2012 Cygnet Committee, Waterside Assistants & Instructors

 

Mr Paul Young
Honorary President
Swanswater Cygnets Junior Angling Club

Chairman

Angus McDougall

Vice Chairman
Waterside Assistant

Alasdair Fyfe

Treasurer/Secretary
Morna Lohoar

Match Secretary
Waterside Assistant
Jim Allan

Game Angling Instructor
Thomas Anderson

Fly Tying Instructor
Waterside Assistant

Jimmy Miller

Waterside Assistant
Dave Armour















Junior Committee members - Morgan McDougall and Robert Fyfe

Cygnets if you have anything that you would like discussed or raised with the committee, speak to Robert or Morgan who will them speak to the adults committee

Sunday 29th April 2012

The Cygnets session commenced as usual at 09:30hrs with fly tying with Jimmy Miller. The Cygnets were shown how to tie a Corixa.

"Corixa"

Following the fly tying the Cygnets were split in to groups to fish the Meadow Pond and the Mill Pond. The experienced Cygnets were fishing the Mill Pond and the less experienced fished the Meadow Pond. There were 18 Cygnets at today's session.

Mill Pond

Meadow Pond

The weather was bright and sunny, but was very cold with a strong wind for the entire session. The Cygnets did very well to brave the wind, which made casting and fishing very difficult at times.

It was not long on the Mill Pond before Robert Fyfe was into the first fish of the morning followed by William Addison who hooked and landed a superb, rainbow.  Robert Fyfe then got his second fish of the day.

Waterside Assistant giving advice

There were a number of fish around the ponds.  The Cygnets fished hard throughout the morning.  Cameron Smith hooked and landed a Tiger trout from the Mill Pond midway through the session. Thereafter other Cygnets were into fish, which gave some excellent sport to the Cygnets.

Cameron with a Tiger on !!!!!

Cameron with a superb specimen of one of Swanswaters hard fighting Tiger trout

The successful Cygnets today were:-

Robert Fyfe  - 2 fish retained & 1 fish returned

Robert Hiddleston  - 2 fish retained

Cameron Smith  - 2 fish retained (2 Tigers)

William Addison  - 1 fish retained

Scott  Dinely  - 1 fish retained

Eddie  McKillop - 1 fish retained

Jordan  Duncan - 1 fish retained

Keir  Penman - 1 fish retained

The next Cygnets session, on Sunday 13th May, will be a Cygnets outing to Swanswater. The experienced Cygnets will be fishing Swanswater and the less experienced will be fishing the Mill Pond. Further information about this outing and times will be sent to Cygnets in due course.

Sunday 15th April 2012

18 Cygnets met on Sunday 15th April 2012 which was a sunny day with a cold wind.  There were 10 Cygnets fishing on the Millpond and 8 Cygnets on the Meadow Pond. 

The successful Cygnets were:

Jack Forbes with a blue and Matthew Beattie with a rainbow from the Meadow Pond.  Both boys have only been fishing few sessions.

On the Millpond Abbi Hutton 2 rainbows, Cameron Smith 2 tiger trout, Robert Fyfe 2 trout (one rainbow and one blue) and 1 released and Robert Hiddleston with 1 blue trout.

Some Cygnets also caught perch which were returned.


The next Cygnets session is on Sunday 29th April.

Sunday 1st April 2012

Today was the 2nd day of the Cygnets 2012 fishing season. Some of the Cygnets commenced this morning learning to tie a "Griffiths Gnat" with fly tying instructor Jimmy Miller . The others started off being shown the elementary basics of fly tying, and how to tie a buzzer.

"Griffith Gnat"

Swanswater Cygnets Junior Angling Club

There were 19 Cygnets today. The less experienced Cygnets were given instruction on the Meadow pond by Cygnets professional casting instructor Thomas Anderson with the assistance of David Armour.  The more experienced Cygnets commenced fishing on the Mill Pond. It was sunny day with a strengthening breeze which made the day quite cold.  It was not long before the first and only fish of the day was hooked and landed by Cameron Smith, a superb Tiger Trout.  The fish were showing around the pond but, were not keen to take any of the flies that the Cygnets cast to them. The Cygnets tried lures, wet flies, dry flies and buzzers today. There were a few small perch caught today and returned to the pond.

The next Cygnets meeting is Sunday 15th April 2012 with fly tying commencing at 09:30am with fishing thereafter.

Sunday 18th March -Cygnets 1st Fishing Session 2012

(Sorry Cygnets for the delay in this weeks blog - technical problems)

Today was the first fishing session of Cygnets for 2012. The Cygnets were all eager to get fishing. The Cygnets session commenced as normal with fly tying with Cygnets fly tying instructor Jimmy Miller. 

