NORMAN IRVINE WINS FINAL OTFA COMPETITION OF 2023 ON HARRAY LOCH
Saturday 26th August saw twenty-eight anglers competing for the ‘Alan Findlay Cup’. Participants had the choice of Boardhouse, Harray, Hundland, Stenness or Swannay for this ‘any loch’ event which was fished between 10.00am and 4.00pm.
The weather was rather mixed during the days prior to the competition and this had somewhat hampered those who were trying to check out their options beforehand. On the day, Harray was the favoured venue for all but two rods, and the ‘big loch’ did not disappoint. Conditions were favourable with a moderate northerly wind and cloud cover for most of the day. The boats were well spread over the full length of the loch, most sticking to the eastern side which had been the sheltered side in the previous days wind.
As the boats returned to the shore at the Harray Site, where the weigh-in was held, the competitors could be heard asking how their opponents had faired. It soon became apparent that Harray had been on form and that double figure baskets were fairly common. It was going to take a very good basket to win. Up step Norman Irvine with 19 fish for 18lb 2oz! Norman’s boat partner John Leask was second with 15 fish for14lb 3oz. A great day’s sport for the pair who fished Di5 Sweep lines on green water drifts off Lochside. Their top flies were Naked Boris, Hulk and Erlend’s Cat.
Others notable catches were 12 for 13lb 9oz to Allan McConnachie, 12 for 11lb 10oz to James Harcus, 11 for 10lb 11oz to Malcolm Russell, 12 for 10lb 3oz to Gary Ballantyne and 10 for 10lb to Colin Sutherland. Brian Foreman had 10 fish for 7lb 7oz from Swannay Loch, which was well below the Harray Loch average of 14.3oz per fish.
The heaviest fish was taken by Allan McConnachie, a cracker, at 2lb 7oz. Allan’s basket included 5 fish over a pound securing him the ‘Bryan Clark Trophy’.
Slow Glass, Fast Glass, Di5 Sweep, Di7 Sweep and straight Di7 all accounted for good catches. Junior angler, Hayden Thomson, was happy with his 5 fish for 4lb 2oz, taken on a Fast Glass line with Madeira and Magenta Hedgehogs. Other successful fly patterns included Cod & Chips and Orange Hedgehog on Harray and McConn’s Ace and Naked Spur on Swannay.
Sandy McConnachie, Ken Kennedy and James Bews were not fishing today, as they were all away in Wales, competing in the Grey’s Pairs Final on Lyn Brenig. Sandy had already secured the OTFA ‘Fisherman of the Year’ trophy for 2023, after his third Boardhouse win the previous week, so could not be overtaken. 0ther’s making the top six and qualifying to represent Orkney in the 2024 Intercounty against Shetland are Ian Hutcheon, Norman Irvine, Ken Kennedy, Allan McConnachie and Thorfinn Muir. This will be Allan’s first Intercounty but it is well deserved as he has become a regular points scorer along with boat partner Thorfinn Muir.
Hard to believe it’s all over for the 2023 competition scene, but it has been a successful one in many respects. Yes, we had to reschedule two competitions due to adverse weather but we still continue to attract an average of twenty-eight anglers per competition which is fairly healthy. From the stoic ‘elder statesman’ Brian Thomas, who can still weigh-in some good catches, down to enthusiastic juniors Josh Tulloch and Sigurd Swanney who have been ably mentored by Ian Tulloch. Young Josh has weighed-in fish on five occasions this season, so deservedly, retains the ‘Zawadski Cup’ for the best aggregate caught by a junior in senior competitions.
Tight lines to all for the remainder of the fishing season and hope to see you all next year.
IH
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Any Loch Winner Norman Irvine |
Fly Fisherman Of The Year Sandy McConnachie |
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