David Harrington makes his first cast as a Scottish international angler at Largs on Wednesday in the Home International.
It’s a big day for the Uphall Station-based fly fisherman who has been at Newhaylie Trout Fishery for the last few days practicing with his team-mates.
Harrington and his six colleagues found it tough going on final practice day to find fish in the strong east wind which blew across the water perch 400ft above the popular seaside town.
David Harrington casting at Newhaylie during practice for the Home International. Picture Nigel Duncan
Casting was difficult as the wind gusted at the 3.8 acre water which is hosting its first international event after being involved in four national finals.
Anglers chopped and changed their patterns trying to find the elusive trout and some anglers resorted to using the bung method to find fish.
Harrington, a member of the Railway Inn Angling Club at Juniper Green, was one of them and he hooked into one fish at the dam wall and two others near the fishery office as the teams moved around the lake to gain valuable knowledge of the different pegs.
It’s the luck of the draw set for Tuesday night as to which peg an angler is allocated for the match day and team officials confirmed that the draw will be crucial.
They said there were several ‘hot’pegs and drawing a peg in a poor location on the lake could be a real downer for the angler and the team.
Wales appear favourites with Hywell Morgan, a world champion fly caster and a consultant for Scottish-based tackle manufacturer, Daiwa, plus YouTuber Rhys Wadley, who has 20,000 followers on the channel, both in the seven-strong squad.
Their team manager is Matthew Pate, another angler well known for his fly tying on YouTube.
Scotland’s captain is Graeme Lynch is from Beith in Ayrshire and he said that the water was fishing well and the guys were finding it to be OK.
Graeme Lynch, Scotland’s captain, during practice. Picture Nigel Duncan
He added: “Guys are finding fish and we are quite confident going into the competition. The wind is changing daily and we were hit with an easterly wind on Monday and it was bitterly cold.
“There is a strong wind around today but we hear that the wind will die down on Wednesday and conditions could be different.
“The water is cold and conditions all come into play but that is what we practice for. It is about finding the depth (the fish are at) and that is the tricky bit.”
Lynch has four international caps and admitted that his team are inexperienced at international level but he added: “We will all put in a real effort and hope the guys come good.
“The Welsh look the team on paper, and they look a good team, but we have home advantage and it will be interesting tomorrow (Wednesday).”
Lynch lives locally and knows Newhaylie pretty well and other men in the team are Mark Hopkins from Hamilton, Kyle Courtney (Ayrshire), Peter Cowie (Stuartfield, Aberdeenshire), Michael Ward (Johnstone) and Steven Craig (Strichen, near Fraserburgh).
The skipper added: “It comes down to practice and the peg draw which is vital, especially with this wind. If you get a peg with the wind in your face it will be difficult (on match day). We need some luck in the draw and we hope we get the depth right, right flies, the right lines and our tactics right on the day.
”I would say there are four or five pegs which are hot pegs and if we get them we could be laughing.”
PICTURE: Scotland (left to right): Kevin Andrews (assistant manager), Michael Ward, Graeme Lynch (captain), Steven Craig, Mark Hopkins, Kyle Courtney, Brian Quinn (manager), David Harrington, Peter Cowie.
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