The four-strong Menteith Ospreys team pocketed what is understood to be the biggest prize money in loch style fishing in Britain by winning the inaugural Greys Loch Style Championship at the Lake of Menteith.
Peter Auchterlonie (Crieff), Ronnie Gilbert (Crookedholm, Ayrshire), Martin McCafferty (Hamilton) and Derek Pozzi (Leslie, Fife) landed 89 fish for 195.14lb during the two-day event and they pocketed a share of the £3,000 first prize in a total prize fund of £7,400.
Second were Balfron Piscatorials with 166lb, they shared £1,500, and third Team Ospreys, under one pound behind, and they shared £500.
A total of 948 fish were caught by the 68 anglers from Scotland, including Islay and Orkney, England, Ireland, Wales and Northern Ireland at the popular fishery with different methods including dry flies to the washing line with nymphs and buzzers on a floating line in changeable conditions.
It was bright on day one and flat calm and overcast on the second day with a little ripple, perfect for fishing, with The Cages among the best spots to fish.
The individual top rod was Greig Davie from Leslie, Fife, representing Alba Cats, with 64lb 13oz from 32 fish, 16 on each day, and he pocketed £1,000. Second was Auchterlonie on 58lb (15 fish on day one and 11 on day two) and third McCafferty on 57lb 7oz (ten on day one and 17 on day two), both members of the Menteith Ospreys.
For many of the competitors, it was their first outing to the lake near Stirling and they said were “blown away” with the size and power of the fish caught.
Howard Croston, the 2019 world fly fishing champion, was also impressed with the methods used and added: “It is fantastic to see a competition at the level being fished with technical fishing methods and dry fly featuring so heavily.”
Welsh ace Hywel Morgan, one of Britain’s best-known anglers, who was seventh with 21 fish (nine on day one and 12 on day two) for 47lb 3oz, said: “The Lake of Menteith did not disappoint, what a fantastic place. My smallest fish for four days was well over 3lb. The fishing was off the scale, the competition was fantastic and the crack was even better. Worth the 680 mile round trip.”
PICTURE: (left to right) Ronnie Gilbert, Derek Pozzi, Martin McCafferty and Peter Auchterlonie with the big cheque at the Lake of Menteith. Picture contributed by Greys
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