But since those early days,
it's been found that sticking at the revival
attempts for longer can ultimately pay
off, though that knowledge hadn't been
acquired at that time.
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