Today the Cygnets were shown and tied a "Prince Nymph" this fly is reputed to take "big" trout.

There were 7 new Cygnets today. They commenced on the grass with Casting Instructor Tam Anderson, GAIA Professional Casting Instructor. The new Cygnets were shown the elements of over head casting and were given instruction on how to cast a fly rod.

The other Cygnets commenced fishing on both the Mill Pond and Meadow Ponds.  It was not long before Abbi Hutton, showed the other Cygnets how to catch a fish!!!!.  Abbi is a superb fly angler and was the top Cygnet on Sunday. She showed her superb skills with a fly rod. Catching 5 fish all on the Okey Dokey.  Well Done Abbi....  She is definitely a potential future member of  Scotland's National Youth and womens' Teams.

The weather was bright and sunny and really warm.  there was a few fish showing on the surface. On one of the ponds action was slow with no fish being caught. 

After the new Cygnets having some tuition on the grass. The new Cygnets were then taken onto the water, where they learnt to cast on the water with wool. They then were given a fly and tried to catch their first Cygnet Trout.

Fishing seemed to go quiet with no fish wanting to take any of the flies.  Another of the successful anglers was Jordan who caught a lovely Rainbow trout.

Successful Cygnets today were: -

                            Abbi -  5 fish (2 retained 3 returned)

                            Jordan -  1 fish



Good luck to the Cygnets -Abbi, Robert, William and Cameron who are taking part in the Trout Masters fishing competition this coming Saturday on the main Swanswater Pond.  These Cygnets all caught fish over 4lbs last season on Swanswater Fishery. The winner of the Swanswater heat has the opportunity to fish the Junior Trout Masters Final at Stoney Bridge Fishery. It was be truly wonderful to see one of out Cygnets crowned Trout Masters Junior Champion.

See you all at the next Cygnets session on Sunday 1st April. 

Remember Cygnets to bring your glasses, hats, flies and leader material along with your rods, lines and reels.

Cygnets Fishing opens this Sunday 18th March 2012

We all are all looking forward to seeing you all on Sunday 18th March 2012 for the Opening of the 2012 Cygnets fishing Season. Fly Tying commences at 09:30am with fishing thereafter.

Remember to bring with you:- 

(Apart from Rod, reel & Line, leader material flies and net)

Hat/baseball cap

Glasses (i.e Sunglasses for eye protection)

Warm clothing including waterproof jacket, gloves

Wellington boots or sturdy footwear

The weather can be unpredictable, it might be sunny but it can rain or turn very cold quickly.  If the wind strengthens this will make what looks a warm day into a very cold day. It is very easy to remove a layer (take a jumper off) if you become too warm. Wear plenty of layers as this is the best way to keep you warm.

Helpful Hint - Simple Knot to Learn "The Half Blood Knot"

Cygnets here is a simple knot you can use when attaching your leader to the braided loop on the main fly line and for tying your fly on to the leader.

Here is the step by step instructions on how to tie the knot

The Half Blood Knot

THREAD THE LINE THROUGH THE EYE

WRAP THE LOOSE END (TAG) AROUND THE LINE 6 TIMES

PASS THE LOOSE END (TAG) THROUGH THE LOOP CLOSEST TO THE EYE.

WET THE LINE WRAPS WITH SALIVA FROM YOUR MOUTH, USE YOUR FINGERS TO WET THE LINE, PULL BOTH THE TAG END AND THE LINE AND PULL TIGHT. TRIM THE TAG END CLOSE TO THE KNOT

THE HALF BLOOD KNOT

Cygnets have a go at home tying this knot, if you are having any problems ask one of the waterside assistants to help you. We will be doing a session on tying the various knots that can be used when fishing. This is a simple knot to get started with.

 If there is anything you would like to discuss or ask just speak to your Junior Committee Representatives Morgan or Robert.

Tight lines for 2012

Cygnets Pre Season Meeting Sunday 11th March 2011

Cygnets Junior Angling Club held their pre-season annual meeting. There were 10 Cygnets along with parents and guardians who attended the meeting.  The forthcoming fishing season was discussed with the Cygnets and parents.

The first day of the Cygnets fishing season 2012 commences Sunday 18th March 2012.  Fly tying commences at 09:30am with fishing commencing thereafter.

The fly tying shield was awarded, by Jimmy Miller for the "most progressive fly tier", to  Abbi Hutton.

Following the Cygnets meeting, some of the Cygnets went along to Active Angling Open day.  There was demonstrations being done by some of the top names in fishing.

The Cygnets who went along to active Angling met Hywell Morgan. He has agreed to come along to a Cygnets session to offer some fly casting instruction and advice later this year.

Morgan, Abbi & Robert with Hywell Morgan